Psychiatric Nurse I/II

County of Santa Barbara • Santa Barbara, CA

11d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Behavioral Wellness Department is seeking to fill multiple Psychiatric Nurse I/II positions across various locations including Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and Lompoc. These positions can be full-time, part-time, or extra help (temporary). Some roles may require travel between sites within Santa Barbara County. The department serves clients with mental illness and/or co-occurring conditions, promoting prevention and recovery through effective leadership and state-of-the-art, culturally competent services. The department values quality, integrity, dignity, respect, compassion, client involvement, diversity, a system of care and recovery, prevention, teamwork, continuous quality improvement, and wellness.

Requirements

• Possession of a valid Registered Nurse license issued by the California State Board of Registered Nursing.
• Three years of clinical experience as a Registered Nurse as defined by California Code of Regulations, Title 9, Chapter 11, §1770.
• Work must have included some experience planning, organizing, and evaluating program operations and staff.
• Experience with patients diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness.
• Experience working with electronic health records.
• Experience working in forensics, detox, acute health and/or emergency settings.
• Experience working within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Ability to work with hostile or challenging patients.
• Excellent oral and written communication.
• Ability to read, write, converse fluently in English.
• Knowledge of the principles, practices, and laws of professional nursing.
• Knowledge of health education, interviewing, and counseling techniques.
• Knowledge of common illnesses, diseases, disabilities, injuries, and nutrition.
• Knowledge of use and effects of general medications and immunizations.
• Knowledge of community health and social services.
• Ability to understand and explain mental health laws and regulations.
• Ability to learn the various methods, techniques, and procedures used in psychiatric nursing.
• Ability to learn the uses and effects of psychotropic drugs and narcotics.
• Ability to learn patient safety practices and facility security.
• Ability to observe and learn to recognize the behavior patterns of emotionally disturbed and mentally ill patients.
• Ability to learn the theories, principles, and techniques of group and individual psychotherapy.
• Ability to evaluate and assess the need for mental health services.
• Ability to analyze a situation and adopt a course of action.
• Ability to prepare and maintain medical records and reports.
• Ability to recognize and respect limits of confidential information.
• Ability to communicate with people of diverse socioeconomic and ethnic origins.
• Ability to speak before groups.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment in medical emergencies.
• Ability to demonstrate tact, diplomacy, patience, and compassion.
• Ability to establish and maintain working relationships with co-workers, other agencies, and organizations.
• Ability to comply with nursing policies, protocols, and program regulations.
• Ability to understand and follow instructions.
• Ability to work independently.

Nice To Haves

• Spanish preferred but not required.
• Experience planning, organizing, and evaluating program operations and staff.
• Experience with electronic health records.
• Experience working in forensics, detox, acute health and/or emergency settings.
• Experience working within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Ability to work with hostile or challenging patients.

Responsibilities

• Provides professional psychiatric nursing care to acutely and chronically ill patients.
• Performs assessment, prevention, intervention, and treatment for individuals with mental illness and/or co-occurring conditions.
• Works as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Conducts and coordinates quality and utilization review activities of mental health services.
• Administers psychotropic medications, monitors use, and documents reactions.
• Instructs patients on medication purpose, dosage, and side effects.
• Obtains medical, psychiatric, social, and family histories.
• Takes and records vital signs, obtains lab specimens, and assists physicians with exams.
• Schedules and arranges for special tests.
• Develops discharge plans and maintains charts and logs.
• Monitors supplies.
• Interacts with other agencies to promote continuity of patient care.
• Develops and implements policies and procedures for utilization review.
• Reviews requests for authorization of services and authorizes treatment or refers requests.
• Collects and reviews statistics of services provided using automated systems.
• Generates reports from automated systems.
• Works with beneficiaries, providers, co-workers, and other public agencies to discuss or explain services.
• Collaborates with fiscal intermediaries, medical staff, or mental health professionals to review and interpret patient records.
• Writes narrative and statistical reports on utilization reviews.
• Prepares correspondence using word processing software.
• Reviews state regulations and makes recommendations to management.
• Educates staff on regulation changes.
• Meets regularly with care providers to identify and address utilization review issues.
• Conducts training sessions for clinical and support staff on utilization review and documentation.
• Assigns, reviews, and evaluates the work of professional, technical, and clerical staff.

Benefits

• Generous benefits
• Retirement reciprocity for applicants from other public sector employers
• Time and service credit towards an advanced vacation accrual rate for applicants from other public sector employers

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed