RN Casual - Adolescent Inpatient Behavioral Health

Independence Health System Careers•Latrobe, PA

About The Position

The RN assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates care for assigned psychiatric patients and coordinates, directs, and participates as an effective member of the interdisciplinary team. The role provides direct and indirect patient care in accordance with the Pennsylvania Nurse Practice Act, hospital policies and procedures, and professional standards of care. The RN supports patient safety and recovery through compassionate care, patient and family education, medication administration and monitoring, documentation, crisis intervention, and collaboration with health care teams. The role also facilitates medication, support, and educational groups; responds to psychiatric emergencies; and helps manage escalating or agitated behavior in coordination with other staff. The position may involve rotating shifts, standby or on-call scheduling, and local travel between System locations, depending on operational needs. It has no direct supervisory responsibilities, though the RN may coach and mentor other department positions.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited nursing program.
Current licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in Pennsylvania.
Current Basic Life Support certification through an American Heart Association-approved CPR and AED curriculum.
Act 33 clearance with renewal.
Act 34 clearance with renewal.
Act 73 FBI clearance with renewal.
Strong leadership ability and good organizational skills.
Independent and critical-thinking skills and sound judgment.
Knowledge of the legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.
Ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
A nursing refresher course may be required if the employee has not worked in an acute care setting during their most recent three consecutive years of professional employment.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.
One to two years of relevant experience.

Responsibilities

Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care for assigned psychiatric patients.
Coordinate, direct, and participate as an effective interdisciplinary team member.
Maintain professional and technical knowledge through education, professional publications, networks, and professional societies.
Assure quality of care by following therapeutic standards, evaluating health outcomes against goals and standards, making or recommending adjustments, and complying with applicable nursing and regulatory requirements.
Follow infection-control policies, medication administration and storage procedures, and controlled-substance regulations.
Document patient care in patient and department records, and communicate actions, irregularities, and continuing needs to nursing teams using Nurse Knowledge Exchange techniques.
Protect patient confidentiality and maintain patient confidence.
Establish rapport with patients and others who can help identify patient care needs; provide emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to patients, friends, and families.
Promote patient independence by establishing care goals, teaching patients and families about conditions, medications, and self-care, and answering questions.
Maintain a safe and clean work environment, seek assistance from support personnel when needed, and resolve patient problems using multidisciplinary team strategies.
Communicate and collaborate with health care teams, respond to requests, build rapport, and participate in continuous quality improvement and problem-solving.
Complete equipment preventive maintenance requirements, troubleshoot malfunctions, arrange repairs, maintain equipment inventories, and evaluate new equipment and techniques.
Monitor nursing supply inventory, anticipate needs, order and expedite supplies, verify receipt, and use supplies and equipment appropriately.
Process psychiatric emergencies as assigned by assessing patient conditions and collaborating with psychiatrists on crisis resolution, commitments, and referrals to treatment facilities.
Provide for patient safety in accordance with hospital and nursing department policies.
Coordinate management of agitated patients with staff, including handling, restraint, or seclusion, and recognize escalating behavior and take appropriate action.
Update crisis intervention skills annually.
Ensure patient belongings are searched for potentially harmful items.
Maintain working knowledge of psychotropic medications and department protocols for identified psychiatric medications.
Administer, monitor, and document medication efficacy, side effects, and patient compliance; educate patients and families about prescribed medications.
Conduct and facilitate medication, support, and educational groups, serve as an information and referral source for families, and provide individualized educational materials to patients.
Perform other related duties as assigned.