Registered Nurse – Behavioral Health
Yale New Haven Health
Registered Nurse – Behavioral Health
Yale New Haven Health
Integrated hospital system with academic affiliations
Registered Nurse (RN) – Behavioral Health
To be part of our organization, every employee is expected to understand and embrace the YNHHS Vision, support our Mission, and live our Values of integrity, patient-centered care, respect, accountability, and compassion. These principles guide our actions and define our commitment to delivering exceptional care every day.
Position Overview
Under the supervision of the Nurse Manager or Clinical Coordinator, the Registered Nurse (RN) provides comprehensive, patient-centered nursing care to individuals across a diverse behavioral health population. Our Behavioral Health program offers opportunities across several specialized inpatient and psychiatric emergency settings, including Adolescent Psychiatry, Transitional Age Youth, Mood Disorders, General Adult Psychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry, and Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES).
The RN is responsible for assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating individualized patient care in accordance with established policies, procedures, and standards of nursing practice. The RN collaborates closely with psychiatrists, advanced practice providers, social workers, therapists, mental health workers, patients, families, and other members of the interdisciplinary team to promote stabilization, recovery, safety, and successful transition to the next level of care.
Depending on patient needs and staffing priorities, RNs may be asked to support multiple behavioral health units. This provides an opportunity to work with patients across a broad range of ages, diagnoses, and levels of psychiatric acuity.
Our Behavioral Health Units
Adolescent Psychiatry – 23 Beds
The Adolescent Psychiatry unit provides specialized inpatient behavioral health care for adolescents ages 13–18. Caring for this population requires an understanding of the unique emotional, cognitive, developmental, family, and social needs of adolescents.
The interdisciplinary team works collaboratively with patients and families to address psychiatric symptoms while supporting healthy development and building skills that promote long-term well-being. Treatment incorporates biological, family systems, psychological, social, and life-skills approaches.
Transitional Age Youth (TAY) – 25 Beds
The Transitional Age Youth unit provides specialized behavioral health care for young people ages 16–26 who are navigating the critical transition from adolescence into adulthood.
This period of life can be particularly challenging and is frequently when individuals experience the first onset or significant escalation of mental illness. The unit provides a positive, structured, and healing environment focused on psychiatric stabilization while helping patients develop the skills needed to successfully transition into adulthood.
Mood Disorders – 26 Beds
The Mood Disorders unit provides comprehensive inpatient behavioral health care for adults experiencing mood disorders, including major depression and bipolar disorder.
RNs work with an interdisciplinary team to provide individualized care based on each patient's clinical presentation, treatment goals, and recovery needs. Care may include monitoring psychiatric and physical status, medication administration and education, suicide and safety assessment, therapeutic communication, crisis intervention, and coordination of treatment and discharge planning.
General Adult Psychiatry – 24 Beds
The General Adult Psychiatry unit provides care for adults experiencing some of the most common and disabling psychiatric conditions, including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other major psychiatric disorders.
This unit offers RNs the opportunity to care for a diverse adult population with varying levels of psychiatric acuity and clinical complexity. Nurses work as part of an interdisciplinary team to provide individualized treatment focused on safety, stabilization, symptom management, and recovery.
Geriatric Psychiatry – 20 Beds
The Geriatric Psychiatry unit provides specialized inpatient behavioral health care for older adults who frequently present with both psychiatric and medical conditions, creating additional complexity in assessment and treatment.
Common diagnoses include mood disorders and dementia. RNs caring for this population must be attentive to the interaction between physical health, cognitive changes, medications, behavior, and psychiatric symptoms.
Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) – 34 Beds
Psychiatric Emergency Services provides 24-hour acute psychiatric evaluation and crisis intervention for more than 10,000 adolescent and adult patients annually.
Care is provided across three distinct settings within the service: the Crisis Intervention Unit, Behavioral Care Unit, and Fitkin Observation Unit.
PES provides an opportunity for RNs who enjoy a fast-paced environment and caring for patients with varying levels of psychiatric acuity.
EEO/AA/Disability/Veteran
Key Responsibilities
Assesses the patient's physical, mental, emotional, and psychosocial condition on an ongoing basis throughout the continuum of care.
Develops, communicates, and documents an individualized plan of care based on patient needs, clinical assessment, treatment goals, and identified risks.
Implements and coordinates the plan of care in collaboration with the patient, family, and interdisciplinary healthcare team.
Evaluates the effectiveness of the plan of care and the patient's response to treatment; revises interventions as appropriate and makes referrals when indicated.
Identifies individual learning needs and readiness of the patient and family and provides appropriate education regarding medications, treatment, coping strategies, safety, and discharge planning.
Promotes a safe, therapeutic, and patient-centered environment through effective communication, therapeutic nursing interventions, and adherence to behavioral health safety practices.
Administers medications and treatments in accordance with physician orders, nursing standards, and established policies and procedures.
Recognizes changes in patient condition, including changes in mental status, behavior, mood, safety risk, or physical condition, and responds appropriately.
Participates in crisis intervention, suicide/self-harm risk assessment, behavioral management, and other interventions appropriate to the patient's clinical needs.
Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team regarding patient progress, treatment goals, safety concerns, discharge planning, and continuity of care.
Functions as a preceptor and resource for new staff and other members of the healthcare team.
Functions as a Charge Nurse when assigned, including delegation of nursing responsibilities, coordination of patient care, staff support, and oversight of unit operations.
May be required to provide nursing support across multiple behavioral health units based on patient needs, staffing requirements, and operational priorities.
Meets performance expectations related to patient experience, teamwork, resource utilization, professional development, and staff development.
Demonstrates commitment to the organization's mission, vision, and values while maintaining the highest standards of professional nursing practice.
Performs other duties as assigned or directed to support the safe and effective operation of the department/unit.
What Makes Behavioral Health Nursing Different Here?
Our Behavioral Health RNs have the opportunity to develop expertise across a broad spectrum of psychiatric care—from adolescent and transitional-age patients experiencing their first significant mental health challenges to adults experiencing severe mood or psychotic disorders, older adults with complex psychiatric and medical needs, and patients requiring emergency psychiatric evaluation and stabilization.
Education
Graduate of an accredited school of nursing. BSN preferred.
Must be proficient in the use of computer software, including electronic medical records/patient care systems, and able to utilize electronic resources and the Internet to conduct literature searches and support evidence-based patient care.
Licensure
Current, valid Connecticut Registered Nurse (RN) license required.
Certifications
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification required.
Additional Qualifications
Strong clinical assessment and critical-thinking skills.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to work effectively with patients, families, and interdisciplinary teams.
Ability to maintain a therapeutic and professional relationship with patients experiencing acute behavioral health conditions.
Ability to respond effectively to crisis situations and changing patient needs.
Commitment to patient safety, dignity, recovery, and trauma-informed care.
Previous behavioral health, psychiatric, emergency, medical-surgical, or related nursing experience is preferred but may vary by unit.
Work Environment
Behavioral Health RNs work in collaborative, multidisciplinary environments where patient safety, therapeutic relationships, clinical excellence, and teamwork are essential. Available positions may include a variety of shifts and assignments across our behavioral health units based on organizational and patient-care needs.
Available opportunities include:
Adolescent Psychiatry – 23 beds | Ages 13–18
Transitional Age Youth – 25 beds | Ages 16–26
Mood Disorders – 26 beds | Adult patients
General Adult Psychiatry – 24 beds | Adult patients
Geriatric Psychiatry – 20 beds | Older adults with psychiatric and medical needs
Psychiatric Emergency Services – 34 beds | 24-hour acute psychiatric evaluation and crisis intervention
Join a team dedicated to providing compassionate, evidence-based behavioral healthcare and helping patients and families move toward stabilization, recovery, and improved quality of life.
Integrated hospital system with academic affiliations
Yale New Haven Health is a health system that operates five hospitals (Yale New Haven, Bridgeport, Greenwich, Lawrence + Memorial, Westerly) and provides access to a wide network of primary care physicians and specialists through Northeast Medical Group and Yale Medicine. Through its affiliation with Yale University and Yale School of Medicine, it connects patients to the latest medical treatments and research. Its facilities and outpatient locations enable coordinated care across a single organization that aims to be more patient-focused, more accessible, and more cost-effective. The system delivers care by combining hospital services, primary and specialty care, and advanced clinical relationships to integrate treatment with ongoing research and clinical trials, offering patients access to innovative therapies and personalized treatment options.
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