Psychiatric Registered Nurse

Psychiatric Registered Nurse

The Psychiatric Registered Nurse provides nursing care to individuals experiencing mental health concerns, substance use disorders, co-occurring conditions, and related medical needs. The position supports the integration of physical health, behavioral health, substance use treatment, crisis response, and culturally responsive care. The Psychiatric Registered Nurse collaborates with Behavioral Health therapists, substance use counselors, medical providers, case managers, peer support specialists, cultural staff, schools, Tribal programs, families, and community partners. Services are delivered in a manner that respects Omaha Tribal customs, values, family systems, community relationships, and traditional healing practices.

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following:

Assessment and Screening

• Conduct nursing assessments addressing physical health, mental health, substance use, medication needs, safety concerns, and social factors affecting wellness.
• Complete intake screenings, health histories, vital signs, medication reconciliation, and nursing evaluations.
• Screen for suicide risk, self-harm, violence risk, withdrawal symptoms, intoxication, medication side effects, and other urgent concerns.
• Identify medical conditions that may contribute to or complicate behavioral health symptoms.
• Assist with determining the appropriate level of care and make referrals to outpatient, crisis, detoxification, residential, inpatient, or emergency services.
• Immediately notify the appropriate provider or emergency responder when a patient presents an imminent risk to self or others or has an urgent medical condition.

Medication Management

• Administer prescribed psychotropic, injectable, withdrawal-management, and other medications within the scope of RN practice.
• Complete medication reconciliation and maintain accurate medication records.
• Monitor patients for medication effectiveness, adverse reactions, allergies, interactions, and treatment adherence.
• Coordinate prescription refills, prior authorizations, pharmacy communication, laboratory orders, and follow-up appointments as authorized.
• Provide education regarding medication purpose, dosage, side effects, safe storage, and the importance of taking medications as prescribed.
• Support medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders in collaboration with authorized prescribers and treatment providers.

Individualized Care Planning

• Participate in the development, implementation, and review of individualized treatment and recovery plans.
• Collaborate with patients, families, caregivers, medical providers, therapists, substance use counselors, and other members of the care team.
• Help patients identify health, wellness, recovery, and relapse-prevention goals.
• Support discharge planning and transitions between outpatient, residential, inpatient, detoxification, correctional, and community-based services.
• Ensure care plans address both behavioral and physical health needs.

Crisis Intervention and Patient Safety

• Respond to psychiatric emergencies, substance-related crises, medication reactions, and behavioral health safety concerns.
• Use trauma-informed verbal de-escalation and crisis-intervention techniques.
• Assist with suicide-risk response, safety planning, emergency referrals, and follow-up after a crisis or hospitalization.
• Coordinate with Tribal Law Enforcement, Emergency Medical Services, hospitals, crisis-response providers, schools, and other appropriate agencies.
• Follow all organizational policies related to emergency response, mandatory reporting, patient safety, infection control, and workplace safety.
• Participate in community crisis-response activities when requested.

Patient and Family Education

• Provide education regarding mental health conditions, substance use disorders, co-occurring conditions, medications, treatment options, and recovery supports.
• Teach patients and families about warning signs, coping strategies, self-care, overdose prevention, relapse prevention, and when to seek emergency help.
• Provide age-appropriate education to children, adolescents, adults, elders, parents, and caregivers.
• Promote healthy sleep, nutrition, physical activity, medication adherence, and preventive medical care.
• Provide or coordinate education regarding naloxone and overdose response, when applicable.

Care Coordination

• Serve as a liaison among patients, families, pharmacies, medical providers, hospitals, schools, treatment facilities, Tribal programs, and community agencies.
• Assist patients in accessing primary care, psychiatric care, substance use treatment, laboratory services, pharmacy services, and other needed resources.
• Follow up with patients after emergency-room visits, hospitalizations, residential placements, missed appointments, or changes in medication.
• Participate in multidisciplinary staffing, case consultation, treatment-team meetings, and discharge-planning meetings.
• Coordinate services while maintaining patient confidentiality and following applicable consent requirements.

Documentation and Compliance

• Maintain accurate, complete, and timely documentation in the electronic health record.
• Document assessments, medications, patient education, consultations, telephone contacts, laboratory results, referrals, adverse reactions, and patient progress.
• Maintain confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2, Tribal policies, and all other applicable requirements.
• Assist with quality-improvement activities, chart reviews, medication audits, incident reviews, and program evaluation.
• Follow nursing standards, provider orders, organizational procedures, and professional codes of ethics.
• Report suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or threats of harm in accordance with mandatory-reporting requirements.

Cultural & Community Responsibilities:

• Provide respectful, patient-centered services that recognize the importance of culture, spirituality, family, community, and traditional ways of healing.
• Work cooperatively with Cultural Specialists, elders, traditional helpers, and other approved cultural resources when requested by the patient and appropriate to the care plan.
• Recognize the effects of historical trauma, intergenerational trauma, grief, discrimination, poverty, and rural barriers on individual and community wellness.
• Participate in community education, prevention activities, health fairs, recovery events, and outreach initiatives.
• Build trusting relationships with Omaha Tribal members, families, and partner programs.
• Demonstrate respect for Tribal sovereignty, Omaha Tribal customs, and organizational policies.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Maintain nursing supplies, medication-administration materials, and emergency-response equipment.
• Follow infection-control and medication-storage procedures.
• Participate in required staff meetings, supervision, training, and professional-development activities.
• Maintain required licenses and certifications.
• Assist with grant-related activities, data collection, and program reporting when assigned.
• Provide services at other organizational or community locations when needed.
• Perform other duties consistent with the position and assigned by the Behavioral Health Director or designated supervisor.

Education and/or Experience:

• Graduation from an accredited registered nursing program.
• Associate Degree in Nursing required; Bachelor of Science in Nursing preferred.
• Current and unrestricted Registered Nurse license in Nebraska or eligibility to practice in Nebraska through an applicable nurse licensure compact.
• Current CPR and Basic Life Support certification or ability to obtain certification within the required timeframe.
• Valid driver's license and ability to meet organizational driving requirements.

• Previous nursing experience in behavioral health, psychiatric care, substance use treatment, community health, crisis services, or a related healthcare setting is preferred.
• Experience working with children, adolescents, adults, families, or individuals with co-occurring conditions is preferred.
• Experience working with American Indian or Alaska Native communities, rural communities, or Tribal healthcare programs is preferred.
• Experience with psychiatric medications, medication-assisted treatment, withdrawal symptoms, and suicide-risk response is beneficial.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Certification, such as PMH-BC.
• Training in suicide-risk assessment, trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, crisis prevention, verbal de-escalation, and substance use treatment.
• Knowledge of medication-assisted treatment and overdose prevention.
• Knowledge of Omaha Tribal culture, customs, family systems, community resources, and traditional healing practices.

Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities:

• Knowledge of mental health conditions, substance use disorders, co-occurring conditions, and psychiatric medications.
• Ability to recognize medical and psychiatric emergencies and respond appropriately.
• Strong therapeutic communication, active-listening, and patient-education skills.
• Ability to remain calm and exercise sound judgment during crisis situations.
• Ability to establish