Exam Bulletin - Coordinator of Nursing Services (8133)

Department of State Hospitals

Multiple Testing Departments. Please see list of Departments.

Exam Code: EX-4514

Examination Plans Included:

  • COORDINATOR OF NURSING SERVICES - Open

Final Filing Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Bulletin Updates

  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continuous filing dates have been added.

Classification Details

COORDINATOR OF NURSING SERVICES: $9,487.00 - $16,046.00 per Month

View the COORDINATOR OF NURSING SERVICES classification specification.

Application Instructions

Upcoming Filing Cutoff Dates:

  • 1/2/2026
  • 2/6/2026
  • 3/6/2026
  • 4/3/2026
  • 5/1/2026
  • 6/5/2026
  • 7/3/2026
  • 8/7/2026
  • 9/4/2026
  • 10/2/2026
  • 11/6/2026
  • 12/4/2026

Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) must be received or postmarked by the filing date indicated above. Applications postmarked, personally delivered or received via interoffice mail after the filing date will be processed in the next group.

Who Should Apply:

The information below will help you determine which classification(s) is(are) appropriate for you. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as stated on this bulletin to compete in this examination.

Open and Open, Non-Promotional Examination(s):

  • COORDINATOR OF NURSING SERVICES - Open

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 9 months:

Exam Code(s):

    4514

For COORDINATOR OF NURSING SERVICES, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 9 months:

Exam Code(s):

  • EX-04514

How To Apply:

Submit an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) to apply for this examination.

Electronic applications can be submitted through your account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

You may apply by mail to:

  • Exams
    Department of State Hospitals
    Selection Services Unit
    1215 O Street
    MS-14
    Sacramento, CA 95814

Indicate the Examination Code and Classification(s) on your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678).

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

  • Department of State Hospitals
    Selection Services Unit
    1215 O Street
    MS-14
    Sacramento, CA 95814
    8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Indicate the Examination Code and Classification(s) on your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678). All applicants must provide proof of identification. Accepted forms of identification are: 1) a photo identification card or 2) two forms of signed identification.

Special Testing Arrangements:

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

Minimum Qualifications

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted to the examination.

Unless otherwise stated in the Minimum Qualifications, qualifying experience may be combined on a proportionate basis if the requirements stated below include more than one pattern and are distinguished as "Either" 1, "or" 2, "or" 3, etc. For example, applicants possessing qualifying experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 1 and additional experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 2 may be accepted to an examination as meeting 100% of the overall experience requirement.

00108133 - COORDINATOR OF NURSING SERVICES

Possession of the legal requirements to practice as a professional registered nurse in California as determined by the California Board of Registered Nursing. (Applicants who are in the process of securing approval of their qualifications by the California Board of Registered Nursing will be admitted to the examination but they must possess all legal requirements as determined by that Board before they will be eligible for appointment.) and

Either I

Master's degree in a health related field with one year of experience in nursing administration and specialized training in providing services to mentally or developmentally disabled persons.

Or II

Baccalaureate degree in a health related field with three years of experience in nursing administration and specialized training in providing services to mentally or developmentally disabled persons.

Or III

Four years of experience in nursing administration with evidence of continuing education and specialized training in providing services to mentally or developmentally disabled persons. (Experience in California state service applied toward any of the three options must be in a class with duties and responsibilities comparable in level to Health Services Specialist.)

Position Description

00108133 - COORDINATOR OF NURSING SERVICES

Develops, maintains, and monitors implementation of nursing policy and procedures on a hospital-wide basis in conjunction with Health Services Specialists and assures that such policies and procedures are consistent with professionally recognized standards of nursing practice; recommends to the Executive Director appropriate numbers of nursing personnel and levels of expertise needed to meet the nursing service needs throughout the hospital; identifies problems that have not been satisfactorily resolved at the program level and recommends resolutions to the Executive Director; assists the Program Directors in the evaluation of the professional competency of the Health Services Specialists; participates in planning and budgeting for nursing services in conjunction with Program Directors; develops and periodically reviews the statements of philosophy and objectives that define the type of nursing care the facility provides; develops methods for coordinating nursing services with other client services; participates in the selection of Health Services Specialists and other nursing staff; participates in planning, evaluating, and certifying staff development in conjunction with the Psychiatric Nurse Education Director; meets regularly with Health Services Specialists to assure compliance with nursing policy and identifies areas of concern; collaborates with all hospital committees that relate to health quality assurance issues as a member of the total health care team; reviews duty statements of Health Services Specialists in consultation with Program Directors; serves as the nursing consultant to the Executive Director on all issues related to the nursing care of clients.

For information regarding position location(s), please refer to the Eligible List Information section.

Examination Information

This examination consists of the following component(s):

Component OrderComponent TypeComponent DuePercentage of Final Score
1Education/ExperienceN/A100%

A final score of 70% must be attained to be placed on the eligible list.

It is important that each candidate provide details and completely fill out their application (e.g., start and end dates, hours worked per week, duties performed, education information, etc). List all experience relevant to the "Minimum Qualifications" for admittance to the examination shown on this announcement.

Exam Considerations for Education and Experience:

1. The breadth, quality, and length of time of the education and experience.

2. The relevance of the education and experience to the qualifications of the classifications.

3. The degree to which the competitor's total education and work history represent suitable preparation to successfully perform the duties and tasks of the class.

In addition to evaluating the applicant's relative knowledge, skill and ability as demonstrated by quality and breadth of education/experience, emphasis in each test component will be on measuring competitively, relative to job demands, each applicant's:

Knowledge of: Principles, procedures, and techniques of administering a nursing program; State and Federal laws and regulations pertaining to individual healing arts licensure and facility licensure, facility certification and accreditation; hospital organization, management, and procedures; principles and methods of training nursing staff; concepts and methods of consultation; principles and practices of general nursing with particular reference to treatment programs for physically and/or mentally handicapped personnel; the Department's Affirmative Action Program objectives; a manager's role in the Affirmative Action Program and the processes available to meet affirmative action objectives.

Ability to: Work independently in identifying the need for, and developing proposed changes in nursing practices and policies particularly those related to physical care; evaluate the effectiveness of established nursing treatment plans; read, interpret, and apply State and Federal regulations; administer the nursing services of a large hospital; analyze complex problems and take appropriate action; communicate effectively; and effectively contribute to the department's affirmative action objectives.

Special Personal Characteristics: Demonstrated leadership ability; sympathetic and objective understanding of the problems of mentally or developmentally disabled persons; tact; and patience; emotional stability.

Eligible List Information

A Servicewide Open eligible list for the COORDINATOR OF NURSING SERVICES Classification will be established for:

  • State of California

The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list(s) in order of final score regardless of test date. Eligibility expires 12 months after it is established. Applicants must then retake the examination to reestablish eligibility.

Resulting Eligibility List(s) will be used to fill vacancies throughout the State of California.

Veterans' Preference will be granted for this examination. Veterans' Preference is an assistance program for veterans, veteran widows and widowers, and spouses of 100% disabled veterans who seek employment with the state. Veterans' Preference is also extended to currently serving military members nearing their retirement or separation date.

You are not eligible for Veteran's Preference if you are:

  • A veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released.
  • A veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran who currently has permanent civil service status. (Permanent civil service status is the status of an employee who is lawfully retained in his/her position after completion of the applicable probationary period. This does not include limited term).

Veterans' Preference is codified in Government Code Sections 18973 – 18979.

Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Directions to apply for Veterans' Preference are on the Veterans' Preference Application (Std. Form 1093), which is available at www.CalCareers.ca.gov, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Career Credits are not granted for examination(s) administered on an Open basis or a Promotional basis.

Testing Departments

  • Department of State Hospitals
  • State of California

Contact Information

Questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

Department of State Hospitals
Selection Services Unit
1215 O Street, MS 14
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-8832
SacramentoExamsUnit@dsh.ca.gov

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice). TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Drug Free Statement

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free State work place. Any applicant for State employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective, because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing civil service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

General Information

Examination and/or Employment Application (STD 678) forms are available at the California Department of Human Resources, local offices of the Employment Development Department, and through your CalCareer Account (www.CalCareers.ca.gov).

If you meet the requirements stated on this examination bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described in this bulletin will be rated against a predetermined job-related rating, and all applicants who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

Department of State Hospitals reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all applicants will be notified.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. In open examinations, investigation may be made of employment records and personal history and fingerprinting may be required.

Eligible Lists: Eligible lists established by competitive examination, regardless of date, must be used in the following order: 1) sub-divisional promotional, 2) departmental promotional, 3) multi-departmental promotional, 4) service-wide promotional, 5) departmental open, 6) open. When there are two lists of the same kind, the older must be used first. Eligible lists will expire in one to four years unless otherwise stated on the bulletin.

High School Equivalence: Equivalence to completion of the 12th grade may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways: 1) passing the General Education Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college-level work; 3) certification from the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high school authorities that the competitor is considered to have education equivalent to graduation from high school; or 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis.

Accepted applicants must provide proof of identification at each in-person test session. Acceptable identification consists of a photo identification card or two forms of signed identification.

Application Methods:
Electronic (Your CalCareer Account)
By Mail
In Person (see bulletin for details)
Alternate Application Process

While we recommend that you utilize your CalCareer Account to take advantage of all the tools available, you may choose to apply for this examination without using your account. In this case, print and complete the Exam Application Package Checklist and include it if you submit a hard copy application.

Exam Application Package Checklist

Blank Application Form (STD678)

Accommodation Request (STD679)