This position provides safe and effective nursing care and treatment to patients in behavioral health and substance use programs. Well-established to work collaboratively with a team to provide patients with medical, psychiatric, and substance use triage services and treatment, understanding the emotional, psychological, and behavioral impact of mental health, substance use, and addiction on the patient, family, and loved ones. This position is responsible for triaging and assessing the patient, planning the care, and evaluating the effectiveness of nursing interventions by established regulations, policies, and procedures, the Nursing Practice Act, and Board of Nursing, and medical instructions. This position works in settings that address crisis mental health and substance use care in a crisis setting as well as in an outreach setting with a multidisciplinary team.

• Provides nursing care to meet the needs of the patient population served as qualified;i.e.,  children, adolescents, and adults and geriatric patients with mental health or substance use disorders.
• Conduct screening interviews and assessments to stratify safety risks and appropriate plan of care for the patient for mental health and substance use.
• Provide comprehensive evidence-based triage, assessment, and treatment of behavioral health and substance use disorder patients for children and adults.
• Utilize evidence-based strategies and training to de-escalate patients and their families while working with the team to keep patients, staff, and bystanders are safe.
• Makes appropriate medical triage decision making for appropriate medical plan of care and ability to refer to appropriate care if needed based on triage assessment.
• Maintains adherence to procedures regarding medication dispensing and administration.
• Delivers patient care within the defined clinic and emergency care standards for assessment, care planning, interventions, and reassessment, and delegates care appropriately to other team members and support staff.
• Performs nursing care within the guidelines of best practice policies and procedures.
• Demonstrates understanding and commitment to mission, philosophy, standards, policies, and procedures.
• Recognizes all staff, physicians, and visitors, as well as, patients as customers, and provides courteous and respectful service.
• Participates in the orientation and mentoring of new staff members recognizing the importance of bringing new staff into a friendly and supportive work environment.
• Provides mentoring and training to staff members as needed.
• Maintains competencies and participates in required training and in-services for a unit.
• Ensures completion of continuing education requirements in subjects pertinent to nursing or position-related information.
• Assists leader and other staff members to maintain competence and skills for procedures assigned and assists in the validation of skills and competence of new staff members before delegation of patient care.
• Participates with team members and leaders to identify opportunities for improvement in patient care processes.
• Utilizes and ensures staff uses supplies efficiently, following infection control procedures, avoiding waste, and following patient charging procedures.
• Serves as an example for team members in cost-saving practices.
• Follows the Universal Protocol for prevention of wrong site, wrong procedure, and wrong person procedures/surgery.
• Verifies informed consent for procedures and aspects of care by policies, procedures, and regulatory guidelines.
• Utilizes patient care equipment safely, following clinic policy and procedure. Reports any identified equipment breakdown or malfunction by clinic policy. Maintains cleanliness of equipment after use.
• Serves as a leader for change, positively promoting new systems and changes implemented which improves the clinic and the service provided to its patients.
• Documents and reports any complaints from patients, physicians, and visitors to the supervisor as guided by clinic policies and procedures.
• Verifies that no medication discrepancies are present at the end of the shift.
• Screens all patients for the appropriate acuity and priority level promptly.
• Assesses each patient for potential abuse, suicide, or exploitation. Reports to proper authority any concerns of abuse, neglect, suicide, or exploitation.
• Evaluates the emotional needs of the patients with appropriate referrals.
• Performs appropriate initial assessment of all patients seen in the clinic.
• Performs specialized patient assessments as needed.
• Explain all procedures and care plans to patients, and as appropriate to family. Ensures patient and/or family are educated for appropriate health maintenance.
• Obtains home medication list and documents appropriately for the provider.
• Initiates initial lab tests and x-rays by established protocols or per physician orders.Ensures patients are appropriately prepared for tests.
• Obtains and transcribes physician’s orders in a timely and accurate manner ensuring all tests are ordered appropriately and efficiently.
• Completes assessments and documentation of all patients.
• Evaluates clinical/diagnostic reports and reports variances to the Physician with appropriate documentation.
• Develop a plan of care and patient-focused goals with the patient and family as appropriate, ensuring patient understanding and involvement in their care.
• Verifies any patient allergies before administration of medications.
• Communicates effectively with other patient care providers and team members for efficiencies and safety of care through appropriate care coordination of multidisciplinary care plan.
• Assesses each patient’s pain and documents utilizing the approved pain scale. Review with the Physician all critical lab values and document the patient’s plan of care.
• Documents and maintains all patient care records and related required documentation. Maintains records and communications concerning patient privacy.
• Maintains accurate and current records of patient’s care and response to care following the guidelines for appropriate electronic documentation.
• Follows policies for administration of patient identification, documentation, and taking telephone orders with readback and communication of critical values/diagnostic results.
• Document the administration of medicines including dosage, medicine route, medicine site, and patient's response as required in the electronic medical record.
• Communicates and completes documentation for effective handoff of patient care (SBAR) for admission or transfer of patients to another health care facility.
• Utilizes good communication skills, critical thinking, and checkpoints for teamwork.Provides patient information timely and effectively during shift reports and with patient hand-offs.
• Perform waived testing per policy and complete associated documentation.
• Follows proper aseptic techniques in all medication preparation and administration.
• Utilizes a needleless system in providing patient care as appropriate in accordance with policies, procedures, and regulatory standards.
• Collect specimens following clinic policy and procedure.
• Utilizes personal protective equipment in performing duties where actual or potential exposure to hazardous conditions may is present.
• Reports variances in care and/or medication administration for quality improvement.
• Performs duties by pathogen transmission practices; i.e., follows hand washing procedures and utilizes protective equipment effectively.
• Participates in the cleanliness of the work environment. Follows the cleaning and disposal policies and procedures for all hazardous waste
• Follow guidelines for performance improvement and demonstrate an understanding of participation in the Core Measures for the clinic and documentation review and restraint review process.
• Participates in the department’s quality improvement activities daily.
• Ensures availability of age-appropriate supplies and equipment.
• Requires working in a 24x7 model and must be available to work night and weekend shifts.
• Responsible service delivery and outreach to migrant and/or homeless populations in Palm Beach County at the existing health centers, along with other communities, as directed by the Clinic Administration
• Emergency duty may be required of the incumbent including working in Red Cross shelters or performing other emergency duties including, but not limited to, responses to threats or disasters, man-made or natural. Additionally, incumbents are required to perform emergency response and management duties for Palm Beach County as required.

Education:

• Nursing degree from an accredited nursing school required.

Experience:

• One (1) year of acute care nursing experience as an RN is preferred. Experience working in a psychiatric and/or emergency department and/or acute care setting is desired.

Certification:

• Current ACLS or BLS certification is required.

Licensure:

• State of Florida, Registered Nurse license is required.

Registrations:

• N/A

Training:

• N/A

Health Care District of Palm Beach County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and Drug Free Workplace. We embrace diversity and do not discriminate based onrace, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.