Registered Nurse (RN) - Behavioral Health
Excela Westmoreland Hospital
Greensburg, PA

REGISTERED NURSE, RN - ADULT INPATIENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

Job Summary The RN assesses, plans, implements and evaluates the area of all assigned psychiatric patients. The RN coordinates, directs and participates as an effective interdisciplinary team member. Essential Job Functions * Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending education workshops, review professional publications, establish personal networks, and participate in professional societies. * Assure quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards, measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and standards, making or recommending necessary adjustments, and following system/hospital and nursing division's philosophies and standards of care set by state board of nursing, state nurse practice act, and other governing agency regulations. * Protect patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols, medication administration and storage procedures, and controlled substance regulations. * Document patient care services by charting in patient and department records. * Maintain continuity among nursing teams by documenting and communicating actions, irregularities, and continuing needs using Nurse Knowledge Exchange techniques. * Maintain patient confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential. * Identify patient care requirements by establishing personal rapport with potential and actual patients, and other persons in a position to understand care requirements. * Establish a compassionate environment by providing emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to patients, friends, and families. * Promote patient's independence by establishing patient care goals, teaching patient/family to understand condition, medications, and self-care skills, and answering questions. * Maintain safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules and regulations; calling for assistance from health care support personnel. * Resolve patient problems and needs by utilizing multidisciplinary team strategies. * Maintain a cooperative relationship among health care teams by communicating information, responding to requests, building rapport, and participating in team continuous quality improvement and problem-solving methods. * Contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed. * Ensure operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements by following manufacturer's instructions, troubleshooting malfunctions, calling for repairs, maintaining equipment inventories, and evaluating new equipment and techniques. * Maintain nursing supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level, anticipating needed supplies, placing and expediting orders for supplies, verifying receipt of supplies, and using equipment and supplies as needed to accomplish job results. Specialty Job Functions * Ensures that assessment of the patient and the direct and indirect patient care delivered is in accordance with the PA Nurse Practice Act, hospital policies, procedures and protocols and other professional standards of care. * Process psychiatric emergencies as assigned, through assessment of patients' condition and collaboration with psychiatrist to effect a crisis resolution, process commitments and refer patients to appropriate treatment facilities. * Provides for patient safety in compliance with hospital and nursing department policies. * Facilitates and coordinates the delivery of care in crisis situations. * Demonstrates ability to assess change in patient behavior and acts accordingly. * Updates crisis intervention skills on a yearly basis. * Assures that patient belongings have been searched for potentially harmful items. * Demonstrates a working knowledge of psychotropic medications. * Maintains department protocols for identified psychiatric medications. * Administers, monitors and documents efficacy, side effects and patient compliance. * Provides patient/family education for prescribed medications. * Conducts group therapy including medication groups, support groups and educational groups for patients, as well as serves as an information/referral source for families in these areas. * Acts as a facilitator of group sessions. * Provides patients with individualized educational materials. * Other related duties as assigned. Required Qualifications * Graduate of an accredited Nursing Program required. * Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment, and knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice. * Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience. Preferred Qualifications * Bachelor's Degree in Nursing, One (1) - two (2) years of psychiatric nursing experience License, Certification & Clearances * Current licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Pennsylvania required. * Current Basic Life Support (BLS) approved curriculum of the American Heart Association (CPR and AED) program required. * Act 33 with renewal. * Act 34 with renewal. * Act 73 FBI Clearance with renewal. Supervisory Responsibilities * This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities, but may serve as a coach and mentor for other positions in the department. Position Type/Expected Hours of Work * Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on-call, etc.). * Travel may be expected locally between Excela Health locations. LEAN * Actively promotes a Lean work culture by performing team member duties to encourage consistent use of LEAN principles and processes, including continually seeking work process improvements. Recognizes the necessity of taking ownership of one's own motivation, morale, performance and professional development. Strives for behavior consistent with being committed to Excela's missions, vision and values. AAP/EEO * Excela Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of Excela Health to prohibit discrimination of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, non-job related disability, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other protected class. Excela Health will conform to the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable laws and regulations. * Ability to perform the Essential Functions listed on the Physical Conditions and ability to perform the Essential Functions on the Working Condition chart below. Work Environment: Effective March 2020 or during pandemic: goggles, face shield and mask are required according to CDC guidelines When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required. Essential - Absolute Necessity. Marginal - Minimal Necessity. Constantly - 5.5 to 8 hours or more or 200 reps/shift. Frequently - 2.5 to 5.5 hours or more or 32-200 reps/shift. Occasionally - 0.25 to 2.5 hours or 2-32 reps/shift. Rarely - Less than 0.25 hours or less than 2 reps/shift. Physical Condition Essential Marginal Constantly Frequently Occasionally Rarely Never Extreme Heat x Extreme Cold x Heights x Confined Spaces x Extreme Noise(>85dB) x Mechanical Hazards x Use of Vibrating Tools x Operates Vehicle (Company) x Operates Heavy Equipment x Use of Lifting/Transfer Devices x x Rotates All Shifts x x 8 Hours Shifts x x 10-12 Hours Shifts x x On-Call x x Overtime(+8/hrs/shift; 40/hrs/wk) x x Travel Between Sites x Direct Patient Care x x Respirator Protective Equipment x x Eye Protection x x Head Protection (hard hat) x Hearing Protection x Hand Protection x x Feet, Toe Protection x Body Protection x x Latex Exposure x x Solvent Exposure x Paint (direct use) Exposure x Dust (sanding) Exposure x Ethylene Oxide Exposure x Cytotoxic (Chemo) Exposure Chemo Units Chemo Units X all other Blood/Body Fluid Exposure x x Chemicals (direct use) Exposure x x Mist Exposure x Wax Stripper (direct use) x Non-Ionizing Radiation Exposure x Ionizing Radiation Exposure x Laser Exposure x Physical Demands When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required. Essential - Absolute Necessity. Marginal - Minimal Necessity. Constantly - 5.5 to 8 hours or more or 200 reps/shift. Frequently - 2.5 to 5.5 hours or more or 32-200 reps/shift. Occasionally - 0.25 to 2.5 hours or 2-32 reps/shift. Rarely - Less than 0.25 hours or less than 2 reps/shift. Physical Condition Essential Marginal Constantly Frequently Occasionally Rarely Never Bending (Stooping) x x Sitting x x Walking x x Climbing Stairs x x Climbing Ladders x Standing x x Kneeling x x Squatting (Crouching) x x Twisting/Turning x x Keyboard/Computer Operation x x Gross Grasp x x Fine Finger Manipulation x x Hand/Arm Coordination x x Pushing/Pulling(lbs. of force) x 10# 50# Carry x 25# Transfer/Push/Pull Patients x x Seeing Near w/Acuity x x Feeling (Sensation) x x Color Vision x x Hearing Clearly x x Pulling/Pushing Objects Overhead x x Reaching Above Shoulder Level x x Reaching Forward x x Lifting Floor to Knuckle x 10# Lifting Seat Pan to Knuckle x 50# Lifting Knuckle to Shoulder x 20# Lifting Shoulder to Overhead x 10# When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.