Registered Nurse - Lifespan

Dept: BHS Adolescent Inpatient Units
USA: RI: East Providence
Work Type: Part Time
overnight position, every other weekend, holidays as assigned
Shift: 3
Union: Non-Union
Tuition Reimbursement: yes

Summary
Utilizing the nursing process is responsible for providing for the acute and long-term nursing care needs of patients families and generic Program milieu within the context of Program Department and Hospital standards. Provides services to children/adolescents.

Responsibilities:
Provides direct nursing and patient care services through application of nursing process by assessing patient’s immediate and long-term needs.

Initiates biopsychosocial assessment of patients’ acute nursing needs guided by admission procedure; documents such in required patient medical records format.

Assures completion of the nursing assessment form within 8 hours of admission for assigned patient.

Communicates significant changes in assessment findings to the nurse in charge and other appropriate health care providers and summarizes the patient’s status in team meetings and reports.

Provides direct patient care through the application of nursing process by planning treatment interventions with the patient family and health care team.

Initiates patient care plan at the time of admission and completes plan within 8 hours according to admission procedure.

Plans for patient/staff safety according to established Hospital procedures.

Develops and updates the patient care plan to reflect the patient status each shift:
- Formulates patient and family treatment goals.
- Identifies nursing interventions based on treatment goals.
- Identifies patient/family strengths.
- Identifies inpatient and aftercare needs of patient and family.
- Formulates measurable short and long-term goals with time.

Provides direct patient care services through application of nursing process by implementing nursing care based on individual patient needs.

Establishes and maintains an individual and milieu-based therapeutic alliance as reflected in ongoing documentation and clinical supervision.

Serves as a patient advocate by supporting patient Bill of Rights and child mental health law.

Acquires and maintains technical and psychiatric specialty skills appropriate to clinical program.

Provides direct patient care within the context of the therapeutic milieu.

Implements interventions as specified in the Nursing Care Plan within established time frames.

Follows established policies procedures program protocols and Joint Commission standards to insure safe and effective standards of practice.

Provides patient education regarding procedures prior to implementation.

Administers and documents prescribed medications (scheduled/PRN’s) according to medical protocol.

Assesses and documents effectiveness of medication and side-effects.

Accurately transcribes physician orders and implements according to prescribed medical protocol.

Provides direct patient care services through application of nursing process by evaluating effectiveness of care provided by self peers subordinates and other health care providers.

Evaluates the effectiveness of interventions according to patient’s response and modifies interventions as needed.

Sees consultation and direction through established lines of supervision in identifying and resolving situations which interfere with patient outcomes and work relationships.

Participates in accurate quality assurance data collection and contributes to the Program and Program-based nursing quality assurance program.

Demonstrates the ability to communicate the status of the patient’s condition through the use of behaviorally oriented procedures.

Assertively and respectfully questions any medical orders which conflict with ethical or patient care standards of nursing/medical back-up.

Participates in the ongoing development and implementation of the therapeutic milieu.

Provides milieu management throughout each shift by assessing and responding to the acute needs of the patient group including:
- Safety of the environment.
- Patient group interactions.
- Staff interactions.

Responds immediately to requests for assistance beyond the unit level when directed and according to Program protocol.

Provides leadership in acute or emergency situations according to Program standards; participates as a member of the Emergency Response Team.

Demonstrates group skills in leading and co-leading therapeutic milieu groups and supports individual patient participation.

Organizes and participates in informal patient groups in Program-based milieu assessment.

Communicates significant changes in individual patient/milieu status to nurse in charge.

Directly participates in the milieu program as a direct care provider.

Demonstrates leadership in organizing the delivery of patient care.

Supervises Milieu Therapists and support staff according to their scope of practice in accordance with Joint Commission acute care and Program standards.

Prioritizes interventions in rapidly changing patient situations as demonstrated by an organized response with an outcome that optimizes patient welfare in accordance with Program standards.

Provides consistent leadership on unit when assigned as nurse in charge according to Program standards.

Identifies and provides for teaching needs of patients families and other health care providers.

Reviews and documents teaching needs in nursing care plan.

Provides basic and complex teaching to patients and documents response in patient’s record.

Assists in orientation of new employees and students according to orientation guidelines.

Provides impromptu instruction and demonstration of therapeutic techniques nursing procedures and products.

Maintains commitment to professional growth and competency through ongoing activities that promote professional role development.

Effectively manages time; recognizing and prioritizing urgent issues while assuring assigned work is completed.

Follows through on commitments and assigned projects in a timely fashion.

Consistently documents required materials keeps records of such and disseminates to appropriate parties.

Consistently follows established job schedule and required procedure for assuring adequate coverage during absences.

Maintains current knowledge of the field as demonstrated by sharing knowledge and skills with members of the health care team during team meetings report or informal sessions.

Participates in the performance appraisal process by identifying specific short and long-term professional goals with supervisor.

Keeps current with changes in the Hospital and Program by participating in staff meetings reading and initialing all minutes and new policies and procedures.

Adherence to Hospital Department and Program policies and procedures.

Attends six Program meetings per year as assigned.

Maintains current certification in crisis management.

Maintains current CPR certification.

Attends Program staff development as assigned.

Attends monthly Program Development Day presentations as assigned.

Consistently follows all Hospital and Departmental policies and procedures.

Consistently follows all Program-based policies and procedures.

BASIC KNOWLEDGE:

Graduate of a school of nursing with current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Rhode Island.

Demonstrated knowledge and skills necessary to provide care to patients with consideration of aging processes human development stages and cultural patterns in each step of the care process.

One year of psychiatric nursing and/or pediatric nursing preferred

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Work is performed in a psychology-based clinical setting requiring extensive standing walking and occasional lifting of patients.

Strong background and experience working with students with various emotional and behavioral disorders in addition to a developmental disability such as mental retardation of autism spectrum disorders

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

None
Lifespan is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex national origin age ethnicity sexual orientation ancestry genetics gender identity or expression disability protected veteran or marital status. Lifespan is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.