Registered Nurse (RN) Nights

Career Center•Huntsville, AL

11d

About The Position

The Registered Nurse provides clinical oversight for the hospital’s day-to-day operations and delivers nursing care to patients in a therapeutic setting. The role includes carrying out physician orders, conducting assessments, initiating and updating treatment and care plans, directing patient care, providing group and individual therapy or education, supporting intake and continuity-of-care referrals, and applying treatment, restraint, or seclusion interventions as appropriate. The nurse also administers medications and IVs, documents clinical progress, educates patients and families, and teaches or supervises other mental healthcare workers. The nurse assesses and monitors patients, evaluates treatment progress, coordinates nursing assignments and staffing needs, maintains accurate medical records, and supports safe, therapeutic, infection-controlled care. The position also involves emergency response, discharge planning and transfers, compliance with patient-rights and safety requirements, and collaboration with patients, families, physicians, coworkers, and other professionals. The role may require unscheduled overtime, weekend work, flexible hours, and travel.

Requirements

At least one year of clinical nursing experience; experience in geriatrics and/or mental health is preferred.
Graduate of an accredited school of nursing with a Registered Nursing degree.
Current state Registered Nursing license.
Current CPR certification.
Current CPI certification.
Knowledge of standard nursing practice and the needs and conditions of geriatric and/or mentally ill patients.
Communication and interpersonal skills to de-escalate potentially violent patients and prevent or intervene early in assaultive or self-injurious behavior.
Ability to solve problems and make decisions, especially in crisis situations.
Knowledge of restraint systems and the ability to use them; knowledge of restraint and seclusion triggers, nonphysical interventions, safe application, distress monitoring, discontinuation criteria, first aid, CPR, and related reporting requirements.
Knowledge of patient care and safety, abuse and neglect, incident reporting and investigation, patient rights, applicable laws and regulations, accreditation requirements, and hospital policies and procedures.
Knowledge of universal precautions and communicable-disease control methods.
Knowledge of IV administration, fluid and electrolyte balance, blood components, and venipuncture techniques.
Knowledge of DSM-IV diagnoses, psychotropic medications, and medication side effects.
Ability to develop thorough patient treatment plans based on needs, strengths, and goals.
Knowledge of clinical-practice legal requirements, professional standards, ethics, compliance, cultural competency, advance directives, the hospital’s mission, and the rights and needs of persons served.
Ability to work flexible hours; the position may require unscheduled overtime, weekend work, and travel.
Ability to use Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook and to learn HRIS and/or scheduling systems.
Ability to use standard office equipment and a computer.
Ability to frequently lift objects up to 40 pounds and to stand, walk, sit, bend, reach, kneel, push, and pull.

Nice To Haves

Clinical nursing experience in geriatrics and/or mental health.

Responsibilities

Assess patients’ needs, health status, responses to interventions, and clinical progress on admission and on an ongoing basis.
Participate in treatment modalities and interventions and document patient progress.
Ensure nursing staff develop and maintain current nursing care plans for each patient.
Make patient-care assignments and review staffing schedules, adjusting coverage for patient needs and staff absences.
Supervise and evaluate the clinical activities of non-employee nursing staff and oversee nursing care and personnel performance in the department.
Administer medications and IVs, perform venipuncture, and provide pharmaceutical services within the scope of licensure and education.
Carry out physician orders and raise questions or concerns about prescribing orders with the practitioner or physician.
Educate patients and families about medication administration, disorders, treatment needs, benefits and side effects, disease prevention, and basic living skills.
Complete comprehensive nursing assessments, treatment, tests, and psychiatric metric measures.
Maintain clear, complete, current, legible, timely, and retrievable medical records, ensuring entries are dated, timed, and authenticated and that required clinical information is included.
Ensure informed consents are properly executed and implement patients’ advance directives.
Maintain a safe, clean, therapeutic, and sanitized environment and follow infection prevention and control practices, including appropriate isolation and personal protective equipment procedures.
Observe and evaluate patients’ signs, symptoms, and therapy progress; identify and communicate findings or changes that need attention.
Investigate and document complaints and incidents involving patients, staff, visitors, or family members in accordance with applicable requirements and policies.
Adhere to patient-rights, confidentiality, abuse and neglect, seclusion and restraint, infection control, professional ethics, cultural competency, and safety requirements.
Develop and reassess discharge plans before discharge and arrange appropriate post-hospital care to avoid unnecessary delays.
Transfer or refer patients, with necessary medical information, to appropriate facilities, agencies, or outpatient services for follow-up or ancillary care.
Provide emergency care within safe and appropriate timeframes.
Promote and monitor a drug- and violence-free workplace.
Meet continuing-education and basic-qualification standards.
Work safely, follow safety rules, report unsafe conditions and behaviors, and take reasonable steps to prevent unsafe practices.