- Assignment Category: Not Applicable
- FTE: 1
Full-time (80 hours biweekly)
Primarily weekdays, day shift with occasional off shift (evenings, nights, weekends for rounding)
Program Description
Adult Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit
The 56-bed Adult Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit specializes in the care of patients experiencing acute psychiatric crises and severe mental health symptoms. As the highest level of inpatient behavioral health care, the unit emphasizes rapid diagnosis, stabilization, and the initiation of evidence-based treatment to promote recovery and improved patient outcomes.
5 East is an 11-bed Medical-Surgical Unit that provides care for adult patients (18 years and older) with a wide range of acute medical conditions and co-occurring psychiatric diagnoses. Common medical conditions treated on the unit include metabolic disorders, stable cardiovascular conditions, renal disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, substance withdrawal, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses.
Patients on 5 East often have complex psychosocial and discharge planning needs. The interdisciplinary team works closely with patients, families, and community resources to coordinate safe, effective transitions of care and support successful discharge outcomes.
General Summary
Manages the daily operations and work activities of professional nursing and nursing support staff on assigned unit.
Responsibilities
Duties and Responsibilities
Essential Functions:
- Recommends staffing levels as per professional organizations’ staffing guidelines. Structures an adequate staffing mix of competent personnel for all shifts by supervising and approving the development, preparation, and maintenance of staffing schedules that meet department/unit needs and ANA staffing principles.
- Ensures that appropriate nursing standards and practices are developed and implemented as a result of research and non-research findings. Maintains established policies and procedures, objectives, quality assessment, safety, environmental, and infection control standards as per National Patient Safety goals, agency, and state regulations.
- Identifies patient/client needs and collaborates with appropriate stakeholders to use outcomes data to direct quality improvement action plans. Encourages staff to resolve patient/family concerns in a timely manner, and assists staff when necessary.
- Maintains awareness of high risk and complicated cases assisting as needed, collaborates with multi-disciplinary teams as needed and ensures appropriate nursing interventions are implemented.
- Initiates or makes recommendations for personnel actions in coordination with appropriate stakeholders using a Just Culture model and as per the System policies.
- Ensures staff education in appropriate communication to protect patient confidentiality. Advocates social/professional equity among staff; promotes culturally congruent patient care.
- Acts as a role model/mentor to charge nurses and staff; creates a culture that empowers professional governance; promotes staff participation in professional governance activities; establishes a vision/goal for succession planning.
- Consults with other specialists as required and adjusts nursing care processes as indicated to ensure optimal patient care.
- Variation of duties may result based on the assigned customer care unit(s). This may include differences in the specific clinical skills required of the RN. Unit based skill lists outline expectations beyond the house wide RN requirements. SYS-NURS-L Nursing Education Requirements Policy outlines current certification(s) required for specific areas of nursing practice and is considered to be part of the job description.
- In addition to requirements specified in the license and certification section below, current BLS certification for all areas of nursing practice is required.Current certification may be required for the following areas of nursing practice:Emergency Care Center – ACLS, PALSIntensive Care Center & MSCC Lead – ACLS, PALSL&D – ACLS, NRP, - Experienced L&D nurses will obtain within 6 months and new L&D nurses will obtain at 1 year of experienceNICU – NRPPEDS – PALSPCC/PACU/ENDO – ACLS, PALSProcedural – ACLS
Common Expectations:
- Interviews applicants with staff to select best match for patient population and unit culture; evaluates staff performance; monitors continuing education, oversees the competency testing of staff (as applicable) and orientation.
- Develops budget(s) for the department/unit/entity and allocates funds within budget(s) to accomplish objectives. Monitors variance against budget(s).
- Ensures that unit strategic plan, vision, and goals are aligned with the System/nursing strategic plan, vision, mission, and goals; Acts as liaison between nursing administration and medical staff; Assists the staff in establishing and maintaining positive, constructive communication in a collaborative model between other units/departments within the System when solving issues.
- Coordinates and integrates services within the department/service line/entity, with other departments/service lines/entities, and with the System's primary functions. Participates in the selection of outside services (if needed).
- Continuously assesses and improves the department/service line/entity/System's performance. Maintains appropriate quality control/assessment programs (if applicable).
- Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span of the assigned patient population; Assesses and interprets age specific data for patient population and oversees the delivery of appropriate age specific treatments.
- Demonstrates a commitment to patient, visitor and staff by: complying with all applicable safety regulations; knowledge of the impact of medical errors and methodology that will lead to reduction of errors; reporting actual and potential errors, as well as hazardous conditions; identifying opportunities to standardize processes and "error proof" systems that will lead to increased safety; and participating in safety education programs and root cause analyses as required.
- Enhances professional growth and development through participation in educational programs, current literature, conferences, professional organizations and workshops.
- Participates in patient rounds.
- Ensures and monitors staff participation in patient rounds as part of the delivery care model to optimize collaboration between nursing and medical staff.
- Collaborates with appropriate departments to ensure proper care and timely maintenance of department/entity equipment and supplies.
- Attends administrative meetings and actively participates on nursing committees.
- Provides outstanding service to all customers; fosters teamwork; and practices fiscal responsibility through improvement and innovation.
Qualifications
Qualifications
Minimum Education:
- Bachelor's Degree In Nursing (BSN) required
Work Experience:
- 3 years Relevant experience required
- Supervisory experience preferred
Licenses:
- Licensed Registered Nurse Upon Hire Required or
- Registered Nurse Multi State License Upon Hire Required and
- Basic Life Support Upon Hire Required
- Board Certified Nurse Executive Upon Hire Preferred
Benefits Offered:
- Comprehensive health benefits
- Retirement savings plan
- Paid time off (PTO)
- Education assistance
- Financial education and support, including DailyPay
- Expanded Paid Parental Leave
For additional details: Benefits & Incentives | WellSpan Careers (joinwellspan.org)
About Us
WellSpan Health’s vision is to reimagine healthcare through the delivery of comprehensive, equitable health and wellness solutions throughout our continuum of care. As an integrated delivery system focused on leading in value-based care, we encompass more than 2,300 employed providers, 250 locations, nine award-winning hospitals, home care and a behavioral health organization serving central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland. Our high-performing Medicare Accountable Care Organization (ACO) is the region’s largest and one of the best in the nation. With a team 23,000 strong, WellSpan experts provide a range of services, from wellness and employer services solutions to advanced care for complex medical and behavioral conditions. Our clinically integrated network of 3,000 aligned physicians and advanced practice providers is dedicated to providing the highest quality and safety, inspiring our patients and communities to be their healthiest.
