Assessment & Referral Registered Nurse (Santa Rosa)

Northern California Behavioral Health System•Santa Rosa, CA

22h•Onsite

About The Position

Santa Rosa Behavioral Healthcare Hospital (SRBHH) is an integral part of the Northern California mental health system, serving adolescents and adults with mental health and co-occurring psychiatric and substance abuse conditions. This position is crucial for performing accurate assessments of incoming admissions to ensure high-quality, safe care during the intake process. The role involves processing patients from referral to unit transfer, assessing needs via crisis calls, walk-ins, or referral packets, and ensuring the appropriate level of care according to EMTALA guidelines. The nurse will utilize knowledge of facility policies, exclusionary criteria, and capabilities to accept patients, provide in-person assessments, obtain MD orders, and determine appropriate unit assignments. The role requires adherence to SRBHH's mission, vision, and values, as well as hospital policies and procedures, and maintaining knowledge of occupational health hazards.

Requirements

Current Registered Nurse in the state of California
One year of nursing experience or more required
Current CPR certificate or obtained during initial orientation period.
Verbal de-escalation and physical intervention program as approved by the CNO.
Maintains confidentiality of patients at all times
Knowledgeable of patient rights and laws pertaining to mental health
Assessment and intervention skills
Ability to concentrate on task in high traffic areas
Ability to deal with crisis and potentially combative patients while maintaining personal and emotional equilibrium.
Proficiency with software and/or equipment (Microsoft Office applications including Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint)
Strong organizational skills with ability to prioritize projects, work relatively independently, manage multiple tasks, and meet deadlines
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Good judgment, problem solving and decision-making skills
Demonstrated commitment to working collaboratively as well as possessing the skills to lead, influence, and motivate others
Ability to work in a fast-paced, expanding organization
Use standard office equipment and access, input, and retrieve information from a computer.
Use computer keyboard with manual and finger dexterity and wrist-finger speed sufficient to perform repetitive actions efficiently for extended periods of time.
Communicate effectively in person or via telephone in a manner which can be understood by those with whom the person is speaking, including a diverse population.
Give and follow verbal and written instructions with attention to detail and accuracy.
Perform complex mental functions and basic arithmetic functions; interpret complex laws, regulations, and policies; collect, interpret, and/or analyze complex data and information.
Coordinate multiple tasks simultaneously.
Reach forward, up, down, and to the side.
Walk, push, pull, lift, carry objects from a lower to higher position or horizontally from position to position or otherwise move objects.
Feel sizes, shapes, temperatures, and textures by touching with skin, particularly that of the fingertips.
Sit or stand for minimum periods of one hour at a time and come and go from the work area repeatedly throughout the day.
Express or exchange ideas orally and potentially loudly, accurately, or quickly.
Perceive the nature of sound with no less than a 40 db loss @ 1000 Hz and 2000 Hz with or without correction.
Exert up to 100 lbs of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 lbs of force frequently.
Able to provide manual restraints for patients who are physically acting out and are potentially dangerous (at times this occurs on the floor.)
Minimum standard of visual acuity with or without correction.
Lift up to fifty (50) pounds.

Nice To Haves

Inpatient experience preferred
Familiarity with continuum of care and clinical terminology
Knowledge of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders diagnostic criteria
Persuasive manner and skills in overcoming denial and resistance to treatment
While worker may possibly be subjected to temperature changes, the worker is generally not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions as the work is predominantly inside.

Responsibilities

Respond to telephone and face-to-face inquiries from persons seeking mental health care or information about mental health-related services.
Collect and analyze data regarding the patient's physical, psychosocial, environmental, self-care, educational, spiritual, cultural, and anticipated discharge needs.
Determine patient's alcohol or drug toxicity and identify signs of withdrawal.
Conduct screenings or assessments to determine needs of treatment.
Render competent and timely care and treatment based on current chemical dependency and psychiatric nursing/clinical knowledge and standards.
Evaluate care against goals and plan of care, revising as needed.
Facilitate the patient's access to the appropriate level of care and setting.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with patient services counselors and coordinators, intake department, physicians, health professional affiliates, healthcare facilities, and nursing staff.
Assess client's crisis and clinical indicators via phone and in-person and document such on a call sheet, scheduling assessment as clinically appropriate.
Prepare written reports of assessment results, including recommendations for the level of care and treatment needs.
Make appropriate interventions during assessments and crisis situations with clients, family/friends, and other professional staff.
Assess the need for involuntary hospitalization evaluation and contact county crisis team, law enforcement, or 5150 Certified employees as needed.
Enter data of calls and Intake Assessments into the computer system in a timely manner.
Assist clients who are not admitted into a program with follow-through of clinical referrals and recommendations.
Provide pertinent clinical information to physician and program staff for patient review to ensure a smooth transition.
Distribute documentation of admissions to the Business Office, Admitting Unit, and the Utilization Review Department.
Maintain knowledge of developmental tasks and sociological theories of pertinent age groups.
Maintain knowledge of legal guidelines pertaining to EMTALA/COBRA and abuse/neglect reporting.
Communicate with managed care organizations to obtain insurance pre-authorizations in a timely manner.
Stay up-to-date with the organization's programs and services.
Participate in activities that enhance professional growth and development.
Uphold the Organization’s ethics and customer services standards.
Cross-train as an Inpatient Registered Nurse and perform all assigned duties, including assessing inpatients' status, providing direct care, documenting patient care and assessments, preparing and administering medications, and ensuring documentation and treatment plans are completed.
Provide clinical summary information to other team members at treatment team meetings, shift reports, and other hand-offs.
Provide continual oversight of all inpatients and inpatient psychiatric unit operations.
Assess, collect data, define problems, set goals, initiate interventions, and evaluate interventions.
Provide patient care by demonstrating knowledge of mental health diagnosis, standard of care, evidence-based practice, high risks for mental health patients, National Patient Safety Goals, and models of care.