Registered Nurse II - CMHHIP

State of Colorado • Pueblo, CO

5d • Onsite

About The Position

This posting is for multiple Registered Nurse II positions at the Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Pueblo (CMHHIP). These are full-time, in-person roles with fixed schedules, providing essential direct patient care across various units. The patient population is diverse, including adolescents, adults, and geriatric patients with psychiatric disorders, criminal involvement, or medical complexities. Staff may work in high-security settings with locked doors or lower-security community reintegration settings. The position involves providing nursing oversight, administrative oversight, and lead worker responsibilities for nursing personnel, as well as clinical supervision of all nursing staff during a specific shift. The role serves as a resource and mentor, promoting nursing staff efficiency and overseeing the attainment of unit and hospital goals. Primary duties include directing nursing staff for the shift and providing therapeutic nursing care to mentally ill patients. The Nurse II also represents the Nursing Department on hospital-wide committees and provides immediate crisis intervention and emergency response.

Requirements

• Current, valid licensure as a Registered Nurse from the Colorado Board of Nursing or any state participating in the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC)
• Two (2) years of professional experience in an occupational field related to the work assigned to the position
• Must be able to see and hear in order to observe, address and respond to potential breaches in safety and security
• Work in situations involving assaultive behavior, physical control of another person and/or restraint situations
• Must be able to lift up to 50+ pounds on occasion
• Shall not initiate or engage in sexual, social, personal or financial relationships with patients either during or any time after hospitalization , even if the patient requests or initiates such a relationship.
• All relationships with current or former patients must be disclosed on your application
• Successfully pass all modules of the CMHHIP New Employee Orientation core curriculum to include English reading comprehension, relevant competency assessments and written/practical exams in Defensive Tactics
• Possess the physical ability to successfully complete hospital-adopted physical interventions and CPR
• Lift arms above head and kick as high as own waist
• Stabilize another person to accomplish a controlled containment to the floor
• Withstand impact on own body using an ASP shield
• Rotate body 90 degrees with feet planted for using a defensive tactic
• Kneel on one or both knees and stand up again with multiple repetitions
• Must be able to see and hear in order to observe, address and respond to potential breaches in safety
• Seize, hold, control or subdue violent or assaultive persons and defend oneself or others to prevent injury
• Demonstrate body agility, strength of all four limbs and the ability to walk and climb stairs consistently
• Work in situations involving assaultive behavior, physical control of another person and/or restraint situations
• Ability to read and comprehend the English language; effectively and fluently communicates in English, both verbally and in writing
• Work in an environment with fluctuating noise and temperature (hot and cold) which may include working outdoors in inclement weather and/or concrete floor/wall work settings
• Willing and able to travel
• 2-step TB (tuberculosis) screening is required of all new employees upon hire
• Annual influenza vaccination, other vaccinations as required by the State of Colorado.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated ability to understand and apply the nursing process to provide adequate patient care
• Demonstrated ability to understand treatment plans and provide appropriate interventions
• Demonstrated ability to direct the shift through training, mentorship and development
• Possess a strong work ethic based on a foundation of: self-motivation, loyalty, honesty, and integrity.
• Dependable, responsible, and adaptable
• Previous State Experience

Responsibilities

• Provide nursing oversight, administrative oversight and lead worker over nursing personnel of three or more FTE’s on a continuous basis as well as clinical supervision of all nursing staff during a specific shift.
• Provide direction to all direct care nursing staff on assigned shift(s).
• Serve as a resource and mentor to all nursing staff on assigned shift.
• Promote and maintain nursing staff efficiency.
• Oversee the attainment and achievement of Unit/Program/Hospital/Nursing Department goals for the specified shift.
• Provide therapeutic nursing care to mentally ill patients.
• Represent the Nursing Department in hospital-wide committees and work groups.
• Provide immediate crisis intervention in the milieu and response to all emergency situations.
• Work in tandem with other staff assigned to the unit on that shift.
• Adhere to and reference the professional codes of conduct, regulatory agency standards, the Nurse Practice Act, State Board of Nursing, professional codes of ethics, and scope of discipline practice guides to ensure various levels of nursing personnel function within their scope of practice.
• Communicate, implement, and clarify nursing policies at the unit level.
• Assist with implementing performance improvements and procedures at the unit level.
• Participate in and collaborate with the Lead Nurse to prepare nursing personnel for onsite surveys, documentation requirements, and ensure quality of care is rendered according to regulatory standards.
• Provide safe, appropriate nursing care on the unit by effective deployment of nursing staff resources, ensuring enough staff with licenses on each shift, coordination and timely statistical reporting of incidents, acuity, QA/PI activities, implementation of department policies and standards of care.
• Responsible for education of the nursing staff on their shift(s) and retention of nursing staff on their shift(s).
• Provide direction, clinical supervision and of all Nursing staff of the assigned unit while working in conjunction with the Lead Nurse.
• Assist in coordinating staffing schedules by utilizing knowledge of acuity, and pool staff to maximize the quality of care given to unit patients on the unit.
• Ensure all nursing assignments and duties are completed and in compliance with CMHHIP policies and psychiatric and medical nursing standards, licensure requirements and governing bodies while working in conjunction with the Lead Nurse.
• Notify unit nursing staff promptly of changes to processes, policies and procedures.
• Conduct individual clinical supervision sessions regularly.
• Communicate regularly with other disciplines, department leadership regarding nursing directives and disseminates information as appropriate.
• Interpret leadership communication to understand changes that may or may not directly impact the nursing department.
• Function as the charge nurse for the shift and report any injury of staff from assaultive/combative patients, other employee absences, and/or any other safety or nursing concerns to the Lead Nurses promptly.
• Maintain nursing standards of care for their assigned shift on the unit by creating and maintaining processes to communicate and follow up with assigned staff so that standards are kept in compliance.
• Adhere to CDHS Code of Conduct and CMHHIP Code of Ethics.
• Maintain current knowledge of new policies, standards, updates, literature related to nursing and specialty areas and communicate to subordinates.
• Work collaboratively with all departments, providing assistance as required.
• Provide guidance and direction for daily cross shift report, direct nursing care and communication to shift personnel.
• Assure the unit(s) is directed and staffed appropriately according to hospital procedure along with assuring staffing levels are maintained and accurate.
• Implement actions to maximize the productivity of assigned nursing personnel by mentoring, training, leadership, and providing feedback through immediate feedback and guidance.
• Ensure assigned staff’s knowledge and fluency with electronic system BEHR, Cornerstone assignments to include mandatory rosters and training.
• Promote staff development and training by supporting staff compliance with hospital wide mandatory training.
• Direct staff to follow various manuals, standards and regulations.
• Act as a resource for staff.
• Provide direction and support to the assigned shift on the unit.
• Know and follow regulatory guidelines.
• Responsible for the nursing care provided on the assigned shift of a unit and maintenance of a safe, secure and therapeutic environment.
• Promptly respond to patient’s psychiatric and/or medical issues, participate in Trauma Informed Care initiatives and understand and promote its principles, implement, audit and review nursing care provided on the shift/unit.
• Provide follow up for proper nursing care; i.e., documentation for seclusion or seclusion and restraint monitoring, proper procedure for respiratory services, oxygen and oxygen equipment, and laboratory services after hours and obtaining data from the AED.
• Participate and ensure staff correctly identify patient prior to administration of medications, treatments, blood testing, or starting an invasive procedure.
• Follow and maintain Infection control standards and regulations.
• Evaluate concerns related to nursing care plan by assessing, identifying, planning, implementing, evaluating, and revising the nursing care given based on the nursing history.
• Utilize Patient Rights for mental health legal issues and comply with policy and procedure in these areas.
• Provide intervention in critical situations as necessary.
• Counsel and educate patients on medications, physical care needs, and psychiatric care needs during group therapies, Plan of Care Reviews, Plan of Care Formulations, 1:1 therapies, talking and educating the patient's family.
• Provide coverage on the shift/unit.
• Ensure a safe milieu for patient treatment.
• Report staff and patient issues to the Lead Nurse if urgent.
• Complete any other duties that may need to be completed for the shift/unit and or department.

Benefits

• 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
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level