What are the responsibilities and job description for the Registered Nurse Nights position at Seaside Health System?
The Registered Nurse is responsible for direct and indirect patient care. Provides care to psychiatric patients who have acute
behavioral disorder and/or exacerbation of chronic psychiatric illness. The Registered Nurse will utilize the nursing process,
documentation, communication, skills listed in the Registered Nurse Core Competencies, collaboration with physicians, and
other team members to meet performance requirements. The Registered Nurse is accountable for leadership of staff as
assigned, delegating and coordinating nursing care to achieve and measure quality cost effective outcomes. The Registered
Nurse is responsible for planning, organizing and evaluating care interventions and their effect on achieving patient goals.
Supportive of staff, patient, and family education to enhance knowledge, skills and necessary behaviors to optimize the
patient’s health status. The Registered Nurse has the responsibility to report any alleged, suspected, or witnessed abuse or
neglect to a direct supervisor immediately.
Work experience: Minimum 1 year recent medical surgical or psychiatric clinical experience preferred.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: Knowledgeable and demonstrate competency in current principles and practices clinically
specific medical surgical, psychiatric nursing. Able to problem-solve.
Interpersonal Skills:
- Strong therapeutic verbal and non-verbal communication skills are critical.
- Ability to form a sound therapeutic alliance with patients.
- Elicit and understand patient concerns.
- Equipped to explain healthcare issues and engage in shared decision-making if desired.
Travel Requirements: none
Provides patient assessment/treatment by accessing new patients within 8 hours of admission, initiate
treatment plan, administering individual nursing care as ordered by the physician, and providing direct
patient group treatments as scheduled. Completes Daily Assessment, documents Daily Treatment Team
progress note. Completes necessary admission paperwork and forms in a timely manner. Screens
patients for clinical appropriateness for inpatient hospital criteria and obtains admission order from the
attending physician.
Actively employs therapeutically acceptable sensitivity and skills in managing inappropriate patient
behavior, difficult people, and complex situations. Recognizes the impact of group influence by behavior
and demonstrates assistance with therapeutic interventions. Resolves patient complaints immediately, if
possible, and reports complaint and outcome to DON and patient satisfaction representative.
Collaborates with other disciplines and treating physician regarding patient care and revision of treatment
regime as part of the Treatment Team. Participates as an active member of a multidisciplinary team by
attending weekly treatment teams with input into patient treatment planning, and by developing the
nursing portion of the multidisciplinary treatment plan. Participates in both short- and long-range planning
of nursing activities for patient Master Treatment Plan.
Manages medication administration and appropriate handling and disposal of expired medications.
Reports all medication administering errors made in a timely manner. Knows 6 R’s; right route; right
medication; right patient; right time; right dose; right documentation and appropriate handling and
discipline of expired medications. Reports and completes medication variance report on medication
errors in a timely manner. Able to identify medications and simple action. Administers medications within
one hour before and one hour after.
Provides customer service in an ethical manner, treats all customers with dignity, respect, courtesy and
compassion. Works cooperating with team members to reach patient care goals
Accountable for assisting with Quality Performance Improvement identification, investigation, actions and
monitoring of resolutions affecting patient care and customer satisfaction systems. Actively promotes and
supports PI initiatives (i.e. Participates in ongoing education, training and attends staff meetings, etc.).
Understands the PI function, actively participates in data collection, measurement, assessment and
improvement. Attends in-services and educational functions to maintain and increase knowledge base of
psychiatric care as mandated by administrative personnel.
Demonstrates and completes Core Competencies training in dealing with difficult patients such as CPI,
Restraint Training, CPR, age specific training and other training required. Attends monthly unit and other
required meetings. In addition, RN is expected to accept personal responsibility for other educational
activities to enhance job related skills and abilities.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Seaside Health System is committed to the principle of Equal Employment Opportunity for all employees and applicants. It
is our policy to ensure that both current and prospective employees are afforded equal employment opportunity without
consideration of race, religious creed, color, national origin, nationality, ancestry, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation,
or disability in accordance with local, state and federal laws.
Americans with Disabilities Act
Applicants as well as employees who are or become disabled must be able to perform the essential job functions either
unaided or with reasonable accommodation. The organization shall determine reasonable accommodation on a case-by
case basis in accordance with applicable law.