LVN / LPN (Overnight)

Center for Discovery

At Discovery, we offer career opportunities nationwide in residential, day treatment, and intensive outpatient eating disorder treatment. Discovery is currently seeking Program Directors, Primary Therapists, Facility Managers, Counselors/Mental Health Specialists, Dietitians, Diet Techs, and Nurses. Discovery is specifically seeking individuals who consistently strive to provide exemplary care and are passionate about transforming the lives of others.


If you are interested in a challenging and rewarding career in the behavioral health field, the first step is to look for Open job positions that match your skills, qualifications and interest. Each posting includes a description and minimum required qualifications.


When we review candidate information, we are looking for the best matches for the position based on the qualifications listed in the job posting. If your skills and experience appear to match an open position, a recruitment services professional or hiring manager may contact you to further discuss your qualifications.


Position Summary:

The LVN/LPN will provide patient care and assist in the collection of data during the assessment process, within their scope of practice, under the direction of an RN, mid-level practitioner, licensed physician, or supervisor at all times.


Essential Job Functions:

• Informing personnel (i.e. UR, psychiatry, dietician) of new admissions when appropriate.
• Administering and documenting vital signs, CIWAs, collects data for fall assessments/precautions, seizure precautions, suicidal/homicidal assessments, pain scales, anxiety scales, craving scales, standard and infection control precautions adding co-signers as necessary.
• Observation, documentation, audit functions, education, and record keeping of all observed/inventoried/destroyed/prescribed medications.
• Assessment of patients with addiction and mental health conditions and assisting in ascertaining clinical medication management with Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant, Psychiatrist, and Medical Doctor.
• Administering medications via oral, sublingual, inhalation, auricular, topical, intramuscular, subcutaneous, vaginal, and rectal routes as ordered.
• Entering medication orders into the electronic medical record.
• Manages the Medication Administration Record, documenting administration, efficacy, and first response.
• Collaborates with staff in assessing patient, family age-specific nursing needs and develops plan of care for complex high-risk patients.
• Provide assistance to Utilization Review in communicating pertinent nursing information.
• Designs teaching programs for patients/families and provides assistance to staff in program implementation.
• Work closely with physicians to provide education and counseling for clients and other organizational health care providers on optimal use of medicines (e.g., proper use, avoidance of over medication).
• Provide nursing care adapted to the individual patient needs based on the nursing process, which includes data collection, planning, implementation and evaluation.
• Direct patient care, including the reporting of observed changes in mental status and/or physical condition, response to emergencies, safety risks.
• Documents nursing incidents and medication errors.
• Oversees the medication management system that includes but not limited to, medication planning, storage, ordering and transcribing, administration, monitoring and evaluation.
• Verifies the integrity of and controls medications brought into the organization by the client, their families, and licensed independent practitioners.
• Systemically collect, record and analyze data and other relevant interactive social systems, including mental status, special precautions (suicidality, homicidally, elopement); physical problems/medical acuity (withdrawal and nutritional needs); and ethnic concerns (social, religious, or cultural needs).
• Uses assessment data to identify problem list and other interactive social systems.
• Intervenes as guided by the treatment plan to implement appropriate interventions that promote, maintain, or restore physical and mental health, prevent illness effect rehabilitation, and restore developmental progression.
• Provides health education for patients through individual and group interactions.
• Recommends special precautions, as needed.
• Evaluates the response of the patients to interventions in order to revise the plan, including discharge criteria.

Knowledge, Education, & Experience:

• Must be a graduate of an approved vocational nursing program with a current licensure from an appropriate state licensing board in good standing.
• Preferred: Experience as a staff nurse, preferably in the field of chemical dependency and/or behavioral health.
• 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.
• One year experience preferred working in mental health, substance use, or eating disorders field. 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: Full-time


Schedule: Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays, Overnight from 7pm-7am

Work Location: On-site - Fairfax, VA

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.