ACT Psychiatric Nurse

332098 Cumberland River Behavioral Health•Barbourville, KY

20h

About The Position

The ACT Psychiatric Nurse provides nursing, treatment coordination, psychiatric and medical services, rehabilitation, and practical support to clients with severe and persistent mental illness. The role coordinates an assigned caseload and works with clients, families, the individual treatment team, the team psychiatrist, community agencies, and other service providers. Services are delivered in the office and community settings, with possible work at a residential program or away from the usual office location. The nurse participates in psychiatric and physical health assessment; develops and revises treatment plans with clients and the treatment team; provides supportive therapy, symptom management, education, medication services, and crisis intervention; and supports clients’ recovery, daily living, employment, relationships, and community participation. Under the direction of the team psychiatrist and in collaboration with other registered nurses, the nurse helps manage medication and medical-treatment procedures, assesses medication effectiveness and side effects, arranges laboratory work, and coordinates medical assessments and referrals. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with other or adjusted hours potentially required. Work is structured in 7.5- to 8-hour blocks, but hours may be irregular or flexible based on service needs. The role may include on-call nighttime crisis intervention and backup for evening and weekend staff. The position averages 18–25 billable service hours per week. Salary is $47,697 per year.

Requirements

Master’s, bachelor’s, or associate degree in nursing.
Current registered nurse (RN) license.
At least one year of work experience in an inpatient or outpatient psychiatric setting.
Valid driver’s license for the state in which the program operates.
Strong commitment to the right and ability of people with severe and persistent mental illness to live in normal community residences, work in market jobs, and access continuous, competent support and services.
Ability to establish supportive, trusting relationships with people with severe and persistent mental illnesses and respect their rights and personal treatment preferences.
Oral and written communication skills.
Interpersonal skills and the ability to maintain effective working relationships with diverse personalities and people of all races, backgrounds, and needs.
Good judgment, tact, diplomacy, and compassion when solving problems, handling conflict, or responding to crises.
Ability to complete records in a timely manner and formulate treatment objectives for clients.
Knowledge of behavioral health concepts and how to apply them in practice.
Ability to reach, push, pull, stoop, bend, stand, walk, and lift up to 20 pounds.
Ability to work in conditions that may include occasional outdoor weather, off-site locations, or a residential program, and potential exposure to blood or other infectious materials.

Responsibilities

Coordinate services and monitor the activities of an assigned caseload’s individual treatment teams.
Develop, write, implement, evaluate, and revise treatment goals and plans in collaboration with clients and the treatment team.
Provide individual supportive therapy and symptom management, and promptly update treatment plans as clients’ needs change.
Educate and support clients’ families and advocate for clients’ rights and treatment preferences.
Participate in and conduct portions of comprehensive, client-centered assessments covering psychiatric history, mental status and diagnosis, physical and dental health, substance use, education and employment, daily living, and family relationships.
Coordinate treatment with community agencies, families, inpatient services, outpatient providers, residential facilities, and self-help programs.
Perform shift management with other ACT shift managers and provide on-call nighttime crisis intervention and backup for evening and weekend staff.
Maintain timely documentation of client progress and participate in daily staff meetings and treatment-planning reviews.
Lead or participate in medication administration and medical services, including managing medication procedures, documenting medication effectiveness and side effects, arranging laboratory work, organizing medication delivery, and managing pharmaceuticals and medical supplies under the team psychiatrist’s direction.
Coordinate and administer client physical-health assessments, make appropriate community medical referrals, and coordinate psychiatric and medical treatment.
Assess mental illness symptoms and treatment response, provide symptom education, and make appropriate interventions and treatment-plan changes when clients’ mental status or behavior changes.
Provide individual, group, and family clinical services in office and community settings, including behavioral symptom-management, personal-growth, and dual-diagnosis substance-abuse services.
Coordinate detoxification and links to self-help programs, outpatient services, and residential facilities.
Provide vocational counseling, job-seeking instruction, individualized job development, job coaching, on-the-job support and assessments, employer reviews, crisis assistance, and coordination with vocational rehabilitation and employment services.
Provide benefits counseling, including guidance related to Supplemental Security Income and veterans’ benefits.
Assess and support activities of daily living through problem solving, side-by-side assistance, skill training, supervision, and environmental adaptations.
Help clients find and maintain safe, affordable housing and obtain household necessities; support hygiene, grooming, nutrition, meal planning, shopping, cooking, housekeeping, and laundry.
Help clients access financial support and services, learn money-management skills, and obtain reliable transportation.
Support clients in accessing and effectively using primary-care, dental, and specialist services.
Provide supportive therapy, social-skills development, and assertiveness training; plan and support social and leisure activities, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Provide practical assistance, advocacy, coordination, training, and supervision to help clients obtain health care, legal and advocacy services, benefits, housing, money-management services, and transportation.
Meet the agency’s average expectation of 18–25 billable service hours per week and maintain a successful performance evaluation rating of 3 or above.
Participate in annual infection-control and safety training and new-staff training on managing threats, violence, and escalating or dangerous situations.
Maintain a valid driver’s license and safe driving record when driving is required for job performance.