Outpatient Program RN

About the Role

Haven Behavioral Healthcare, an Oceans Healthcare Company, is a behavioral healthcare system providing high-quality, specialty behavioral health services for individuals with mental health and substance abuse issues. The Outpatient Program RN's primary role is to provide nursing care for patients experiencing common, well-defined health problems as a member of the multidisciplinary healthcare team, utilizing the nursing process in implementation of patient care under the supervision of a registered nurse.

Responsibilities

• Utilizes assessment scales to identify basic needs of patients by collecting data and identifying deviations from normal; assists with reassessing patients according to assignments, need, and unit protocol/hospital policy under the direction of the registered nurse.
• Effectively communicates pertinent assessment findings with other healthcare members; accurately and thoroughly documents all findings in the patient record.
• Identifies expected outcomes based on assessment data and implements nursing care interventions identified in the individualized multidisciplinary treatment plan using accepted standards of practice in collaboration with other healthcare providers.
• Performs nursing procedures, treatments, and documents as prescribed by physician/LIP; performs vital signs and measurements on patients as ordered and as needed based on nursing judgment; documents same in the medical record.
• Performs patient education as needed and documents same in the medical record.
• Provides for comfort and assistance in the performance of ADLs; promotes the patient's ability to cope, adapt, and/or solve situations related to illness and/or stressors.
• Provides supportive, age-appropriate communication and culturally acceptable interventions; documents special needs.
• Secures H & P Exams on new admissions.
• Provides for the safe delivery of medications in accordance with facility policies and physician orders; provides patient education on ordered medication.
• Administers medications as prescribed/safely for those medications that cannot be self-administered; oversees and coordinates accurate self-administration of medication regimes with patients.
• Ensures patients are effectively assessed prior to and after medication administration.
• Transcribes orders accurately and calls in prescription orders and/or refills according to physician orders.
• Follows up on patient care responsibilities; communicates incomplete assignments and patient needs with other disciplines to assure continuum of care.
• Coordinates safe transportation of patients to and from the program in conjunction with the transportation technician.
• Performs other duties and projects as assigned.

Requirements

• Graduate of an accredited school of Nursing.
• Prefer at least 1 year of experience in an acute medical/surgical setting and/or an acute psychiatric setting.

Skills

• Ability to work in high stress and assess potential for patient escalation.
• Effective oral and written communication skills to consistently achieve positive results with internal and external customers.
• Highly organized with understanding and sensitivity to serve culturally diverse and special needs populations (e.g., Chronically Mentally Ill, Geriatric, CD).
• Basic knowledge of normal physical and emotional development.
• Critical thinking abilities for continuous improvement of patient care.
• Self-confidence and ability to think conceptually in leading and directing others.
• Knowledge of medications, calculations, and administering techniques.

Work Environment

• Subject to many interruptions and occasional pressure due to multiple calls and inquiries.
• High-paced and potentially stressful environment; must be able to cope mentally and physically with the atmosphere.
• Spends approximately 90% or more of the time inside a building that offers protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.