Psychiatric Nurse-Per Diem

About the role

Boston Medical Center is seeking a Psychiatric Nurse for its 82-bed, behavioral health hospital in Brockton, MA.

Responsibilities

• Consistently and effectively utilizes all steps of the nursing process in the provision of timely, safe, efficient and appropriate patient/centered care.
• Affords systematic and ongoing assessments of the patient and family 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.
• Utilizes 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.
• Determines expected outcomes individualized to the patient. Documents measurable goals that 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 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. Reflects current nursing practice standards, policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines. Uses 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 Psychatric unit needs. 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. Ensures a safe, clean Psychatric 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.

Qualifications

• Associate’s Degree in Nursing required
• BSN required within four years of hire
• Certified to practice professional nursing as a registered nurse in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
• Requires current basic life support (BLS) certification. Some units may require Advanced Cardiac Life support (ACLS) certification.