Child Psychiatric Unit

The inpatient Child Psychiatric Unit is a 12-bed unit. It is a short-term child oriented program designed to provide crisis intervention and stabilization to children 3-13 years of age. The average length of stay is three to seven days. Each patient receives an initial psychiatric evaluation upon admission. While on the unit treatment may include additional psychological and medical evaluations as needed.

Adolescent Psychiatric Unit

The Adolescent Psychiatric Unit (APU) is a 14-bed short-term treatment unit that provides an extensive bio-psychosocial and treatment services to the adolescent population between 14-17 years of age. The program is designed to provide a safe and therapeutic environment to facilitate stabilization, evaluation, treatment, and follow up care of the hospitalized adolescent. Milieu Management is utilized to effect a positive change in the patient's behavior by providing a supportive and nurturing environment that encourages and reinforces constructive interactions with others.

All nursing practice is based on the legal scope of practice, national and specialty nursing standards, CNMC Policies and Procedures, and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. The Professional Model of Care requires registered professional nurses to be responsible and accountable for their own practice. CNMC supports the development of RN relationships within the community; specifically those relationships associated with the health and well being of the community at large. The Shift Coordinator, on a shift to shift basis, directs the activities of and/or participates as a member of the patient care delivery team. In collaboration with unit leadership, participates in planning, managing and evaluating unit based clinical care and ensuring that continuity of care is maintained.

• Participate/support Shared Leadership.

• Contribute to CNMC's Magnet Journey.

• Ensure that nursing is based on evidence of best practice.

• Accountable for supporting/participating in the Division of Nursing's Performance Improvement process.

• Participate in community activities.

• Continuously perform patient/family assessments as necessary to ensure needs are met.

• Assess and modify skill mix and staffing levels using manager or clinical coordinator for complex issues.

• Function as a resource in planning patient discharge and all clinical issues.

• Utilize multidisciplinary approach to meeting patient care needs.

• Demonstrate therapeutic communication skills by adopting techniques for specific situations.

• Provide performance feedback to all staff in a constructive, timely manner.

• Effectively manage conflict resolution.

• Serve as consumer advocate for patient/family concerns.

• Facilitate learning opportunities for all staff.

• Ensure that patient/family educational needs are met.

• Speak up when team members appear to exhibit unsafe behavior or performance

• Continuously validate and verify information needed for decision making or documentation

• Stop in the face of uncertainty and takes time to resolve the situation

• Demonstrate accurate, clear and timely verbal and written communication

• Actively promote safety for patients, families, visitors and co-workers

• Attend carefully to important details - practicing Stop, Think, Act and Review in order to self-check behavior and performance

• Demonstrate awareness of cost containment strategies by efficiently planning staffing patterns, level and mix to meet patient care needs.

• Ensure staff adherence to unit/hospital policies.

• Participate in the performance appraisal process for all staff.

• Implement change with a positive impact.

• Display strong leadership in a team environment through example.

• Demonstrate initiatives and leadership through involvement in projects and committee work.

• Partner in the mission and upholds the core principles of the organization

• Committed to diversity and recognizes value of cultural ethnic differences

• Demonstrate personal and professional integrity

• Maintain confidentiality at all times

• Anticipate and responds to customer needs; follows up until needs are met

• Demonstrate collaborative and respectful behavior

• Partner with all team members to achieve goals

• Receptive to others' ideas and opinions

• Contribute to a positive work environment

• Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to change

• Identify opportunities to improve clinical and administrative processes

• Make appropriate decisions, using sound judgment

• Use resources efficiently

• Search for less costly ways of doing things