Days

Children's Nebraska•Omaha, NE

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Functions as a member of the interdisciplinary team, with primary responsibility for caring for patients with behavioral health needs. Uses the nursing process to deliver comprehensive, developmentally appropriate care to high-risk behavioral patients and their families. Serves as a psychiatric resource for the team by providing clinical support, monitoring compliance with system policies and guidelines, supporting accurate documentation, and helping maintain a safe environment. Responds to behavioral emergencies throughout the building and collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to promote patient and staff safety. Maintains knowledge of regulatory standards for hospitalized patients with behavioral health needs and ensures compliance. The role includes conducting individualized, age-specific patient and family assessments; developing, implementing, and revising plans of care; coordinating and evaluating nursing interventions; providing patient and family education; and documenting assessments, care, and responses to treatment. The nurse also supports staff caring for high-risk patients, advises on observation levels and behavioral-health policies, assists with de-escalation and physical interventions when needed, and participates in post-event debriefings. Care is delivered using sound clinical judgment, evidence-based practice, a team-oriented approach, and attention to patient advocacy, privacy, and infection prevention. The position is scheduled Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., for 36 hours, with a $10-per-hour weekend incentive.

Requirements

Associate's degree or bachelor's degree from an accredited school of nursing.
Nebraska state RN licensure and/or compact state licensure upon hire.
Basic Life Support certification through the American Heart Association upon hire.
Ability to perform varied duties efficiently, maintain composure when changing tasks, work under stressful conditions with multiple requests, and demonstrate prioritization skills.

Nice To Haves

Two years of psychiatric nursing experience.
Experience with pediatric patients.
Previous experience with EPIC.
Certification as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse (PMH-BC) after two years and/or 2,000 mental health care hours; team members not yet eligible are strongly encouraged to pursue certification when eligible.

Responsibilities

Conduct individualized, age-specific patient and family assessments, including admission and shift reassessments, and communicate changes in patient condition to appropriate individuals.
Identify nursing diagnoses, collaborative problems, and protocols based on assessment findings.
Develop, implement, evaluate, and revise individualized patient and family plans of care in collaboration with the Behavioral Health Team, family, and other healthcare team members.
Prioritize interventions and coordinate nursing and interdisciplinary care, including identifying the need for additional disciplines or outside resources.
Provide competent nursing interventions and patient and family education according to identified needs, readiness to learn, and age-specific standards.
Document assessments, interventions, patient responses, care-plan updates, orders, medication administration, education, and discharge needs accurately and within established timeframes.
Use clinical judgment and evidence-based guidelines to assess patient situations and support a safe environment, including inspecting rooms and identifying and removing potential hazards.
Provide clinical expertise, education, and just-in-time support to staff caring for high-risk behavioral patients; assist staff in locating behavioral health resources.
Review EPIC documentation and orders with staff to help ensure observation levels are appropriate and records are accurate and complete.
Identify and escalate patient care concerns and support consistent application of behavioral-health guidelines and policies throughout the hospital.
Educate and facilitate team learning about constant visual observation, therapeutic interactions, and patient safety.
Identify and present opportunities for performance and quality improvement.
Assist with patient de-escalation and physical intervention when needed, document interventions thoroughly, participate in debriefings, and audit physical-intervention documentation and related data.
Advocate for patients and families and assist in resolving their concerns.
Protect patient health information and follow infection-prevention practices.