ACT Nurse

Harrisonburg Rockingham Csb•Harrisonburg, VA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Nurse, who can be a Registered Nurse or Licensed Professional Nurse, will provide in-home services to clients with severe and persistent mental illness. This position is responsible for meeting the nursing service needs of agency consumers by providing competent standards of care in direct and indirect care roles. The Nurse will assist clients with the medical aspects of their care through administering and delivering medications, assessing for medication side effects, educating about medications taken to ensure patient’s informed consent, and providing education about symptom management. The Nurse will work in conjunction with others on the ACT Team to provide comprehensive services for clients in their homes and community settings. This position involves a rotation of day, evening, and weekend shift coverage, including overnight and weekend rotation of on-call coverage. This position includes assessing service needs, developing treatment plans, and providing assistance with access to community resources. The incumbent assists in obtaining medication and monitors response to prescribed medications, ensuring that the medical staff has accurate information about the consumer’s response and/or difficulties related to the medication. The incumbent is expected to exercise a high level of confidentiality regarding clients and services. Receives regular direct supervision from the ACT Supervisor, however, direct oversight of medical duties is performed by the ACT Psychiatric Care Provider. Assures compliance with agency policy, client rights, confidentiality, licensure regulations, and Medicaid regulations as applicable. This position is classified as non-exempt under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Requirements

Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of nursing.
Adherence to the code of ethics of the nursing profession.
Knowledge of principles, practices, and techniques involved in the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with mental health, and co-occurring disorders both individually and in a group setting.
Knowledge of mental health, substance abuse and co-occurring, treatment interventions both individually and in a group setting.
Ability to problem-solve and respond quickly to crisis situations. Ability to function calmly in stressful situations.
Basic knowledge about mental illness and the use of psychotropic medication in its treatment.
The ability to assess both general health problems and medication side effects.
Ability to organize and attend to detail in the delivery of medication.
Good interpersonal skills.
Ability to deal positively and constructively with changes and new challenges.
Demonstrated good judgment, and the ability to work with considerable autonomy.
The ability to work comfortably with a wide diversity of both professional staff and clients is required.
Graduation from an accredited college or nursing school with a degree or diploma in practical nursing, current licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Professional Nurse (LPN) in the Commonwealth of Virginia, plus two years of nursing experience which includes experience working with mental health and/or substance use disorder clients.
Possession of a valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record as reported by the Department of Motor Vehicles are required for persons using a personal or agency vehicle in the performance of their duties.

Nice To Haves

Mandt Training.
CPR Certification and First Aid Certification.
AED Training.

Responsibilities

Assist in the obtaining, safe storage, handling, and administration of IM and oral medications in compliance with state and federal law, departmental guidelines, and Community Services Board policy and procedure, as well as safe storage and handling of necessary medical supplies.
Prepares medication for regular delivery to clients, checking medication orders for accuracy. Records medication delivery on eMAR in accordance with written procedures.
Practices good venipuncture techniques and administers intramuscular injections under the direction of the medical prescriber.
Provides basic medical assessment to consumers, including monitoring client vital signs.
Monitors clients for the development of side effects of medications, reporting this to the prescriber and documenting such in the client case record.
Assists with calling in medication ordered by prescriber to pharmacies as authorized by Psychiatric Care Provider.
Assists psychiatric care provider with managing indigent programs and use of sample medications, as needed for clients.
Assists with arranging and coordinating laboratory testing as ordered by Psychiatric Care Provider.
Assists with obtaining prior authorizations from insurance companies for client medications as ordered by the Psychiatric Care Provider.
Assists in providing therapeutic interventions in both individual and group settings to persons who are in crisis due to their mental health status.
Assists with admission process for individuals being admitted to the program.
Responsible for the cleaning and upkeep of the medication room and other program areas on a routine basis.
Provides medication, health, and wellness education on an individual and group basis to clients.
Provides training and support with activities of daily living, performs crisis intervention, and facilitates prescreening/hospitalization when necessary.
Assists and participates in all hospital diversion, hospital care coordination, and hospital discharge/re-integration services.
Documents client contacts and maintains client records in accordance with established Board policy and procedure.
Assists with discharge planning and process; including to ensure that consumers are discharged with adequate supplies of medication and resources to obtain continued supplies.
Makes effective use of available technology, including computers, e-mail, and voice mail in order to enhance customer service.
Maintains effective relationships with co-workers and customers based on courtesy, compassion, and respect.
Participates in team meetings, clinical staffing and supervision (individually and in group).
Participates in professional development training, seminars, and conferences.
Is responsible for other duties as assigned, consistent with established Board policy.