Registered Nurse RN PRN Days

About the role

At Oceans Behavioral Hospital Abilene, healing is the focus. The facility provides inpatient and outpatient psychiatric counseling and treatment for adolescents, adults, and seniors dealing with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. The Registered Nurse leads milieu management and directs patient‑care activities of other nursing staff while maintaining professional nursing standards in accordance with facility policies, external governing bodies, performance‑improvement standards, and psychiatric nursing standards.

Essential Functions

• Utilizes the nursing process—assessment, planning, intervention, implementation, and evaluation—to formulate individualized nursing interventions and treatment modalities.
• Identifies risk levels, precautions, and expected outcomes for each client, including discharge planning; prescribes and evaluates interventions; conducts ongoing assessments from admission to discharge; initiates medical/psychiatric crisis intervention to stabilize patients.
• Demonstrates knowledge of psychiatric disorders and implements appropriate nursing interventions identified in the individualized plan of care.
• Applies interventions that promote patient progress toward wellness and maintain that wellness.
• Administers medications safely as prescribed, provides patient education on medications, and recognizes signs and symptoms of adverse drug reactions.
• Exhibits professionalism, accountability, and responsibility for decision‑making, quality nursing care, and the psychiatric nursing knowledge base.
• Reviews, revises, and updates medical records within facility guidelines and required timeframes.
• Transcribes and implements physician orders according to policy; documents care, progress, and response to interventions accurately, thoroughly, and concisely.
• Follows up on client‑care responsibilities, communicates incomplete assignments and current client needs to staff to ensure continuity of care.
• Implements staff assignments and delegates duties using sound judgment; demonstrates willingness to assist staff and patients and advocates for patient safety and needs.
• Utilizes nursing knowledge to meet the needs of the facility, patient population, and staff; leverages nursing resources to enhance evidence‑based practice.
• Floats among various clinical services where qualified and competent; performs other duties and projects as assigned.

Requirements

• Current, valid, and active Registered Nurse license in the state of employment at an Oceans Healthcare hospital (Compact license acceptable).
• Minimum of an Associate Degree in Nursing.
• One year of inpatient hospital experience (strongly preferred).
• Ability to work in a high‑stress environment and assess potential for patient escalation.
• Effective oral and written communication skills; highly organized; sensitivity to culturally diverse and special‑needs populations (chronically mentally ill, geriatric, developmental disabilities).
• 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.
• Successful completion of CPR certification and an Oceans‑approved behavioral health de‑escalation program.
• Capacity to cope mentally and physically with a high‑pace, stressful atmosphere, including frequent interruptions and multiple calls/inquiries.
• Ability to tolerate potential disagreeable odors, sights, and unpredictable patient behavior.
• Willingness to spend approximately 90 % or more of the time inside a building that provides weather protection but may experience temperature changes.

Schedule

• 12‑hour rotating shifts.
• Subject to frequent interruptions, high‑pace demands, and stressful conditions.