Correctional Health Nurse (Open & Promotional)

San Mateo County Health's Correctional Health Services (CHS) is seeking skilled and compassionate Correctional Health Nurses to join its multidisciplinary healthcare team. This is an opportunity for experienced nursing professionals who thrive in dynamic clinical environments, exercise sound independent judgment, and are committed to providing quality, patient-centered care to individuals within the correctional system.

Correctional Health Services plays an essential role in promoting the health, safety, and well-being of incarcerated individuals by delivering comprehensive medical, dental, mental health, and substance use treatment services. Working in a secure correctional environment, nurses care for patients with a wide range of acute, chronic, and complex healthcare needs while collaborating closely with medical, behavioral health, and custody personnel.

This position offers a unique opportunity to expand your clinical expertise, practice with a high degree of autonomy, and make a meaningful difference in an underserved patient population.

Current Vacancies

We are currently recruiting for:

Assignments may be located at any of the County's three correctional facilities:

• Maguire Correctional Center – Redwood City
• Maple Street Correctional Center – Redwood City
• Youth Services Center – San Mateo

Under general direction, Correctional Health Nurses independently perform the full range of professional nursing duties, exercise advanced clinical judgment and may provide lead direction to nursing and paraprofessional personnel. Responsibilities include patient assessment and triage, medication administration, treatment planning, emergency intervention, patient education, and coordination of ongoing care.

About Correctional Health Services

Correctional Health Services provides integrated healthcare to San Mateo County's incarcerated adult population, along with medical and dental services for youth in custody.

Services include:

• Medical Care: Health screenings, acute and chronic disease management, patient education, and 24-hour emergency response. Clinical services address conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and HIV, as well as obstetric, orthopedic, and urgent care needs.
• Dental Care: Treatment and medication for urgent dental conditions, including extractions, for adults and youth.
• Mental Health Services: Crisis intervention, psychiatric evaluation and treatment, medication management, behavioral support, and continuing care referrals.
• Behavioral Health and Recovery: Day treatment through the Life Skills Program at Maguire and Maple Street Correctional Centers, group therapy, and cognitive behavioral approaches to addiction and recovery.
• Reentry Services: Care coordination, education, and referrals to support continuity of care as individuals transition back into the community.

Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is a clinically versatile and adaptable nursing professional with prior experience in correctional health, emergency department, or urgent care settings. The candidate demonstrates sound clinical judgment, compassion, and the ability to deliver safe, efficient, and patient-centered care in a fast-paced, secure environment.

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications, successful candidates will demonstrate:

• A strong clinical foundation in correctional health, emergency nursing, medical/surgical nursing, or other settings involving complex patient care.
• Knowledge of mental health nursing and the ability to recognize and respond appropriately to psychiatric and behavioral health needs including recovery services.
• Strong assessment, triage, and critical-thinking skills, including the ability to identify changes in patient conditions and respond effectively to medical or psychiatric emergencies.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to safely administer medications to more than 100 patients within an eight-hour shift.
• Confidence working independently while collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary healthcare teams and custody personnel.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to establish professional, therapeutic relationships with patients from diverse backgrounds.
• Adaptability, professionalism, and the ability to maintain patient safety, confidentiality, and appropriate boundaries within a locked correctional facility.
• A commitment to evidence-based nursing practices, patient advocacy, and continuity of care.
• Experience in OB/GYN, pediatrics, or psychiatric care is also desirable but not required.
• Candidates must also be available to work assigned shifts within a locked correctional facility, including weekends.

NOTE: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra-help, term, unclassified, and regular classified vacancies.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Complete patient assessments and triage, record patient histories, symptoms and observations.
• Establish and implement nursing care plans for each patient through assessment, development, activation and evaluation.
• Participate in patient case conferences and rounds.
• Organize, assign and supervise duties and responsibilities of other staff members as a team leader; orient and teach new staff members of the nursing team and students.
• Perform nursing care following prescribed rules, policies, protocol and procedures.
• Identify problems, assist in data gathering, propose solutions and participate in evaluation of quality assurance issues.
• Work with patient and their families to provide in-hospital and after-hospital follow-up through teaching and referral.
• Participate in educational programs to maintain level of expertise.
• Participate in non-clinical assignments, which may include maintaining records, preparing reports and/or serving on special committees.
• Maintain records and prepare reports both Electronic and Paper format.
• Operates a variety of medical machinery and equipment.
• Administer treatment and medications.
• Maintain knowledge of outpatient resources.
• Develop discharge plans for patients.
• Perform related duties as assigned and as required by assigned work setting, as described below.

Duties for nurses in this series may also include the following:

Security Clearance: 

Positions in Correctional Health require that the applicant obtain and maintain a security clearance as a condition of employment. 

Licensure/Certification: 

Possession of a California license as a Registered Nurse or equivalent and a valid Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.

Knowledge of: 

• Nurse Practice Act.
• Current nursing and related medical theory and skills necessary to administer nursing care within assigned clinical setting.
• Safety and infection control practices.
• Clinical systems, supplies and equipment.

Skill/Ability to:

• Perform nursing procedures required for assigned clinical setting.
• Comply with clinical procedures and policies.
• Maintain professional nurse-patient relationships.
• Communicate with and educate patients, families, and the public who come from a diverse background.
• Work harmoniously with other personnel.
• Follow safety practices.
• Assist in the instruction of other nursing and paraprofessional personnel.
• Bend, kneel and squat as needed.
• Occasionally use upper extremities to exert force to push and pull patients/objects weighing up to 50 pounds or more.
• Work in a busy environment.

Open & Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, extra-help/limited term positions prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score on this examination.

The examination process will consist of an application screening (weight: pass/fail) based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%). Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in the County of San Mateo, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.

Tentative Recruitment Timeline
Final Filing Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 11:59PM PST
Application Screening: Week of October 26, 2026
Panel Interviews: Week of November 23, 2026 

 

About the County

San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment.

We seek to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community, and we encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.

 

HR Analyst: Priscilla Bermudez (100726) (Correctional Health Nurse – F018)