Crisis LPN – PHOENIX COUNSELING CENTER – Shelby, NC

Under general supervision of a Registered Nurse, Nurse Practitioner or Medical Director, provides professional psychiatric nursing care to acutely and chronically ill mental health, substance abuse and developmentally disabled consumers within a 24/7/365 crisis unit. A crisis nurse performs the full range of psychiatric nursing duties. Work assignments require a thorough knowledge of behavioral health practices and procedures, laws and regulations, the ability to work independently, and involve team leader shift responsibility for crisis therapists, counselors, and support workers.

Will demonstrate the use of appropriate knowledge/skill/judgment to provide nursing care, examples of work performed include but not limited to:

Observes assigned consumers on a daily basis to identify, interpret, and document physical and emotional status and/or patterns, such as assaultive or suicidal behavior, and response to treatment or medication; as part of a multi-disciplinary team, assists in formulating a diagnosis and developing and implementing individualized consumer treatment plans based on observations; provides crisis intervention to those individuals experiencing acute episodes.

Participates in or leads individual or group counseling sessions, family conferences, and recreational and social therapy sessions to assist consumers in understanding the nature of emotional and physical problems, to accept the need for treatment, and to address issues such as communicable disease and family planning; participates in departmental and team meetings to discuss consumer care and progress, shift activity, and program policies and procedures.

Accurately take and administer physician/NP orders. Administers psychotropic medications to consumers and documents reactions, monitors use, calling in medication orders to pharmacies, instructs consumers on the purpose, dosage, and side effects of medication, and explains the legal process related to the consumer’s refusal to take prescribed medication.

Obtains medical, psychiatric, social, and family histories of new admissions; takes and records vital signs; obtains lab specimens; assists physicians with exams; schedules and arranges for special tests; develops discharge plans; maintains timely and accurate charts and logs; monitors supplies; and may draw blood.

Aids consumers in obtaining proper medical care after release or during hospitalization by identifying community agencies and resources to assist consumers with stabilization while living in the community; interacts with private medical facilities, courts, and county and State agencies to express concerns of the consumer and to discuss treatment; testifies in court as to the consumer’s mental and physical condition

Shall attend assigned training and continuing education to maintain credentialing and privileging, to include, but not limited to:

Credentialing as a Registered Nurse/Licensed Practical Nurse

As required by NC Division of MH/DD/SA service definition and PCC Training Policy/Procedure.

CPR & First Aid Certification

Shall demonstrate the ability to work/be a part of organizational and therapeutic teams, and maintain positive working relationships with consumers, community stakeholders, referral organizations, and other employees/departments of Phoenix Counseling Center, Inc.

Shall develop a working knowledge of applicable organizational policy and procedure and demonstrate compliance. This shall include, but not be limited to:

Clinical policies/procedures

Training and professional development

Personnel policies/procedures

Employee Ethics/Corporate Compliance/Consumer Rights

Service record documentation

Confidentiality/HIPAA

Assure compliance with PCC?s Policy and Procedures regarding administrative and clinical record management (1-A-006):

24/7 facilities shall maintain a rolling, locking file cabinet (LRFC) to house consumer records/information during the consumer?s treatment episode and/or needed chart correction after discharge.

HIM personnel shall place the record(s) in the LRFC assuring an out-guide is appropriately completed and placed in medical records. In addition, upon placement of the record in the LRFC, HIM personnel shall log the date/time, MR #, and sign the LRFC log. Upon completion, custody for the MR shall shift to the Registered Nurse on Duty (RNOD)

The RNOD and assigned facility HIM personnel shall retain keys for the locked, rolling file cabinet(s) (LRFC). Custody of the records shall be managed by the RNOD, who assures record security and that record(s) are checked in/out with a log-in sheet containing check in/out date/time, record number, and personnel signature for any records removed from the LRFC.

The off-going RNOD and on-coming RNOD shall verify that all records assigned to the LRFC are secure and accounted for as evidenced by signatures. Any discrepancy shall be documented during this process.

Any information that is determined to be missing will be accounted for. Should information not be accounted for the assigned 24/7 manager shall be verbally informed by the RNOD and an adverse event completed and submitted using PCC?s adverse event and critical incident reporting process.

Only designated personnel shall retain keys to MR offices at each location as designated by PCC HIM Coordinator.

HIM staff shall provide training to all personnel at each location on PCC?s Clinical Record Management Policies and Procedures. This training will be doc