Registered Nurse; Pt

Overview

Riverside Healthcare is seeking a compassionate and skilled Psychiatric Registered Nurse (RN) to join our dedicated Child/Adolescent Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit in Kankakee, Illinois. In this role you will provide comprehensive psychiatric nursing care to children and adolescents experiencing acute mental health crises. You will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate patient care, ensuring each patient receives developmentally appropriate, individualized, high‑quality treatment in a supportive and therapeutic environment.

The position requires a deep understanding of psychiatric nursing principles, strong communication skills, and the ability to manage complex and often challenging situations with professionalism and empathy. Flexibility with assignments within professional scope/duties/licensure is also required.

• Conduct thorough psychiatric assessments, including mental status examinations and risk assessments, and develop individualized care plans in collaboration with the patient, family, and interdisciplinary team.
• Administer medications and treatments as prescribed, monitor patient responses, adjust care plans, and document all interventions.
• Provide direct psychiatric nursing care, facilitate psycho educational groups, crisis intervention, and support, and employ therapeutic communication techniques to build rapport and encourage engagement.
• Monitor and document patient progress, vital signs, and behavioral changes, and report significant concerns to the healthcare team promptly.
• Collaborate with psychiatrists, social workers/case managers, therapists, and other healthcare professionals to ensure coordinated holistic care, participate in multidisciplinary meetings, and contribute to discharge planning.
• Educate patients and families about mental health conditions, treatment options, and coping strategies; advocate for patients’ needs and rights within the system.
• Respond effectively to psychiatric emergencies, manage aggressive or self‑harm behaviors, and implement de‑escalation techniques.
• Engage patients and families in a manner that promotes comfort, trust, and understanding, fostering a positive and supportive environment.
• Support a positive and collaborative work environment by offering constructive feedback, assisting peers, and communicating openly to promote mutual respect and teamwork.
• Participate in ongoing professional development and training to stay current with best practices and advances in psychiatric nursing.
• Assist in orienting and training new staff members and students as needed.
• Contribute to quality‑improvement initiatives related to psychiatric care.

• Minimum of two years of psychiatric nursing experience; experience with various psychiatric disorders, crisis intervention, and treatment modalities preferred.

• Graduate of an approved school of nursing.
• Current Registered Nurse (RN) license in the state of Illinois.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
• New graduate RNs starting on or after 1/1/25 must earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) within three years of start date.

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
• Psychiatric‑Mental Health Nursing Certification (PMH‑BC).

• Exposure:
  Chemicals (see MSDS sheets), blood and body fluids; protective equipment and universal precautions minimize risk.
• Visual:
  Observe patients, read reports, and operate machines.
• Hearing:
  Listen for alarms, calls for help, and patient verbalizations; identify lung, bowel, and heart sounds.
• Touch:
  Assess patients and distinguish temperature; necessary for care and patient safety.

• Sitting: 10%
• Twisting: 4%
• Standing: 40%
• Walking: 25%
• Kneeling: 1%
• Lifting: 10%
• Bending: 30%
• Reaching above shoulders: 3%

• Up to 10 lbs:
  Frequently.
• Up to 20 lbs:
  Frequently.
• Up to 35 lbs:
  Frequently.
• Up to 60 lbs:
  Occasionally.
• Up to 75 lbs and above:
  Not required.

• Sitting: 30 minutes.
• Twisting: 15 minutes.
• Standing: 60 minutes.
• Walking: 10 minutes.
  
  Kneeling: 0 minutes.
• Lifting: 5 minutes.
• Bending: 15 minutes.
• Reaching above shoulders: 2 minutes.

• Pushing & pulling (50–200 lbs):
  Occasionally.
• Fine manipulation including typing, charting, drawing up meds, IV initiation.

• Inside hours: 6–40.
• Outside hours: 0.
• Temperature:
  Normal range.
• Lighting:
  Average.
• Noise levels:
  Average.
• Humidity:
  Normal range.
• Atmosphere:
  Odors.

• Paid time off.
• Health, dental, vision, life insurance and short/long‑term disability.
• Health savings and flexible spending accounts.
• Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match.
• Educational assistance program.

USD $37.17 – $49.30 per hour.