RN-PSYCH SVCS

Covenant Health•Louisville, TN

About The Position

The Psychiatric Registered Nurse on the Men's Unit is responsible for quality patient care, providing clinical direction as part of a patient care team and using the nursing process to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care. The role helps maintain a safe, therapeutic environment and supports patients through treatment planning, therapeutic communication, medication administration, and coordination with the multidisciplinary care team. The nurse supports unit operations, including patient acuity assessment and nursing assignments, admissions and discharges, emergency care coordination, accurate implementation and documentation of physician orders, and patient advocacy. The position also involves maintaining required certifications, attending staff training and meetings, supporting new staff training as directed, and following organizational policies and standards.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited nursing school.
Current licensure as a registered professional nurse in the State of Tennessee.
CPR certification required.
Ability to work effectively with others and within a team approach.
Excellent assessment skills.
Ability to apply principles of nursing care.
Ability to organize, plan, deliver, and document quality patient care.
Emotional stability and empathy sufficient to care for emotionally unstable patients.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in psychiatric nursing is desired but not mandatory.

Responsibilities

Provide supervision and guidance in the daily activities of the program as part of the patient care team.
Maintain a safe and therapeutic patient environment.
Use therapeutic communication, supportive counseling, small group dynamics, scheduled activities, and the therapeutic milieu to support patients, establish limits, manage the unit, and carry out treatment plans.
Implement restrictive measures when necessary in collaboration with medical staff after least restrictive measures have failed, and provide clinical supervision during the intervention.
Assist with training, orientation, and teaching of new staff as directed by the Nurse Manager or Nurse Supervisor.
Administer medications.
Implement physician orders accurately and document them appropriately.
Seek administrative or medical consultation to assure quality patient care.
Coordinate emergency medical care for patients, provide reports to the Emergency Room, obtain reports and records before a patient's return, and facilitate patient stabilization.
Determine patient acuity and assign patients to appropriate nursing staff.
Facilitate admissions and discharges and ensure relevant information is comprehensive, accurate, and documented appropriately.
Perform 24-hour chart reviews when needed.
Participate in treatment team processes and interact with multidisciplinary care providers.
Apply infection control, hospital emergency, hazardous materials management, and patient/proprietary information confidentiality policies.
Advocate for patient rights and process patient complaints and concerns.
Formulate nursing diagnoses using NANDA taxonomy and use standard DSM IV classifications to express conclusions supported by collected data.
Develop individualized, patient-centered treatment plans with specific, time-oriented, measurable goals.
Perform ECG, VP, and bedside glucose meter procedures.
Maintain familiarity with and follow hospital policies and procedures relevant to the program.
Maintain required certifications and training, including CPR and de-escalation and physical intervention training.
Attend staff training, development sessions, and unit staff meetings.
Provide input on policy changes affecting programming and patient care.
Be punctual and prepared to perform job duties.
Present a professional image in appearance and service delivery.
Communicate work-related issues, concerns, and problems to supervisory staff.
Work collaboratively with coworkers and ensure necessary communication and cooperation.
Hold self and coworkers accountable.
Follow the organization's Standards of Performance, mission, and values.
Maintain a positive attitude and problem-solve through the chain of command.
Promote patient rights and provide exemplary customer service.