Clinical Nurse II, RN | Behavioral Health (5 South) | Days

Howard University Hospital • Washington, DC

13d • Onsite

About The Position

The Clinical Nurse II (CN II) is a Registered Nurse reporting directly to the Nurse Manager and embedded on Howard University Hospital’s 5 South Behavioral Health inpatient unit, where you will deliver safe, recovery-oriented, trauma-informed care to adults experiencing acute psychiatric and behavioral health crises. Working alongside psychiatrists, psychiatric advanced practice providers, social workers, mental health technicians, and a multidisciplinary team, you will provide skilled assessment, therapeutic engagement, medication management, and milieu leadership across the full spectrum of acuity — from voluntary admissions to involuntary holds. You will exemplify HUH’s CARES values, adhere to ANA Psychiatric-Mental Health standards of practice, and play a meaningful role in supporting patients and families through some of their most vulnerable moments.

Requirements

• Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) required
• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing
• Current, active Registered Nurse (RN) licensure in the District of Columbia
• Minimum one (1) year of clinical experience as a Mental Health Nurse or Psychiatric Nurse in an inpatient, emergency, or acute behavioral health setting
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Heart Association (AHA) required
• Working knowledge of psychotropic medications, DSM-5-TR diagnostic categories, DC involuntary commitment processes, and patient rights regulations regarding restraint and seclusion
• Strong therapeutic communication, de-escalation, clinical judgment, and team collaboration skills

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) preferred
• Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Certification (PMH-BC) through the American Nurses Credentialing Center
• Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) certification or equivalent de-escalation and behavioral emergency training
• Experience caring for patients with co-occurring substance use disorders, trauma histories, or forensic involvement
• Familiarity with trauma-informed care frameworks and recovery-oriented practice models

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive psychiatric nursing assessments including mental status examination, suicide and self-harm risk screening, violence risk assessment, withdrawal screening, and physical health evaluation on admission and throughout the inpatient stay
• Develop, implement, and update individualized, recovery-oriented plans of care in collaboration with patients, families, psychiatrists, and the interdisciplinary team
• Administer and monitor psychotropic medications safely — including antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, antidepressants, anxiolytics, and PRN agents for acute agitation; recognize and respond to side effects, EPS, and signs of neuroleptic malignant syndrome or serotonin syndrome
• Lead therapeutic milieu management to maintain a safe, structured, and recovery-focused unit environment; conduct environmental safety rounds and ligature risk checks per policy
• Apply evidence-based de-escalation and crisis intervention techniques as the first-line response to escalating behavior; coordinate emergency response and least-restrictive interventions when needed
• Implement and document levels of observation (routine, close, 1:1) per ordered safety status; communicate observation responsibilities clearly to assigned staff
• Apply restraint and seclusion only as a last resort, in strict accordance with CMS Patient Rights and Joint Commission standards; perform required monitoring, documentation, and post-event debriefs
• Provide therapeutic communication, brief individual interventions, and co-facilitate or support psychoeducation and process groups as scheduled
• Conduct contraband searches and belongings inventories on admission and as clinically indicated; maintain unit security protocols including key, badge, and elopement-prevention procedures
• Recognize and escalate medical emergencies and acute medical decompensation in psychiatric patients; activate Rapid Response or Code Blue per protocol and provide BLS interventions pending team arrival
• Partner with social work and case management on discharge planning, coordinating warm handoffs to outpatient psychiatry, partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), substance use treatment, housing, and community resources
• Provide patient and family education on diagnoses, medications, relapse prevention, safety planning, and crisis resources including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
• Document patient care, assessments, behavioral observations, medication administration, restraint/seclusion events, and outcomes accurately in the electronic health record
• Delegate tasks appropriately to mental health technicians and other non-licensed personnel; provide oversight and clinical direction
• Adhere to infection control, medication administration and storage, and controlled substance regulations
• Participate in unit performance improvement programs and engage in education, engagement, and practice committees
• Maintain and grow clinical knowledge through educational workshops, professional publications, and professional societies
• Perform other duties as assigned consistent with the scope of this role

Benefits

• health
• disability
• vacation
• sick leave
• 403(b) retirement plan
• Tuition remission at Howard University for you and/or eligible dependent children — up to two (2) courses per semester

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree