Registered Nurse - Behavioral Health Inpatient

WellSpan Health • Chambersburg, PA

1d

About The Position

The Registered Nurse works in a 26-bed adult inpatient psychiatric unit, including a 16-bed less acute unit and a 10-bed acute care unit. The service provides around-the-clock inpatient psychiatric care, including diagnostic assessments, stabilization, and personalized treatment plans. The nurse works with a multidisciplinary team that includes Psychiatry, Nursing, Licensed and Unlicensed Professional Counselors, Occupational Therapy, RN Care Management, and Social Work.

The RN implements, directs, and coordinates patient care using the nursing process of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation. The role includes recognizing and treating physical and psychosocial changes relevant to the ages and populations served. The position is full time at 72 hours biweekly on a 12-hour night shift, with work every third weekend. Shift and weekend differentials are available. Flexible self-scheduling is offered.

The department supports professional growth through nursing leadership pathways, preceptorships, a graduate nurse residency program, educational support for nursing certifications, and mentorship from a Nursing Educator, Clinical Managers, and a Licensed Professional Counselor leader.

Requirements

• Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing.
• Eligible for or currently licensed as a Registered Professional Nurse in Pennsylvania.
• CPR certification.
• Experience applying customer service behaviors and communication skills.
• Evidence of participation in educational programs to update and maintain current knowledge and clinical skills.
• Ability to perform the duties and competencies described for inpatient behavioral health nursing, including physical and psychosocial assessments, therapeutic communication, and behavioral health emergency response.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
• Previous nursing experience in the specialty area.
• Certification in the nursing specialty.
• PMH-BC certification for Behavioral Health Services, inpatient or outpatient.

Responsibilities

• Implement, direct, and coordinate patient care using the nursing process, including assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
• Recognize and address physical and psychosocial changes relevant to the patient population and age group served.
• Practice safe medication administration; transcribe physician orders accurately and complete chart checks to identify missed orders.
• Use therapeutic communication and assess patient education needs, providing education with available resources.
• Participate in unit activities, including staff and committee meetings and in-services, and contribute to leadership through the nursing process and supervision.
• Serve as a resource for patient care, the specialty area, orientation, and staff teaching.
• Analyze assessment data, identify priority problems, and document patient and family plans of care; use effective problem-solving to plan care.
• Recognize changes in patient condition and respond appropriately, including in emergencies and behavioral health emergencies.
• Complete and document discharge assessments against plan-of-care goals.
• Initiate and maintain intravenous therapy according to applicable standards.
• Use proper body mechanics and safely position, transfer, and transport patients.
• Perform assigned virtual nursing duties, which may include admissions, discharges, education, documentation through a virtual platform, and collaboration with bedside nursing staff.
• Apply physical and mechanical restraints and complete the required RN face-to-face assessment or behavioral health unit restraint competency; use least-restrictive alternatives and de-escalation techniques.
• Facilitate group therapy and individual support, and provide individual and group psychoeducation to patients.
• Assess and follow reporting responsibilities for suspected physical, emotional, or sexual abuse and neglect across populations.
• Participate in mock exercises and medical emergencies, including rapid response team events; perform required behavioral health assessments, including CIWA, AIMS, DAST/AUDIT, and suicide risk assessments.
• Complete accurate physical and psychosocial assessments and participate in developing and reviewing patient safety plans.
• Follow level-of-care policies and handoff responsibilities for every 15-minute safety checks.
• Administer prescribed medications and provide age-specific care informed by growth and development across the lifespan.
• Promote patient, visitor, and staff safety by following regulations and policies, reporting actual and potential errors and hazards, identifying opportunities to improve safety systems, and participating in safety education and root cause analyses.
• Maintain established policies and procedures and quality assessment, safety, environmental, and infection-control standards.

Benefits

• Flexible self-scheduling.
• Shift differential.
• Weekend differential.
• Nursing leadership pathways.
• Preceptorships.
• Graduate nurse residency program.
• Educational support for nursing certifications.
• Mentorship from a dedicated Nursing Educator, Clinical Managers, and a Licensed Professional Counselor leader.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Associate degree