Registered Nurse | Admissions - Intake

Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital•Bakersfield, CA

13h•Onsite

About The Position

Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital (BBHH) is an acute psychiatric and behavioral 90-bed facility offering inpatient and outpatient services for children, adolescents, and adults. BBHH is committed to being a top workplace by offering excellent benefits, fostering individual growth, and upholding its CARES values (Compassion, Acceptance, Respect, Empowerment, Sincerity). This Registered Nurse position is within the Inpatient units, requiring a high level of attention to detail and situational awareness. The role demands critical thinking, teamwork, and strong communication skills in a fast-paced environment. The Admissions RN (Intake Packet Reviewer) is responsible for conducting comprehensive clinical reviews of referral packets to determine patient eligibility for admission. This involves evaluating medical history, psychiatric diagnosis, acuity level, risk factors, exclusionary criteria, and medical stability to ensure the hospital can safely and appropriately meet the patient’s needs. The role requires sound clinical judgment, knowledge of psychiatric standards of care, regulatory awareness, and the ability to assess admission risk in alignment with California law, CMS Conditions of Participation, and Joint Commission standards.

Requirements

High School Diploma or Equivalent
Current California RN License
Previous experience in a mental healthcare hospital environment focusing on assessments of human behavior, psychiatry, psychology, or other mental healthcare situations.
Minimum of two (2) years psychiatric nursing experience (acute inpatient preferred).
Strong knowledge of psychiatric diagnoses, risk stratification, and medical comorbidities.
Demonstrated ability to independently analyze clinical information and exercise sound judgment.
Working knowledge of Title 22, CMS, and Joint Commission standards related to psychiatric facilities.
Strong written documentation skills.
Experience reviewing referral packets or conducting medical necessity reviews.
Current CPR certification or ability to obtain prior to start date.

Nice To Haves

Fluency in medical terminology in psychiatric care.
Basic teaching and training skills.
Crisis intervention skills.
Skills in facilitating and/or co-facilitating process-oriented and didactic groups.

Responsibilities

Conduct comprehensive clinical reviews of referral packets to determine patient eligibility for admission.
Evaluate medical history, psychiatric diagnosis, acuity level, risk factors, exclusionary criteria, and medical stability.
Ensure the hospital can safely and appropriately meet the patient’s needs.
Demonstrate sound leadership skills in organizing activities and schedules for medical and/or non-medical tasks on the unit.
Showcase high-quality clinical and interpersonal skills as an exemplary role model.
Display basic knowledge of treatment procedures and interventions common to acute psychotic and non-violent crisis intervention practice.
Apply basic knowledge of abnormal psychology to patient care.
Utilize thorough familiarity of psychotropic medications.
Provide basic teaching and training skills.
Problem-solve effectively.
Facilitate and/or co-facilitate process-oriented and didactic groups.
Perform Handle-With-Care Physical Restraint Technique Training during orientation.