Registered Nurse PRN Days

At Oceans Behavioral Hospital Lake Charles, healing is our focus. We are passionate about helping adults and seniors manage the challenges associated with anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. Utilizing proven, innovative and progressive therapies, our qualified professionals strive to promote long-term wellness through a range of inpatient and outpatient psychiatric counseling and treatment options.

The Registered Nurse assumes primary leadership accountability and responsibility for milieu management and directing patient care activities of other nursing staff. The Registered Nurse maintains standards of professional nursing practice in accordance with facility policy and procedures, other external governing and credentialing bodies, performance improvement standards, and psychiatric nursing standards. The Registered Nurse assesses the patient utilizing the nursing process to formulate an individualized plan of care for each patient, implements interventions, and evaluates outcomes consistent with policy and appropriate to the current client's condition, which promote, maintain, and restore physical and mental health, and prevent illness. The Registered Nurse interprets age / disability specific information in response to client population served. The Registered Nurse provides for the safe delivery of medication in accordance with the policies and procedures, physicians orders and / or current practice. The Registered Nurse is responsible for thorough, accurate reporting, and documentation of the patient's symptoms, responses, and progress. The Registered Nurse assumes responsibility for professional development, continuing education and maintaining licensure. All duties to be done in accordance with Joint Commission, Federal and State regulations, Oceans' Mission, policies and procedures and Performance Improvement Standards.

Essential Functions :

• Utilizes the nursing process : assessment, planning, intervention, implementation, and evaluation and formulating nursing interventions directed towards development of an individualized plan of care and treatment modalities.
• Identifies risk levels, precautions, and expected outcomes individualized to the client to include discharge planning; prescribes interventions to attain expected outcomes; evaluates the effectiveness of interventions in relation to expected outcomes; conducts ongoing assessment of clients from admission to discharge; initiates medical / psychiatric crisis intervention to stabilize and ensure the well-being of the patient's conditions.
• Demonstrates knowledge of psychiatric disorders and appropriate nursing interventions; implements nursing interventions identified in the plan of care that is individualized to the patient needs. Applies appropriate interventions to progress the patient towards wellness and addresses maintenance of wellness.
• Administers medications as prescribed safely; provides education on prescribed medications; recognizes signs and symptoms of adverse drug reactions.
• Demonstrates professionalism, accountability, and responsibility for decision making, quality nursing care, and knowledge base of psychiatric nursing care.
• Reviews, revises, and updates medical records within facility guidelines and timeframes. Transcribes and implements physician's orders according to facility policy; documents care, progress, response to intervention in medical record in an accurate, thorough and concise manner.
• Follows up on client care responsibilities, communicates incomplete assignments, and current client needs to staff to assure continuity of care.
• Implements staff assignments and delegation of duties using appropriate judgment and knowledge; Demonstrates positive willingness to assist staff and patients; functions as an advocate for patient needs / safety
• Utilizes nursing knowledge to successfully meet the needs of the facility, patient population, and staff members utilizes nursing resources to enhance evidence-based practice
• Float among various clinical services, where qualified and competent and performs other duties and projects as assigned.

Requirements

Current, valid, and active license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the state of which you are employed at an Oceans Healthcare hospital. Valid Compact licenses are also acceptable as they apply. Minimum of an Associated Degree in Nursing is required. One year of inpatient hospital experience strongly preferred.

High stress and assess potential for patient escalation. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing, to consistently achieve positive results with internal and external customers, be highly organized, have an understanding and sensitivity to serve culturally diverse and special needs population such as Chronically Mentally Ill, Geriatric, CD, be versed in basic knowledge of normal physical and emotional development. Exhibits critical thinking abilities and applies them for continuous improvement of patient care. Demonstrates self-confidence and ability to think conceptually in leading and directing others. Must successfully complete CPR certification and an Oceans approved behavioral health de-escalation program.

Subject to many interruptions. Pressure due to multiple calls and inquiries. 12 hour rotating shifts. Can be high paced and stressful; must be able to cope mentally and physically to atmosphere. Might experience disagreeable odors, sights and / or unpredictable patient behavior. Requires spending approximately 90% or more of the time inside a building that offers protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.