RN-PSYCH SVCS

Covenant Health•Knoxville, TN

About The Position

The Psychiatric Registered Nurse provides quality patient care by offering clinical direction as part of a patient care team and using the nursing process to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care. The position is in the Empath Emergency Department at Parkwest Medical Center and is full time, 72 hours per pay period, on the night shift. The nurse helps maintain a safe, therapeutic patient environment; supports and carries out individualized treatment plans; administers medication and implements physician orders; coordinates patient admissions, discharges, and emergency care; and collaborates with a multidisciplinary treatment team. The role also includes determining patient acuity, assigning care to appropriate nursing staff, advocating for patient rights, maintaining documentation, and participating in quality improvement activities.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited nursing school.
Current licensure as a registered professional nurse in the State of Tennessee.

Responsibilities

Provide supervision and guidance in the daily activities of the program as part of a 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 manage the unit, support patients, set limits, and carry out treatment plans.
Implement restrictive measures when necessary in collaboration with medical staff after less 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.
Access emergency medical care for patients, report to the Emergency Room, ensure a report is received before a patient returns, facilitate receipt of records, and provide for patient stabilization.
Determine patient acuity and assign patients to appropriate nursing staff.
Facilitate admission and discharge processes and ensure relevant information is comprehensive, accurate, and appropriately documented.
Perform 24-hour chart reviews as needed.
Participate in the treatment team process 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 address patient complaints and concerns.
Formulate nursing diagnoses using NANDA taxonomy and use standard DSM IV classifications of mental disorders 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.
Follow policies, procedures, and safety standards; complete annual education assignments; work toward goals and objectives; and participate in quality improvement initiatives as requested.
Perform other duties as assigned.