Outpatient Registered Nurse (Days)

Dallas Behavioral Healthcare Hospital•Desoto, TX

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Nurse (RN) will provide professional nursing care to patients according to hospital policy and procedure. This includes assessing patient care needs, planning and implementing nursing care procedures, evaluating patient progress, and modifying care plans as necessary. The RN will also provide teaching to patients and their families and direct the work of nursing support staff through appropriate delegation and supervision. Duties include providing direct care, facilitating social and emotional needs, supervising medication schedules, evaluating patient progress, collaborating with interdisciplinary professionals, and maintaining a safe environment. The role involves conducting intake assessments, making nursing diagnoses, consulting with psychiatrists and behavioral health staff, administering medications, arranging further medical attention, assisting clients in understanding their conditions, and maintaining accurate patient records. The RN must comply with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, protocols, and procedures, use professional judgment for crisis intervention, and assist in maintaining a safe and secure environment. Testing for vital signs and ensuring pain treatments are administered are also key responsibilities. The RN will document all patient information, maintain patient confidentiality, and perform administrative tasks such as filing, answering phones, typing, and completing progress notes in the computer system. The position upholds the organization's ethics and customer service standards. This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive, and employees may perform other related duties to meet the ongoing needs of the hospital.

Requirements

ADN or BSN from an accredited college or university.
CPR Required
Valid Texas RN license in good standing required.
BLS, ACLS, CPI certifications a plus.
De-escalation Program (provided during on-site training)
Minimum of 2 years clinical experience, preferably in a behavioral healthcare setting, phone triage, telehealth, case management, or a combination of education and experience.
Must be 21 years old or older.
Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) a plus
Knowledgeable of patient rights and laws pertaining to mental health and regulations pertaining to psychiatric nursing and the treatment of the mentally and emotionally disturbed patients.
Theories, principles, and techniques of group and individual psychotherapy.
Symptoms and behavior patterns of emotionally disturbed mentally ill patients.
Advanced knowledge and clinical skills in diagnosis and treatment of mental health.
Professional nursing principles, procedures, and techniques used in the care and treatment of psychiatric patients.
Social, psychological, and physical factors of mental and emotional disorders.
Medical and psychological terminology.
Medications, including psychotropic drugs, and effects on psychiatric patients.
Control, preparation and administration of medications.
Demonstrates sound leadership skills and utilizes these skills in organizing the activities and schedules for medical and/or non-medical tasks of the Child, Adolescent and Adult for a given shift; record of consistently high quality of clinical and interpersonal skills to be an exemplary role model to others.
Displays basic knowledge of treatment procedures; interventions common to acute psychotic as well as non-violent crises intervention practice, medical and psychiatric emergency procedures.
Basic knowledge of abnormal psychology as typically found in the child or adolescent psychiatric population, application of this knowledge to child, adolescent or adult knowledge of medical terminology, especially those terms associated with child, adolescent or adult psychiatric care; thorough familiarity of psychopharmacy and the use of psychotropic medications with child, adolescent or adult psychiatric population, basic teaching and training skills helpful; problem-solving; organizational and time management; crisis intervention skills.
Ability to apply professional nursing care principles and procedures in the evaluation and treatment of psychiatric patients.
Develop interpersonal therapeutic relationships with psychiatric patients.
Communicate effectively with a variety of individuals and function calmly in situations, which require a high degree of sensitivity, tact, and diplomacy.
Provide prompt, efficient, and responsive service.
Ability to exercise appropriate judgment in answering questions and releasing information; analyze and project consequences of decisions and/or recommendations.
Excellent written and oral communication skills; skills in facilitating and/or co-facilitating process-oriented and didactic groups.
Must successfully pass background check, drug screen, physical and be able to provide positive employment references.

Nice To Haves

BLS, ACLS, CPI certifications a plus.
Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) a plus

Responsibilities

Provide direct care to patients, which includes facilitating social and emotional needs, supervising medication schedules and evaluating patient progress.
Collaborate with a variety of interdisciplinary professionals to determine and provide the best possible care for their patients.
Responsible for maintaining a safe environment.
Provide social support for patients by creating and encouraging patients to take advantage of opportunities such as support groups, social activities and other therapeutic measures.
Conducts intake assessments through interviews with patients and relatives to gather case history.
Plans and provides nursing care for patients.
Makes nursing diagnosis of the medical and emotional status of patients and recommends treatment options.
Consults with psychiatrists and other behavioral health staff in designing appropriate treatment plans for clients.
Administers and notes reactions to psychotropic drugs and other medications.
Arranges further medical attention when necessary.
Assists the client in understanding the nature of emotional disturbances and accepting the need for treatment.
Keep accurate written charts and records of patient activities and progress.
Comply with laws, rules, regulations, protocols, and procedures.
Use professional judgment to ascertain and to apply appropriate intervention techniques with patients in crisis.
Assists in maintaining a safe and secure environment for staff and patients.
Test for vital signs of pain and ensures treatments of pain.
Documents all patient information on medical charts and follows physician’s written orders.
Maintains patient confidentiality.
Maintains accurate records and documentation of patient treatments, immunizations and laboratory results according to standard medical record keeping.
Performs administrative assignments such as filing, answering phones, typing, and completing progress notes in the computer system.
Performs related duties, as requested.
Upholds the Organization's ethics and customer service standards.