Rn Casual - Adolescent Inpatient Behavioral Health

Job Summary

The RN assesses, plans, implements and evaluates the care of all assigned psychiatric patients, coordinating and participating as an effective interdisciplinary team member.

• Maintain professional knowledge by attending workshops, reviewing publications, and participating in professional societies.
• Ensure quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards and measuring health outcomes, adjusting care plans as needed, and following state and agency regulations.
• Protect patients and staff by following infection‑control, medication administration, and controlled substance policies.
• Document patient care accurately in all records.
• Communicate actions, irregularities and needs to nursing teams using Nurse Knowledge Exchange techniques.
• Maintain patient confidentiality.
• Assess patients and establish rapport to determine care requirements.
• Provide a compassionate environment, offering emotional, psychological and spiritual support to patients and families.
• Promote patient independence by setting care goals, teaching about conditions and medications, and answering questions.
• Maintain a safe and clean working environment, following procedures and calling for assistance when needed.
• Resolve patient problems using multidisciplinary team strategies.
• Build and maintain cooperative relationships among healthcare teams, participating in continuous quality improvement.
• Contribute to the team effort by completing related tasks as needed.
• Ensure proper operation of equipment through preventive maintenance, troubleshooting and inventory management.
• Maintain nursing supplies inventory, placing orders and verifying receipt.
• Ensure patient assessment aligns with the PA Nurse Practice Act and hospital policies.
• Process psychiatric emergencies, collaborating with the psychiatrist for crisis resolution and referrals.
• Ensure patient safety in accordance with department policies.
• Manage agitated patients (handling, restraining, secluding) and update crisis intervention skills annually.
• Assure patient belongings are searched for harmful items.
• Possess working knowledge of psychotropic medications, maintaining protocols, administering, monitoring, documenting efficacy and side‑effects, and providing patient/family education.
• Conduct group therapy (medication, support, educational groups) and serve as a referral source.
• Provide individualized educational materials for patients.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

• Graduate of an accredited nursing program.
• Strong leadership, organizational, independent and critical thinking skills.
• Sound judgment and knowledge of legal aspects of nursing practice.
• Ability to communicate complex topics to a diverse audience.
• Completed a nursing refresher course if not worked in an acute‑care setting for the most recent three consecutive years.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.
• One to two years of relevant experience.

• Current licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in Pennsylvania.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association.
• Act 33, 34, and 73 FBI clearance with renewals.

None. The RN may serve as a coach and mentor to other staff.

Schedule based on operational need (rotating shifts, standby, on‑call). Local travel between system locations may be required.

Independence Health and its affiliates are Equal Opportunity Employers and prohibit discrimination on all protected characteristics.

This job description is not exhaustive; duties and responsibilities may change with or without notice.

Effective March 2020 or during pandemic: goggles, face shield and mask required per CDC guidelines.

• Bend, stoop, lift or transfer up to 50 lbs.; lift assistance or transfer devices required above 50 lbs.
• Workday may include 8‑12 hour shifts, rotations, on‑call periods, and up to 200 patient interactions per shift.
• Reusable equipment exposure: respirator, eye, hearing, hand, and foot protection required.