Float Nurse - Registered Nurse II, (RN II) - Division of Youth Services

State of Colorado•Denver, CO

5d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is responsible for the direction and clinical supervision of all Nursing and Health Care Technician staff assigned to the unit while working in conjunction with the Medical Lead. Delivers health care to detained and committed youth within the nurse’s scope of practice. Primary care is provided by independent practitioners with responsibility for a continuum of care from the initial assessment through the development and maintenance of health care including physical, psychiatric, and dental maintenance. About the Division of Youth Services: The Division of Youth Services (DYS) provides a continuum of residential and non-residential services that encompass juvenile detention, commitment, and parole. DYS is the agency statutorily mandated to provide for the care and supervision of youth committed by the District Court to the custody of the Colorado Department of Human Services. The Division operates fifteen secure facilities that serve youth between the ages of 10 and 21, who are pre-adjudicated, sentenced, or committed. The Division also contracts with numerous private residential and non-residential service providers throughout the State. For pre-adjudicated youth, the Division is also responsible for the management and oversight of Colorado Youth Detention Continuum, a State-funded, locally administered program that provides services to youth at risk of further progressing into the juvenile justice system. In addition to residential programming, the Division administers juvenile parole services throughout the State.

Requirements

Current, valid or licensure as a Registered Nurse from any state participating in the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC). This license must be/or have been when active in good standing.
Two years of professional experience in an occupational field related to the work assigned to the position.
Be a minimum of 21 years of age, with no felony convictions or history of domestic violence
Full Background. CBI name check and fingerprint check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference Checks, Professional License verification (licensure requirements), Drug Screen, PREA (Division of Youth Services), Trails check (direct contact with children), CAPS (direct contact with adults – Mental Health Institutes, Regional Centers, Veterans Community Living Centers).
Must possess a valid, non-restricted Colorado Driver’s License
Ability to work shift work as required.
Required to report without delay or interruption to provide essential or emergency services to ensure health, safety, and welfare.
Must maintain a current CPR Card and perform CPR adequate compressions and ventilations per CPR guidelines.
Continued employment is contingent upon successful completion of the DYS Pre-service Training Academy, Field Training Program (FTO) and mandatory annual training in all subject areas.

Nice To Haves

Experience with adolescent health care.
Experience with mental health nursing
Experience with correctional nursing
Knowledge of current medications, administration, their actions and use.
Ability to work in collaborative relationships with other professionals to achieve interdisciplinary goals set for the client.
Ability to assess and coordinate community health care services to meet the needs of clients and their families.
Ability to collect, record, and interpret data concisely and accurately.
Ability to self-regulate emotions when provoked or when working under conditions of stress

Responsibilities

Initial nursing assessments and triage of requests for health/medical care submitted by the youth.
Reviews the admission medical information obtained by security staff at intake.
Administers nursing care and provides youth education for routine, urgent, and emergent medical situations within the scope of practice.
Obtains laboratory and other diagnostic procedures ordered by medical providers, reviews results, and notifies the provider of results when indicated.
Initiate nursing/medical treatment plans for youth with special health care needs.
Reviews and revises treatment plans as needed.
Completes health appraisals, physical exams, vision/hearing screenings, in-house laboratory diagnostic testing (e.g. urine dipsticks, pregnancy tests, STI urine testing, PPD tests etc.), and immunizations per Division of Youth Services (DYS) policy.
Documents all encounters with youth in the electronic medical records system and/or appropriate medical logs in an accurate and timely manner.
Maintains confidentiality of all patient information (oral and written) according to federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations.
Initiates consultations/referrals to mid-level provider and/or appropriate physician when indicated.
Responds to requests for emergent situations (Code Blue, Code Red) occurring on campus, administers CPR/First Aid, and initiates a 911 call if indicated.
Delivers medications, and medical supplies and evaluates youth who may be confined to specific buildings or rooms throughout the campus setting.
Other nursing duties as delegated/ordered by DYS physicians or mid-level providers.
Responsible for the ordering and preparation of youth’s medications for administration within the facility.
Transcription and procurement of psychiatrist, physician, and/or mid-level provider medication orders.
Maintains accuracy of individual Medication Administration Records through reviewing and updating on a continuous basis.
Monitors those records for medication errors and reports them to the Lead Medical or Mid-Level Provider in charge, including lack of documentation regarding the administration of medications.
Educates youth and staff about medications, side effects, desired effects, and the importance of compliance with prescribed medications.
Investigates and documented interviews with youth refusing prescribed medications and initiate interventions.
Maintains inventory logs of medications arriving at the facility for youth, preparing them for administration by medical and QMAP staff.
Transcribes, orders, prepares, and administers medications including intramuscular medications per prescribed providers’ orders.
Updates Medication Administration Record (MAR).
Monitors MARs for errors and reports errors to the medical clinic supervisor and facility administration.
Assists in ordering and maintaining stock supplies, medications, and equipment within the campus clinics.
Monitors inventory and restocks medications and supplies in campus clinics and living units.
Checks campus First Aid Kits, AEDs, pharmaceutical refrigerators, and other equipment on a continuing basis to maintain adequate functioning of the medical department and provision of health care for youth.
Documents administration of youth medications and behavioral contacts in electronic medical record database.
Assess vaccine status and administers needed vaccines per CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and provider recommendation.
Follows Vaccine for Children’s Program protocols for immunization administration and safe storage and handling.
Evaluates resident’s mental status/mental health and behavioral health conditions through the interview, health appraisal, and observation.
Performs nursing assessment of youths’ mental status through interviews and observations, health screening, and health appraisal.
Provides basic mental health intervention and refers to a psychiatrist or mental health resource for further evaluation, intervention, or transfer to a mental health institution.
Provides basic nursing interventions/education during encounters with youth as indicated.
Makes appropriate referrals and/or consultations with mental health providers or psychiatrists.
Conducts mental health referrals as necessary.
Actively involves parents and legal guardians in the care and treatment of the mental health of their youth.
Accountable for the work of nursing staff, health care technicians, nursing students, orientees, and others through delegation of work assignments, ensuring timely completion of work, providing clinical leadership, and teaching clinical interventions.
Provides clinical and administrative supervision of nursing staff on duty.
Acts as a liaison between nursing staff and providers/administration.
In collaboration with the medical lead, assists in the development of the clinic staffing schedule.
Coordinates daily tasks and assigns specific duties to staff to ensure all tasks are completed.
Ensures that interventions are implemented, that the care provided meets or exceeds community and professional standards and appropriate documentation is completed.
Ensures that essential information is shared from shift to shift.
Promptly notifies nursing staff of changes to processes, policies, and procedures through communication methods including meetings, email, and individual contact.
Provides individual coaching sessions regularly with the nursing staff.
Orients new staff and serves as a preceptor for students.
Works in conjunction with the medical lead to ensure monthly monitoring of the compliance review standards and the maintenance of the NCCHC folders to ensure a continual state of readiness and compliance.
Assesses and identifies the knowledge deficits regarding general health and hygiene topics presented by youth in routine and formal encounters.
Provides individual and group education regarding health promotion, and disease and injury prevention to youth and staff on an ongoing basis.
Identifies gender-specific educational needs of youth.
Provides ongoing education regarding medication administration, infection prevention, and other health-related topics specific to staff.
Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus 401(k) and 457 plans
Medical and dental health plans
Employer supplemented Health Savings Account
Paid life insurance
Short- and long-term disability coverage
11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
State of Colorado Employee BenefitHub Resource Center
Employee Wellness program
Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more
Remote work arrangements for eligible positions
Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program