RN Behavioral Health

About the Role

As a Registered Nurse in Behavioral Health within the Emergency Department POD, you will demonstrate critical thinking, scientific judgment, and leadership in planning and providing care for patients. You will be responsible for maintaining a therapeutic milieu through fundamental psychiatric nursing techniques and supervising therapeutic activities in accordance with clinical and administrative policies. You will work closely with Emergency Department and Behavioral Health Unit staff to care for assigned patients and achieve desired dispositions efficiently.

Responsibilities

• Complete position responsibilities following established guidelines and protocols within appropriate time frames.
• Demonstrate effective communication skills and work collaboratively with others in a team-oriented environment.
• Maintain education and professional development relevant to the position.
• Adhere to hospital and department guidelines, protocols, mission, vision, and values.
• Perform job-specific functions at an acceptable level.
• Demonstrate knowledge of Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) admission, discharge, and transfer processes.
• Show sensitivity and respect to patients, their families, and significant others.
• Adhere to patient rights, confidentiality, and the mental health patient bill of rights.
• Identify and accommodate cultural, religious, language, and developmental needs in the care plan.
• Assess and interpret patient data to meet age-specific needs.
• Serve as a patient advocate in care decisions.
• Address ethical dilemmas through appropriate referral processes.
• Ensure patient and family privacy.
• Perform thorough assessments according to unit standards and patient condition, including symptom-specific assessments.
• Notify and update psychiatrists, hospitalists, and/or ED providers about relevant changes in patient status.
• Assess suicidality, risk factors, and protective factors, documenting findings appropriately.
• Plan and implement care based on assessments, involving the patient, family, and significant others.
• Reassess patients according to unit standards and patient condition.
• Utilize and supervise ancillary services appropriately.
• Recognize and report signs of abuse and neglect.
• Provide nursing care within scope of practice for the psychiatric patient population.
• Follow regulations and protocols for medication administration, including controlled substances.
• Understand admission legal status according to state law and department policies.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive care plan based on initial assessments involving the patient and/or family.
• Assist the Treatment Team in implementing the Recovery Plan, including patient teaching and orientation.
• Update and maintain the Recovery Plan and perform medication reconciliation as needed.
• Anticipate changes in acuity and implement appropriate care.
• Complete all required shift assessments and documentation accurately and consistently.
• Support and reinforce the therapeutic milieu in collaboration with the treatment team.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with patients.
• Understand and apply patient observation policies and perform safety checks as assigned.
• Anticipate and mitigate potential environmental hazards.
• Perform environmental rounds and report faulty equipment or safety issues.
• Identify ligature and other safety risks and help develop mitigation strategies.
• Monitor for contraband in the patient environment and follow search procedures.
• Maintain a calm and efficient demeanor during emergency interventions.
• Adhere to Crisis Prevention and Intervention (CPI) training principles when dealing with aggressive patients.
• Ensure protection of patient safety, rights, and dignity.
• Utilize seclusion and restraint appropriately according to hospital policy.
• Perform necessary assessments and monitor patients during seclusion and restraint.
• Assess patient educational needs and provide follow-up instruction as needed.
• Implement the discharge plan collaboratively and in a timely manner.
• Assume resource nurse responsibilities, designating work assignments based on staff abilities and patient needs.
• Coordinate unit activities and anticipate staffing requirements.
• Adhere to documentation standards for patient care.
• Complete annual competencies within the appropriate time frame.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Associate's degree in Nursing.
• RN license in the state of New Hampshire or a valid compact state license.
• BLS certification within 30 days of hire.
• CPI certification within 30 days of hire.

Benefits

Portsmouth Regional Hospital offers a total rewards package supporting health, life, career, and retirement for our colleagues, including:

• Comprehensive benefits for medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, behavioral health, and telemedicine services.
• Wellbeing support, including free counseling and referral services.
• Time away from work programs for paid time off, paid family leave, long- and short-term disability coverage, and leaves of absence.
• Savings and retirement resources, including a 401(k) Plan with a 100% match on 3% to 9% of pay (based on years of service), Employee Stock Purchase Plan, flexible spending accounts, preferred banking partnerships, retirement readiness tools, rollover support, and financial wellbeing counseling.
• Education support through tuition assistance, student loan assistance, certification support, dependent scholarships, and a partnership with Galen College of Nursing.
• Additional benefits for fertility and family building, adoption assistance, life insurance, supplemental health protection plans, auto and home insurance, legal counseling, identity theft protection, and consumer discounts.

Note: Eligibility for benefits may vary by location.

About the Organization

Portsmouth Regional Hospital is a 240-bed acute care facility serving communities throughout New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. As part of HCA Healthcare, we are recognized as an ACS Verified Level II Trauma Center and a Comprehensive Stroke Center, with a robust heart and vascular program. Our team of nearly 5,000 colleagues, including 1,500 nurses and 1,000 affiliated physicians, collaborates to deliver exceptional care and innovation. HCA Healthcare has been recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute and has invested significantly in charitable care and uncompensated expenses.