Per Diem Registered Nurse
About The Position
The Per Diem Registered Nurse provides psychiatric and physical health services to clients of the Dore Urgent Care Center (UCC), including direct clinical assessment of newly admitted clients, ongoing monitoring and care, medical screening at triage, and referral or safe transfer upon discharge. The role provides screening, formal evaluation, initial treatment, medication support, and referral for psychiatric and primary care conditions. The nurse may also assist with medical, behavioral health, and pharmacy services for the Residential Treatment Program when needed. Under the direction of the Program Director and medical supervision of the Program Physician, the nurse ensures services meet prevailing standards of psychiatric and medical care, applicable laws and regulations, and agency policies. The position builds effective relationships with clients, families, support people, referral sources, service providers, and the surrounding community, while helping maintain a safe, comfortable, and non-institutional program environment consistent with Social Rehabilitation values. The nurse participates in program and agency activities, meetings, data collection, regulatory compliance, emergency preparedness, and ongoing professional development. The role may require flexibility to help address staffing shortages on various shifts and to perform other duties or projects assigned by the Program Director.
Requirements
- Degree in nursing from an accredited school of nursing.
- Registered Nurse certification and current, valid California RN licensure.
- Specialty in psychiatric nursing or documented experience providing nursing services in a psychiatric setting. The posting gives inconsistent minimums: two years in one section and one year in another.
- Current CPR certification is required in the first minimum-qualifications section.
- Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with medical and mental health staff and other service providers.
- Willingness and ability to engage psychologically distressed clients effectively and respectfully, including people from differing ethnic, cultural, gender, socioeconomic, and sexual-orientation backgrounds.
- Demonstrated ongoing emotional stability, good judgment, and effective teamwork.
- Proficiency with computers and computer-based information systems, basic word processing skills, and ability to meet City and County of San Francisco Community Behavioral Health Services computer requirements.
- Valid California driver's license; the posting also requires a personal vehicle with private liability insurance and that the employee be insurable under the agency's auto insurance policies.
- Ability to navigate several flights of stairs quickly several times per day.
- Ability to lift and/or move up to 20 pounds multiple times during each work shift.
- Ability to assist individuals in exiting the facility during an emergency and to perform CPR and standard Medical First Aid procedures.
- Ability to comply with applicable laws, regulations, agency policies and procedures, and the Progress Foundation Code of Ethics.
Nice To Haves
- Bilingual/bicultural experience or abilities.
- Personal experience as a consumer of mental health services.
Responsibilities
- Provide direct psychiatric, medical, and pharmacy services to UCC clients, including assessment, evaluation, initial treatment, and referral.
- Conduct initial medical and psychosocial assessments, evaluations for 5150 status, mental health status and safety assessments, and medication evaluations.
- Perform medical screening at triage and provide ongoing monitoring and care for clients.
- Assess medication needs, provide medication support, administer medications, document administration, and monitor medication effects.
- Arrange safe and timely transfers to other needed treatment services and make appropriate discharge referrals.
- Assist with medical, behavioral health, and pharmacy services for the Residential Treatment Program when needed.
- Develop and maintain effective relationships with clients, client families, support people, referral sources, behavioral health and social service providers, and the community.
- Provide services consistent with Social Rehabilitation values and promote those values within the behavioral health treatment community.
- Attend staff, program, clinical, and administrative meetings as required.
- Respond professionally, thoroughly, and promptly to routine and emergency program events, in accordance with agency policy and regulations.
- Maintain an overall agency focus and participate in agency and program activities, serving as a positive role model for professional conduct and Social Rehabilitation principles.
- Maintain professional knowledge, skills, and abilities through continuing education, supervision, and consultation.
- Report to the Program Director trends and information relevant to UCC operations and planning, including referral patterns, client presentations, outcomes, discharge resources, and service impediments.
- Participate in collecting UCC data required by funding sources and regulatory agencies or requested by the Program Director.
- Remain flexible to assist with staffing shortages on various shifts and perform other duties or special projects as assigned.
- Work with the Program Director to develop policies or resources that support the agency mission and program goals.
- Keep medications, charts, and client records secure and confidential, and comply with applicable HIPAA, agency, and governmental requirements.
- Report incidents that may constitute violations of laws, regulations, agency policies, or procedures.
- Help maintain a safe, attractive, comfortable, and non-institutional facility; follow emergency and evacuation procedures.
