RN - PRN

Casa Palmera

Casa Palmera is a nationally recognized subacute residential treatment center offering drug rehabilitation, treatment for alcohol addiction as well as treatment for mood disorders and anxiety and trauma disorders. Casa Palmera is staffed with a diverse team of psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists who work together to help each patient move forward within a caring community.


If you are looking for an organization that thrives on growth, celebrates diversity of thought, and rewards passionate execution, you've come to the right place. Because we put clients first, it is our honor to support and reward those who serve them.


Position Summary:

The Registered Nurse (RN) is a vital member of a dynamic, multidisciplinary team, delivering compassionate, evidence-based care in alignment with the Discovery Behavioral Health Clinical Model. In this role, the RN serves as both a clinical expert and patient advocate-supporting safety, stability, and meaningful progress in each patient's recovery journey.

Through skilled assessment, thoughtful intervention, and ongoing collaboration with the treatment team, the RN helps create a therapeutic environment grounded in trust, dignity, and clinical excellence. By integrating medical and behavioral health care, the RN plays a critical role in improving outcomes and empowering patients toward lasting healing.

Key Responsibilities:

Patient Care & Clinical Support

• Meets with each potential admission to complete a face-to-face evaluation, ensuring medical appropriateness for admission and collaborating with medical/psychiatric providers to obtain admission orders.
• Supports the admission process with care and diligence, including belongings checks and safety searches as needed.
• Completes comprehensive initial nursing assessments and facilitates the full medical admission process for each patient.
• Develops and initiates Nursing Care Plans, as appropriate, to guide individualized patient care.
• Assesses medical concerns, including suicidality and risk of harm to self or others, and communicates findings to the appropriate clinical team members.
• Performs vital signs, basic evaluative procedures, tests, and blood draws to support ongoing assessment and monitoring.
• Provides primary first aid and determines the need for physician notification, ensuring timely and appropriate intervention.
• Maintains a safe, structured milieu and supports patients throughout the treatment experience, including supervision during community outings in compliance with state regulations.
• Assists with the discharge process, supporting continuity and readiness for the next level of care.
• Maintains an organized, safe, and therapeutic environment for patients and staff.

Medication Administration & Management

• Ensures all provider orders are carried out accurately and in a timely manner.
• Verifies informed consent for all medications is obtained prior to the first dose.
• Administers medications as prescribed, including PRN medications, and documents effectiveness within required timelines.
• Oversees the medication management system, including medication planning, storage, ordering, transcribing, administration, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Ensures all medications required for patients are ordered appropriately and available within the facility.
• Maintains compliance with narcotic diversion protocols, ensuring all required processes are completed each shift.

Collaboration & Patient Education

• Collaborates closely with medical staff and the interdisciplinary treatment team to review patient care, needs, and interventions.
• Communicates effectively with families and loved ones, as appropriate, to support engagement and continuity of care.
• Establishes rapport with patients through professional, compassionate, and respectful interactions.
• Provides health education to patients and staff, empowering understanding and informed participation in care.
• Communicates with referral sources and outpatient providers to support continuity of care at admission, midpoint, and discharge, as needed.
• Manages patient medical needs, including scheduling appointments, completing referrals, and securing prior authorizations for necessary treatments and tests.

Documentation & Compliance

• Documents patient progress objectively, accurately, and within required timelines in accordance with policy.
• Ensures all clinical practices align with regulatory standards and organizational expectations.
• Maintains accurate records related to medication administration, assessments, and patient care activities.

Professional Practice

• Demonstrates clinical knowledge, including understanding of Axis I diagnoses and associated symptoms, to inform patient care.
• Maintains a fully stocked, organized, and operational nursing station, ensuring readiness to meet patient needs.
• Demonstrates professionalism, initiative, and accountability in all aspects of the role.
• Ensures timely communication regarding scheduling needs, including requesting time off and securing appropriate coverage.
• Contributes to a culture of teamwork, flexibility, and shared responsibility by performing additional duties as assigned.

Residential Treatment Only:

• • Provides transportation services including patient transportation/supervision, medical appointments, etc. (must be pre-qualified to drive a company vehicle)
• Substance and Mental Health Use Disorder Division:
  • Monitoring of CIWA/COW scores for patients on detoxification protocols.
  • Knowledge of detoxification medication, withdrawal symptoms, and medical complications that can occur in detox.
  • Provide assistance to Utilization Review in communicating pertinent nursing information

Knowledge, Education, Experience:

• Bachelor of Science and Nursing preferred.
• ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing) accepted.
• Holds a current RN license in good standing.
• One year experience preferred working in mental health, substance use, or eating disorders field.
• Ability to draw blood required.
• Preferred: Experience as a staff nurse, preferably in the field of chemical dependency and/or behavioral health.
• Possess and maintain a current Basic Life Support (CPR and First Aid) certification.
• Knowledge of industry standards: organization, theory, principles, and research processes, accreditation and regulatory standards, ability to assess clinical care requirements based on nursing principles, scope of practice.
• Obtain CPI certification within 90 days of hire.
• One year experience preferred working in mental health, substance use, or eating disorders field.
• Familiar with behavior change, recovery models, and treatment methods
• Knowledge of medications, indications, dosage ranges, side effects, and potential toxicity.

Employment status: on-call

Schedule : overnight coverage 7pm-7:30am


Work location: Del Mar, CA

Compensation range: $45-55 hourly

Discovery Behavioral Health seeks to build a diverse staff that is reflective of the patients we serve and the communities where we work. DBH encourages multiple perspectives, experiences, and strives to hire and retain a diverse workforce.


We are proud to be an EEO employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.