RN - Behavioral Health

• Area of Interest: Nursing

• FTE/Hours per pay period: 1.0

• Department: ACT

• Shift: M-F 8-4:30; Occasional evenings (until 7 PM); Occasional weekends

• Job ID: 181242

Overview

To work directly with clients of the Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACT) by using the evidence base practice model of ACT designed by NAMI to provide comprehensive and wrap around services to address client goals of mental health, physical health, housing, employment, social goals, and other goals as identified by the client and team. To provide assessment and develop treatment plan goals. To work with the clients and fellow team members in community or home settings towards meeting the outcome objectives and standards put forth by Polk County Health Services (PCHS). To provide medication education and set up medications for ACT clients and staff. To process orders, complete prior authorizations, and work with the medication prescriber to ensure all clients received the appropriate and necessary psychiatric medications. To function as an effective team member and represent the agency in a professional manner.

Why UnityPoint Health?

At UnityPoint Health, you matter. We’re proud to be recognized as a Top 150 Place to Work in Healthcare by Becker's Healthcare several years in a row for our commitment to our team members.

Our competitive Total Rewards program offers benefits options that align with your needs and priorities, no matter what life stage you’re in.   Here are just a few:    

• Expect paid time off, parental leave, 401K matching and an employee recognition program .

• Dental and health insurance, paid holidays, short and long-term disability and more. We even offer pet insurance for your four-legged family members.

• Early access to earned wages with Daily Pay, tuition reimbursement to help further your career and adoption assistance to help you grow your family .

With a collective goal to champion a culture of belonging where everyone feels valued and respected, we honor the ways people are unique and embrace what brings us together.  

And, we believe equipping you with support and development opportunities is a vital part of delivering an exceptional employment experience.

Find a fulfilling career and make a difference with UnityPoint Health.

Responsibilities

Direct Client Care and Medical Services:

• Under the direction of the team medication prescriber and in collaboration with the other registered nurses on the team, develop, revise, maintain, and supervise team psychopharmacologic and medical treatment and medication policies and procedures including transcribing, administering, evaluating, and recording psychotropic medications prescribed by the medication prescriber.

• Takes a lead role in providing medication administration and nursing care, evaluating and charting psychotropic medication effectiveness, complications, and side effects as prescribed by ACT psychiatrist or ARNP.

• Administer IM injections according to protocol, properly destroy medications according to protocol, and assure client attendance and follow-up with psychiatric prescriber.

• Arranges for required lab work according to protocol, tracking collections and results.

• Provides education to patients and family members on benefits and possible side effects of medications.

• Provides individual and group treatment, as part of a team, in the office and community settings. Treatment will be in a stage-based treatment model that is non-confrontational

• In collaboration with the team psychiatrist or ARNP coordinate, schedule, and administer medical assessments of client physical health, making appropriate referrals to community physicians for further assessment and treatment, and coordinating psychiatric treatment with medical treatment.

• Provides individual, couple, family and group services/skill teaching in a community setting to teach patients behavioral symptom management as a means of coping with internal and external stressors.

• Performs shift management in coordination with other ACT staff according to established policy and procedures.

• Provides on-call crisis interventions covering after business hours, overnights and weekends as scheduled.

• Initiates and maintains relationships, in coordination with other staff, with law enforcement, other human service agencies, and informal community resources, (e.g. landlords, employers, etc.), advocating on behalf of the client’s abilities, interests, and needs.

• Advocate for clients to help meet their needs, desires and best interests.

• Utilize critical thinking in making independent judgements and maintain responsibility and accountability for service provided.

• Knowledge of the effects of mental illness and the ability to relate respectfully to clients with a wide range of abilities and diagnoses.

• Ability to meet clients in their homes or in public places with ability to drive safely, and a willingness to transport clients in own vehicle.

• Possess teamwork skills including problem solving, cooperation, negotiating, etc.

• Continue professional development and involvement in professional activities that enhance service provision.

Service Coordination:

• Functions as a practicing clinician on the team and provides service coordination (case management) for an assigned group of patients.

•Coordinates and monitors activities of daily living.

•Assumes primary responsibility for developing, writing, implementing, evaluation and revising treatment goals and plans in conjunction with client.

•Provides supportive therapy and symptom management.

•Ensures immediate changes are made in treatment plans as a patients’ needs change.

•Educates and supports patients’ families as needed.

•Advocates for patients’ rights and preferences.

•Help maintain patients’ entitlements.

• Organize and manage the system of getting medication to clients and integrate medication into client’s individual treatment plans.

• Manage pharmaceuticals and medical supplies

Documentation/Assessment:

• Complete all documentation within established guidelines.

• Ability to prioritize client need and to complete required written documentation.

• Demonstrate an understanding of all funder and accreditation standards

• Track and document monthly outcome objectives.

• Participates in patient-centered comprehensive assessment

•Identifies psychiatric history

•Mental status and diagnosis

•Physical and dental health

•Use of drugs or alcohol

•Education and employment

•Social development and functioning

•Activities of daily living

•Family structure and relationships

Qualifications

Education: Associates degree in nursing with current RN required. Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in nursing preferred.

Experience: One year with mental health experience required. Three years or more of mental health experience preferred.

License(s)/Certification(s): Licensed in the state of Iowa as a RN. Valid driver’s license when driving any vehicle for work-related reasons .

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities: Ability to delegate wisely, exercise good judgment, maintain good interpersonal relationships, adapt to change, evaluate critically and think creatively. Individual will demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide appropriate care to adolescents, adult and geriatric patients with severe and persistent mental illnesses. Individual will demonstrate effective written and verbal skills allowing communication with physicians, co-workers, other clinic/hospital personnel, as well as the public. Position requires good organizational skills. Position also requires a valid driver’s license.

Must be able to objectively perform initial assessment of patient’s condition and identify needs related to adolescent, adult and geriatric behavioral health. Individual must possess the ability to effect planned change in a positive manner. Ability to work effectively with others, think creatively and communicate effectively is required. Position requires working knowledge of community resources.

Other: Use of usual and customary equipment used to perform essential functions of the position.

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