RN Lead - Outpatient Behavioral Health

RN Lead coordinates nursing activities for assigned clinical outpatient departments, providing clinical expertise in the nursing process. The role delivers patient care that promotes safety and well-being, utilizing a systematic approach through assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation in ambulatory settings. Provides healthcare to individuals, families, and communities within the RN scope of practice as defined by the Illinois Board of Nursing, focusing on patients experiencing psychiatric conditions.

Qualifications

• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification within 30 days – American Heart Association (AHA)
• Licensed Registered Professional Nurse (RN) – Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)
• Proficiency with usual and customary equipment used in the role

Education: College Diploma in Nursing

Work Experience: Ambulatory nursing

Other Requirements:

• Demonstrates clinical competencies in direct patient care and patient/family education, as well as assisting providers in delivering care
• Leadership and organizational skills with effective communication and collaboration
• Ability to multitask and prioritize
• Strong knowledge and skills in Epic EMR system
• Skills in education and training to improve nursing quality in assigned departments

Responsibilities

• Assist providers and clinical staff with obtaining vital information and preparing patients for examination or treatment
• Draw and collect blood or other samples, preparing specimens for laboratory analysis as required
• Apply the Nursing Process (assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention, and evaluation) within licensure guidelines
• Conduct telephone triage, providing and documenting advice for home care, and follow-up calls regarding patient health and progress
• Schedule referrals for patients with specialists or outpatient services as requested by the provider, completing necessary forms or requisitions with appropriate coding
• Understand outpatient specialty procedures and ensure compliance with precertification requirements
• Maintain a tracking system for follow-up appointments related to office visits, lab tests, and procedures to monitor disease status
• Provide timely and appropriate documentation in the patient’s electronic health record using standardized workflows
• Supervise delegated duties to LPNs and CMAs based on approved clinical protocols
• Maintain compliance with CLIA, OSHA, DNV, Safety, and Risk Management guidelines
• Demonstrate initiative to improve quality and customer service by exceeding expectations
• Provide nursing input for initiatives to improve care quality or clinical outcomes within psychiatry service delivery
• Deliver health and wellness education using the Teach-back method per protocols and guidelines
• Ensure competent healthcare delivery and adherence to established standards of care and scope of practice
• Monitor and oversee daily nursing workflow, including performing staff nurse duties to ensure adequate staffing and safe patient care
• Monitor nursing quality initiatives and process improvement activities in the department
• Oversee clinical patient schedules and completion of clinical chart prep
• Guide and conduct staff education, competencies, orientation, and performance evaluations
• Facilitate, lead, and assist during crisis or safety events
• Lead and facilitate monthly clinical staff meetings
• Ensure nursing and medical assistant staff are highly trained and maintain behavioral health clinical rooming standards
• Monitor and oversee the ordering of department clinical supplies and equipment
• Participate in the development and implementation of departmental and organizational policies, procedures, and initiatives

About Us

At Carle Health, we foster a workplace where every team member feels valued, respected, and empowered, aligning passion and purpose to positively impact patients and communities. Our nearly 17,000 team members and providers support patient care across central and southeastern Illinois. We include eight award-winning hospitals and a multispecialty provider group with over 1,500 doctors and advanced practice providers. We’re developing the next generation of providers through Carle Illinois College of Medicine, the world’s first engineering-based medical school, and Methodist College. Several of our hospitals hold Magnet® designations, the nation’s highest honor for nursing care.

Pay

The compensation range for this position is $35.41 per hour - $57.63 per hour. The actual compensation offered will depend on factors including experience, qualifications, location, training, licenses, shifts worked, and compensation model.

Benefits

Carle Health offers a comprehensive benefits package for team members and providers. Learn more at careers.carlehealth.org/benefits.