Psychiatric Care Coordinator RN | Discharge & Care Lead

General Summary

Performs a variety of duties to facilitate quality clinical care within the Inpatient Child/Adolescent and Adult Psychiatric Units. Supports bedside staff in day‑to‑day psychiatric and medical care coordination and workflow in pursuit of best outcomes. Works as an active member of the Treatment Team and functions as a resource for nursing staff to develop, organize, and implement appropriate care and educational needs.

PRN as needed. Weekdays, dayshift hours with occasional weekend hours.

• Engage assigned patients using Motivational Interviewing strategies in the active management of their health by encouraging participation in their care and collaborating with all members of the interdisciplinary team including psychiatrist, medical provider(s), primary nurses, Social Work and Therapist.
• Collaborate with discharge readiness team to enhance education and planning; assist with patient understanding of medication management, outpatient follow‑up treatment, discharge transportation needs, and resolution of any obstacles related to discharge.
• Coordinate medical and psychiatric care and participate in the Treatment Team to ensure best patient outcomes; follow regulatory procedures to comply with treatment plan requirements. Ensure appropriate documentation of treatment team participants including required signatures.
• Foster a team environment that relies on the strengths of interdisciplinary team members, maintains the patient as primary focus, and engages in flexible problem‑solving to create new and innovative strategies for addressing patient needs.
• Establish new relationships with providers, participate in meetings, and follow through with recommendations for consultation, enhanced unit resources, and education to increase patient care.
• Oversee care progression in discharge readiness by rounding with care team, using clinical judgment to identify discharge readiness, risk of readmission while proactively identifying barriers. Initiate problem‑solving for delays and barriers.
• Coach and mentor clinical nursing staff in care coordination, situational awareness, and patient engagement to facilitate a positive patient experience. Engage in crucial conversations to ensure completion of effective and necessary interventions to enhance patient care and treatment progress.
• Participate in daily communication with primary nurse, communicating any clinical concerns and assisting in developing an action plan for the patient or update to Nursing Care Plan.
• Facilitate nurse/provider rounds to assure patients are informed of and included in their plan of care and discharge plan.
• Ensure all necessary discharge paperwork (including return‑to‑work/school letters, prescriptions to appropriate pharmacy or electronic submission) are provided.
• Coordinate with families in collaborative treatment planning and patient progress as appropriate.
• Assist patient care team with identification and coordination of alternative treatment settings to provide appropriate care.
• Coordinate with Case Management as indicated.
• Participate in the review of policy and procedures on an ongoing basis, providing evidence‑based revisions as necessary.
• Participate in Quality Improvement endeavors through monitoring patient outcomes. Assist with collection and analysis of utilization patterns including avoidable days and denied cases; share this with assigned clinical leadership. Take action to address these measures with the team as needed.
• Review readmission metrics, communicate safety concerns and customer issues when appropriate, and increase team awareness of these events. Bring known or suspected problems of under‑, over‑, or inappropriate utilization of resources to the attention of the appropriate manager(s).
• Identify educational opportunities. Use a proactive and solution‑oriented approach to meet defined objectives.
• Assume role of staff RN if needed.

• Prepare and maintain appropriate documentation.
• Maintain established policies and procedures, objectives, quality assessment and safety standards.
• Provide outstanding service to all customers; foster teamwork and practice fiscal responsibility through improvement and innovation.

• Minimum Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN). Required.
• Work Experience: 2 years of nursing experience with recent behavioral health experience required.
• Licenses: Licensed Registered Nurse upon hire required;
  Registered Nurse Multi‑State License upon hire required;
  Basic Life Support upon hire required.
• Courses and Training: Certification in appropriate nursing specialty upon hire preferred.
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Excellent interpersonal/communication skills; flexible thinking/composed ability to manage competing demands; proficient in interdisciplinary collaboration.

• Retirement savings plan
• Employee Assistance Program
• Education assistance