ABHS·Lancaster, Ohio
The Staff Nurse oversees medication self-administration, infection control, and the coordination of medical care for residents. They bridge the gap between psychiatric and physical health while ensuring compliance with state and national regulatory standards.
The Staff Nurse is responsible for overseeing the persons served medication self-administration, medication refills, infection control, and lab coordination. This role ensures the safe and accurate person served self-administration of medications, the maintenance of clinical health records, and the coordination of medical care for all residents. The Staff Nurse bridges the gap between psychiatric care and physical health, ensuring that the facility remains in compliance with state regulations and standards for medication management and infection control.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
1. Medication Management and Safety
Oversee the entire medication self-administration process, ensuring zero-error tolerance and strict adherence to physician orders.
Conduct regular audits of the Medication Administration Records (MAR) and Narcotic counts to ensure regulatory compliance.
Serve as the primary point of contact for the consulting pharmacist and local pharmacies to manage deliveries, refills, and medication destruction.
2. Resident Health and Coordination of Care
Perform initial health screenings and ongoing nursing assessments for residents, identifying any acute or chronic medical issues.
Coordinate with the Medical Director (Psychiatrist) to implement changes in psychiatric medication and monitor metabolic or side-effect concerns.
Facilitate communication with external Primary Care Physicians (PCPs), dentists, and specialists to ensure residents' physical health needs are addressed.
3. Regulatory Compliance and Quality Improvement
Ensure the medical department is "survey-ready" for state licensing audits and national accreditation bodies (The Joint Commission).
Develop and implement infection control policies, TB testing protocols for staff/residents, and emergency medical response procedures.
Participate in Quality Improvement (QI) committee meetings, reporting on medication errors, health trends, and immunization compliance.
Candidates must hold a valid RN or LPN license and be a graduate of an accredited School of Nursing. A minimum of three years of nursing experience, preferably in behavioral health or residential settings, is required.
Market context
Ohio healthcare employers commonly seek licensed RNs and LPNs for staff nurse roles, especially in behavioral health and residential settings where experience with patient routines and safety matters. These positions are competitive because they require an active nursing license, accredited training, and several years of hands-on experience. Review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits on this platform to save time, then confirm your license status and highlight any behavioral health or residential experience in your application.