Registered Nurse (RN), Residential Psychiatry

Cincinnati Children's•College Hill, TX

20h•$37 - $43•Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Nurse works in the Residential Psychiatry department at Cincinnati Children’s, providing team-based nursing care to youth experiencing psychiatric challenges. The role combines behavioral health nursing, safety-focused milieu management, medication administration, individualized care planning, therapeutic engagement, and collaboration with an interdisciplinary team and families. The nurse helps establish a safe, stable, nurturing, trauma-informed environment and supports patients’ progress toward treatment and discharge goals. This is a full-time, 32-hour-per-week position with a rotating day/evening schedule and every other weekend required. The position is based at the College Hill Campus. Nurses receive training in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention and can access tuition-free benefits, including the Psychiatric Residency Enrichment Program and Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Training. The role also involves maintaining licensure, certifications, and required training, participating in performance improvement and professional development, and supporting student and new nurse onboarding.

Requirements

Associate degree or diploma preparation from an ACEN-, CCNE-, or NLN CNEA-accredited institution.
External candidates hired without a BSN or MSN must enroll in a BSN or MSN program within one year of hire and complete it within five years of hire.
Active Ohio RN license; other state licensure may be required.
Foreign graduates must have their license validated through TruMerit in accordance with Ohio Board of Nursing requirements for foreign graduates.
Must pass the Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Certification Course during orientation.

Nice To Haves

BSN from an ACEN- or CCNE-accredited institution, or an MSN.

Responsibilities

Create a safe, stable, nurturing, trauma-informed environment using developmentally appropriate strategies for patients with psychiatric challenges.
Implement a token economy to reinforce positive behaviors and support skill-building and discharge goals.
Prevent and respond to crises using Therapeutic Crisis Intervention strategies, including verbal de-escalation and physical interventions when necessary due to imminent risk.
Lead and intervene in behavioral crises using the Stress Model of Crisis and individualized care plans.
Perform safety checks and room and patient searches, and monitor environmental risk factors.
Follow departmental policies, hospital protocols, and regulatory standards, including CMS and Joint Commission requirements.
Assess patient care needs using clinical judgment and develop care plans.
Administer medications and monitor their effectiveness.
Develop, coordinate, and implement nursing interventions addressing physical and mental health needs.
Support activities of daily living and provide developmentally appropriate care in group and individualized settings.
Maintain assigned observation levels, such as continuous observation, 15-minute checks, or remaining within arm’s length of a patient.
Recognize changes in patient condition, respond to deterioration, and escalate concerns as needed.
Lead or support structured group programming and adapt it to patients’ developmental needs.
Engage patients, observe behavior, build therapeutic rapport, maintain professional boundaries, and advocate for patient needs.
Maintain knowledge of accreditation standards and regulatory requirements; complete certifications, licensure renewals, and Safety College trainings on schedule.
Partner with nurse councils, Magnet representatives, and leadership to promote safety practices and continuous performance improvement.
Identify and promptly report safety and compliance concerns.
Document assessments, interventions, incident reports, safety checks, and patient progress accurately.
Review Behavioral Health Specialists’ documentation for timeliness and accuracy, particularly incident reports, safety checks, and behavioral observations.
Bridge communication between Behavioral Health Specialists and the interdisciplinary team, clarifying clinical priorities and coordinating information.
Participate in family-centered rounds and provide updates and education to families and caregivers.
Use teach-back and other strategies to support understanding of care goals.
Contribute to shift reports, handoffs, and interdisciplinary care planning.
Collaborate with physicians, advanced practice RNs, social workers, allied health providers, patients, and families to support continuity of care.
Assign tasks such as safety checks, group facilitation, and patient support, and monitor completion, quality, and safety.
Participate in shared decision-making through unit-based councils and communication with peers and leaders.
Participate in performance reviews, peer feedback, and clinical education to maintain competency and promote growth.
Support student and new nurse onboarding through role modeling, mentoring, and shared learning.
Collaborate across disciplines using the Interprofessional Practice Model.
Assess cultural factors and individual preferences that may affect care and incorporate them into nursing practice.
Ethically advocate for patients and families, particularly when they cannot advocate for themselves.