RN Staff Nurse - Behavioral Health Emergency Response Team, Part-Time

Accountable for all aspects of direct and/or indirect patient care, integrating hands-on clinical response, staff education, and quality oversight to support compassionate, evidence-based, and trauma-informed care.

Responsibilities

• Provide timely, expert assessment and intervention for patients experiencing acute psychiatric emergencies within the acute care hospital setting.
• Serve as a clinical resource to bedside staff, promoting patient and staff safety.
• Support effective de-escalation strategies and facilitate timely coordination of mental health services.
• Function as both a direct care clinician and collaborative partner, working closely with bedside teams to support safe, compassionate, and trauma-informed care.
• Conduct real-time crisis intervention, de-escalation support, and coordination with psychiatry, security, and interdisciplinary teams to reduce escalation events, minimize unnecessary restraint use, decrease staff injuries, and prevent avoidable patient transfers.
• Play a key role in staff education, patient safety initiatives, and quality improvement efforts related to psychiatric care delivery.
• Support regulatory and accreditation standards, fostering a culture of dignity and respect.
• Enhance the hospital’s capacity to care for patients with complex behavioral, psychiatric, and recovery-related needs.

Requirements

• Graduate from an accredited School of Nursing.
• Current licensure to practice Nursing in the State of Tennessee or multistate licensure from a compact state (must be obtained within three months of hire for non-Tennessee residents).
• BLS certification completed prior to unit/department assignment and maintained thereafter.
• ACLS and PALS certification to be completed within 6 months of hire date.
• Completion of 4 hours of Erlanger Online Education upon hire (additional training may be assigned by Department Leadership and/or Educator).
• One (1) year of nursing experience.
• Knowledge of general nursing principles and practice skills, organizational functions, policies, and regulations.
• Awareness of current trends and new developments in nursing.
• Understanding of principles and practices of nursing applicable to specialized areas requiring special education.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience and comfort with acutely mentally ill patients, dementia management, and complications related to addiction.

Part-time position based in Physician Practices, Chattanooga, TN.