Psych Registered Nurse

Position Summary

The Registered Nurse provides nursing care to all patients in the South Unit & ensures appropriateness of care for all age groups in the unit specific population. He / She demonstrates an ability to incorporate knowledge of patient’s age, growth, developmental level in the provision of care.

• Completes Nursing Assessment upon admission and each shift thereafter in accordance with unit standards and hospital policy.
• Enters, reviews, and updates electronic health record information per unit policy. This includes minimum of one patient care note every shift in addition to other required documentation.
• Includes cultural & gender considerations when assessing appropriate method for care management.
• Creates/follows plan of care to meet patient care goals, incorporating the physical, social, and psychological needs in the process.
• Responsible for monitoring patient safety and wellbeing.
• Participate and ensure that patient contraband search is properly conducted.
• Makes purposeful rounds a minimum of 4 times per shift.
• Is observant of changing patient needs and/or environmental conditions impacting the patient & takes appropriate & timely action. (Including but not limited to ligature risk assessment).
• Delegates patient care activities to appropriate personnel (CBHT / MHT / Unit Secretary), supervises & follows through to assure care completion.
• Effectively addresses & ensures patient safety needs are met & that hospital policies are followed regarding:
  • Fall Risk
  • Aspiration Risk
  • Restraint / Seclusion
  • Wound Care Protocol
  • Elopement Risk
  • Emergency Codes
  • Patient Rights
  • Patient knowledge of Grievance Process
  • Ligature Risk Assessment
• Works & assists collaboratively with all other members of the health care team.
• Administers and documents medications accurately according to established policies & procedures.
• Participates in South Unit / Hospital QAPI activities.
• Follows hospital policy and regulatory requirements regarding use of restraint and/or seclusion.
• Utilizes sound judgment and decision making criteria in observing psychiatric patients, gathering & analyzing information, drawing conclusions, & taking required action. (Problem analysis).
• Able to identify & anticipate patient changes and potential problems, & communicate these issues to other relevant members of the healthcare team and / or significant other as appropriate & in a timely manner.
• Recognizes significant changes in patient clinical parameters and immediately reports to physician & charge nurse. (Critical Value of lab and radiology reporting).
• Responds promptly in accordance with policy and procedure to all emergency situations that arise on the unit or in the hospital.
• Identifies patient/family/significant other needs for health teaching & utilizes available resources to assist in patient / family / significant other teaching as needed.
• Begins discharge planning upon admission & observes hospital discharge policies.
• Utilizes best practices in hand-off communications to oncoming shift.
• Participates in Orientation of new personnel.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Demonstrates appropriate knowledge & skill as a psychiatric nurse.
• Performs in a calm and professional manner during crisis and emergency situations.
• Provides quality nursing care through Nursing Process of Assessment, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation.
• Adheres to department/hospital safety & infection control standards according to established policies and procedures.
• Ability to give instructions and to supervise other staff members when any need arises.
• Ability to work in teams.
• Prioritize & Complete tasks in a timely manner.

Medium work:
Exerting up to 20 to 50 pounds of force frequently, up to 1/3 of the time to move objects. Requires walking or standing to a significant degree, or requires sitting most of the time.

Inside:
Protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes. Works in air conditioned, well-lighted environment.

• Subject to exposure of infectious and contagious diseases bearing specimens.
• Subject to exposure to blood borne pathogens.
• Subject to…