POSITION PURPOSE:

Under general supervision of the Senior Program Director, supervises professional and assigned support staff; provides professional nursing care to justice-involved mentally ill and emotionally disturbed clients as they prepare to exit detention facilities in a post-release reentry setting; and performs related duties as assigned.

DESIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Knowledge of:

• Supervisory principles and practices;
• Professional nursing principles, procedures, application, and techniques used in the care and treatment of psychiatric patients;
• Social, psychological and physical factors of mental and emotional disorders;
• Criminal justice system and criminal subcultures;
• Medical and psychological terminology;
• Control, preparation and administration of medications;
• California laws and regulations for the nursing profession and pertaining to psychiatric nursing and the treatment of mentally and emotionally disturbed patients;
• Theories, principles and techniques of group and individual psychotherapy;
• Organization and procedures of mental health treatment facilities and the use of multi-disciplinary treatment teams;
• Symptoms and behavior patterns of emotionally disturbed and mentally ill patients;
• Medical and psychiatric emergency procedures;
• Community resources.

Ability to:

• Assign, schedule, review and evaluate the work of assigned staff;
• Anticipate and plan necessary in-service training and education;
• Develop interpersonal therapeutic relationships with psychiatric patients;
• Keep accurate written charts and records of patient activities and progress;
• Comply with laws, rules, regulations, protocols and procedures, including security requirements, applicable to psychiatric facilities;
• Use professional judgment to ascertain and apply appropriate intervention techniques with patients in crisis;
• Work cooperatively with medical and mental health professionals in a multi-disciplinary treatment setting;
• Assist in formal and informal individual and group counseling;
• Communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with patients, their families and fellow staff members.

Experience and Training:

A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills and abilities outlined above is at least three years of full-time registered nursing experience in a psychiatric facility or an equivalent combination of training and experience. A BSN will substitute for one year of the stated experience. An MSN will substitute for two years of the stated experience.

LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, & SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

A current, valid Registered Nurse license issued by the state of California. Failure to maintain such license will be cause for termination; Current CPR certification; TB test required upon hire and must be maintained every four years.