Psychiatric Nurse

POSITION SUMMARY:

Boston Medical Center is seeking a Psychiatric Nurse for its 82-bed, behavioral health hospital, located in Brockton, MA. Brockton hospital operates as a behavioral health accountable care organization that providing cutting-edge, inpatient treatment and stabilization for individuals experiencing complex mental health and substance use needs. Inpatient Psychiatric Nurses are a critical part of a multi-disciplinary/multi-cultural team that possess unique expertise and focus on providing quality behavioral health care to acute populations.

Under general direction of the Nurse Manager, Psychiatric Nurses are dedicated team members responsible for providing direct patient care to psychiatric patients.  The role encompasses nursing assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention, evaluation, and coordination of care for patients and their families across the health care continuum.  The Psychiatric Nurse is accountable for clinical, educational, quality and fiscal patient care outcomes using the model of care designed by the inpatient psychiatric unit and in accordance with established agency policies, procedures, protocols, guidelines and standards of practice.  The Psychiatric Nurse works collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team to take care of the mental, emotional or behavioral disorders for those patients engaged in services.

Position: Psychiatric Nurse      

Department: Brockton Behavioral Health Center

Schedule: Per Diem

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

STANDARDS OF CARE

Consistently and effectively utilizes all steps of the nursing process in the provision of timely, safe, efficient and appropriate patient/centered care.

• Assesses the patient and family in a systematic and ongoing manner for both overt and covert signs and symptoms in accordance with the standards of clinical nursing practice.
• Collects pertinent data using appropriate assessment techniques.
• Prioritizes data according to the patient’s immediate condition or needs.
• Involves the patient, family/significant others and appropriate behavioral health care providers in the collection of data when appropriate.
• Consistently uses clear, concise and effective written/oral communication and complies with departmental policies when sharing/documenting relevant patient care data.
• Identifies emergency/crisis situations, communicates such in a timely manner to appropriate behavioral health care team members, and responds appropriately when needed.

Analyzes the assessment data to determine appropriate nursing diagnoses.

• Demonstrates use of critical thinking skills, derives and documents appropriate diagnoses from patient and family assessment data.

Identifies expected outcomes individualized to the patient.

• Derives and documents realistic, appropriate clinical and educational patient-centered outcomes consistent with patient’s diagnoses, capabilities and expectations in accordance to the standards of clinical nursing practice.
• Develops outcomes as measurable goals which include a time estimate for attainment and provides direction for continuity of care.
• Mutually formulates outcomes with the patient, significant others and  behavioral health care team when appropriate.

Develops a plan of care that prescribes interventions to attain expected outcomes.

• Develops and documents an individualized plan of care that reflects the patient’s condition, prioritizes his/her needs, and provides for continuity of care.
• Develops the plan with the client, significant others and appropriate behavioral health care providers.
• Develops a plan reflective of current nursing practice standards, policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines.
• Plan reflects effective use of available resources and appropriate internal/external referrals in order to provide comprehensive care to patients and families.

Implements interventions identified in the nursing and medical plan of care.

• Prioritizes patient care interventions based on fluctuating patient and Psychiatric unit needs.
• Effectively delegates appropriate patient care activities to co-workers with appropriate knowledge and skill level and ensures that co-workers have completed the delegated tasks in a timely manner.
• Provides for a safe, clean Psychiatric unit environment through use of appropriate risk management practices, e.g. labeling and removing broken/expired equipment/materials from service.
• Demonstrates safe technical competence based on patient needs, including but not limited to direct care skills, e.g., phlebotomy, IV insertion, etc., informatics, and equipment monitoring/utilization.
• Implements patient care interventions/treatments and administers medications in accordance with established practice standards, policies, and protocols.
• Educates patient and family regarding current illness, procedures, treatments, plan of care as well as health maintenance, promotion, and illness/injury prevention.
• In emergency/crisis situations, demonstrates effective decision making in accordance with standards of clinical nursing practice, re-prioritizes patient care needs, initiates appropriate response actions, and directs other team members to ensure a complete and coordinated response.
• Documents interventions according to departmental policy.

Evaluates the patient’s progress toward the attainment of clinical and educational outcomes.

• Conducts systematic and ongoing patient reassessments and evaluations.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of interventions in relation to desired outcomes and includes the patient, significant others and appropriate health care providers in the evaluation process as needed.
• Demonstrates use of critical thinking skills through the incorporation of ongoing assessment data in the revision of diagnoses, outcomes and the plan of care.
• Provides follow-up care in person via home visits and via telephone when needed and when appropriate.
• Documents patient’s response to interventions as well as revisions in diagnoses, outcomes and plan of care according to departmental policy.

STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE

Systematically evaluates the quality, cost, and effectiveness of nursing practice.

• Participates/leads quality improvement and/or research activities as appropriate to the individual’s position, education, skills, and practice environment.
• Uses the results of patient satisfaction, quality improvement and/or research data to initiate changes in practice.
• Accounts for completing daily patient classification data and incident reports in a timely manner.
• Participates in cost containment initiatives and practices.
• When two or more practice options exist that achieve the same quality of expected patient outcome, evaluates factors related to safety, effectiveness and cost when selecting the appropriate option.

Acts in a professional manner relative to practice standards, statutes, and regulations.

• Practices in compliance with established practice standards, policies, procedures, protocols, guidelines, statutes and regulations (example: DMH, DPH, JCAHO, Fire Code, OSHA, and DEA).
• Functions without supervision in a manner appropriate for level of experience and education.
• Responsible for seeing things through to completion and for informing appropriate staff of outcomes.
• Offers, seeks out and acts upon constructive feedback regarding professional practice to improve daily practice and to achieve goals identified during performance appraisal.
• Takes appropriate steps to effectively resolve peer conflicts or investigate questionable activities.  Discusses such with individuals involved and seeks assistance from nurse manager when appropriate.
• Maintains accurate annual professional development record.
• Demonstrates flexibility and ability to positively adapt to changing staffing/clinical/patient census needs including but not limited to offering assistance to others, adjusting patient assignments, floating to other areas/units, etc.
• Demonstrates reliability in regard to attendance and punctuality standards.
• Maintains a presentable appearance in accordance with dress code requirements including wearing a visible identification badge that identifies one’s self as a registered staff nurse.

The nurse acquires and maintains current knowledge in nursing practice.

• To maintain clinical competence in Psychiatric Nursing, participates in ongoing educational activities to enhance clinical knowledge and update requisite skills.
• Independently identifies need for in-service/educational sessions and seeks experience to meet such needs and to maintain clinical skills.
• Completes the following mandatory requirements: annual BLS certification, institutional mandatory education, e.g., safety regulations, infection control standards, etc., and departmental/unit specific competencies.
• Actively participates on unit or departmental based task forces, councils, or committees.

The nurse contributes to the professional development of peers, colleagues, and others.

• Takes initiative to share knowledge and skills willingly with colleagues, students, and novice practitioners in a collegial manner.
• Provides peers with constructive feedback regarding their practice and professional skills.
• Acts as a resource for new employees, float staff, and other unit team members.
• Assists in the orientation and/or acts as preceptor for new employees and/or nursing students.

The nurse’s decisions and actions on behalf of patients are determined in an ethical manner.

• Delivers care in a manner that preserves/protects client autonomy, dignity, confidentiality, and rights.
• Acts as a patient advocate in order to facilitate meeting identified patient needs.
• Delivers care in a non-judgmental and nondiscriminatory manner that is sensitive to and demonstrates respect for patient diversity.
• Seeks available resources to help formulate ethical decisions.

The nurse collaborates with client, significant others and health care providers in delivering client care.

• Communicates and consults with client, significant others and members of the health care team regarding required patient care.
• Works cooperatively and constructively with all departments and health care team members to establish an environment that supports the process of collaboration.
• Participates as an integral member of the health team during family/staff meetings, formal/informal shift rounds/reports, and medical/grand rounds.
• Coordinates appropriate internal and external referrals to assist patients to gain access to services, pre-approvals, etc.
• Coordinates discharge activities including arranging for home/agency referrals when necessary.

Other duties

• Interprets/translates for patient/family/visitors when conversant in their native language as needed.

• Acts as a shift charge nurse when requested/needed and oriented to charge.

• Performs all other related duties as assigned.

(The above statements in this job description are intended to depict the general nature and level of work assigned to the employee(s) in this job.  The above is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of accountable duties and responsibilities required).

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

• Associate’s Degree in Nursing required
• BSN required within four years of hire

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED:

• Licensed to practice professional nursing as a registered nurse in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or ability to receive reciprocity license prior to start.
• Requires current basic life support (BLS) certification. Some units may require Advanced Cardiac Life support (ACLS) certification.
• Additional certifications may be required for certain practice areas.

EXPERIENCE:

• Varies depending on the needs of the unit/department.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Knowledge of professional nursing principles, procedures, and techniques used in the care and treatment
  of patients in psychiatric settings
• Knowledge of social, psychological, and physical factors of psychiatric disorders
• Knowledge of psychotropic medications and their side effects
• Knowledge of State and Federal regulations that apply to the care of patients in inpatient psychiatric settings
• Knowledge of principles of crisis prevention and de-escalation
• Provides effective leadership in high-stress situations with sensitivity, tact, and diplomacy
• Basic computer proficiency inclusive of ability to access, enters, and interpret computerized data/information.
• Effective interpersonal skills to facilitate communication with various members of the health care team, patients, and families.
• Organizational skills to set priorities and efficiently complete assigned work.
• Analytical ability to solve clinical nursing issues and conduct quality improvement research utilization projects.
• Ability to effectively delegate appropriate patient care activities.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills appropriate to the patient populations served.
• Physical ability to meet the core job responsibilities in accordance with practice setting demands for the patient populations regularly served.
• Ability to effectively manage stress due to critical issues related to patient care, changing organizational climate and personnel issues.
• Multilingual skills (beyond that of English) in languages appropriate to the patient populations served by the medical center preferred.

Compensation Range:

$36.15- $75.50

This range offers an estimate based on the minimum job qualifications. However, our approach to determining base pay is comprehensive, and a broad range of factors is considered when making an offer. This includes education, experience, and licensure/certifications directly related to position requirements. In addition, BMCHS offers generous total compensation that includes, but is not limited to, benefits (medical, dental, vision, pharmacy), contract increases, Flexible Spending Accounts, 403(b) savings matches, earned time cash out, paid time off, career advancement opportunities, and resources to support employee and family wellbeing.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans

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