RN - MENTAL HEALTH - ACT PROGRAM - CHARLOTTESVILLE (FULL-TIME)

About the role

This is an FLSA non-exempt position. The member of the ACT multi-disciplinary team is responsible for conducting psychiatric assessments; assessing physical health needs; making appropriate referrals to community physicians; providing management and administration of medication in conjunction with the psychiatrist; providing of a range of treatment, rehabilitation, and support services; and sharing shift-management responsibility with other staff.

The incumbent reports to the Director III, and/or lead Mental Health Nurse and performs duties by proceeding alone under standard practices and referring questionable situations to the supervisor. In carrying out position duties, he/she performs in accordance with applicable professional ethics and standards and established Region Ten policies.

Responsibilities

• *Provide case management for an assigned group of consumers including coordinating and monitoring the activities of the individual treatment team; assume primary responsibility for developing, writing, implementing, evaluating, and revising overall treatment goals and plans in conjunction with the individual treatment team, providing individual supportive therapy and symptom management, ensuring immediate changes are made in the treatment plans as consumers’ needs change, educating and supporting consumers’ families, and advocating for consumers’ rights and preferences.
• *Conduct comprehensive assessment of psychiatric history (e.g., onset, course and effect of illness, past treatment and responses, and risk behaviors), mental status, and diagnosis; physical health and dental health; use of drugs or alcohol; education and employment; social development and functioning; activities of daily living (e.g., self-care, living situation, nutrition, money management); and family structure and relationships.
• *Consult with community agencies and families to maintain coordination in the treatment process.
• *Perform shift management in coordination with other ACT shift managers according to established policies and procedures.
• *Provide on-call crisis intervention covering nighttime hours and serve as a backup to evening and weekend staff.
• *Document consumer progress to maintain a permanent record of consumer activity according to established methods and procedures.
• *Participate in daily staff organizational meetings and treatment planning review meetings.
• *Take the lead role or participate in providing medication administration and medical services.
• *Under the direction of the team psychiatrist and in collaboration with other registered nurses on the team, develop, revise, maintain, and supervise team psychopharmacologic and medical treatment and medication policies and procedures including transcribing, administering, evaluating, and recording psychotropic medications prescribed by the team psychiatrist; evaluate and chart psychotropic medication effectiveness, complications, and side effects; and arrange for required lab work according to protocol.
• *Under the direction of the team psychiatrist and in collaboration with other registered nurses on the team, organize and manage the system of getting medication to consumers and integrating medication administration tightly into consumers’ individual treatment plans.
• *Under the direction of the team psychiatrist and in collaboration with other registered nurses on the team, manage pharmaceuticals and medical supplies.
• *In collaboration with the team psychiatrist, coordinate, schedule, and administer medical assessments of consumer physical health, making appropriate referrals to community physicians for further assessment and treatment, and coordinate psychiatric treatment with medical treatment.
• *Participate in treatment, rehabilitation, and support services.
• *Read all agency communication.
• *Acquiring and maintaining valid certification in First Aid, CPR, medication administration, non-aversive behavior management and defensive driving in order to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the program.
• *Performing other duties as assigned related to program requirements.

Qualifications

• EXPERIENCE: One year experience in the provision of mental health services to adult with serious mental illness is required.
• CERTIFICATION/LICENSE: CPR and First Aid Required (will be provided). The incumbent in this position must be a registered nurse (RN). To ensure the safe and efficient operation of the program, a valid Virginia Driver’s License plus an acceptable driving record as issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles are required. For business use of a personal car, a certificate of valid personal automobile insurance must be provided.
• KNOWLEDGE: Knowledge of: psychopharmacology, serious mental illness; blood-drawing techniques; medical issues related to mental illness; family, biological sciences and disease processes; substance abuse symptomatology; medications - side effects.
• SKILLS: Skills in: assessing nursing needs of the seriously mentally ill; planning appropriate intervention; dispensing medications including IM injections and drawing blood; providing consultation; record keeping; communication with a wide range of people; personal computers and keyboarding.
• ABILITIES: Abilities to: establish positive care-giving relationships with seriously mentally ill individuals; inform consumers about medications and health care issues; dispense medications and draw blood safely; provide consultation; communicate effectively; complete paperwork; work cooperatively. Must be able to access an array of living arrangements (steps).