Provide comprehensive behavioral health care and crisis assessments for high-risk pediatric patients within an interdisciplinary team. Act as a psychiatric resource to ensure patient safety, monitor compliance with policies, and lead de-escalation efforts.
Requirements summary
Requires a Registered Nurse license in Nebraska and BLS certification, with an Associate's or Bachelor's degree in nursing. Preferred qualifications include two years of psychiatric nursing experience, pediatric experience, and proficiency with EPIC.
At Children’s Nebraska, our mission is to improve the life of every child through exceptional care, advocacy, research and education. As the state’s only full-service pediatric healthcare center, we provide comprehensive, holistic care to our patients and families—from primary and specialty care to behavioral health services and everything in between. Dedicated to a People First culture, we foster an environment with joy, belonging, wellbeing, learning and growth. Turn your passion into purpose and make a difference where it matters most.
A Brief Overview
Functions as a member of the interdisciplinary team.
Primary responsibility to care for patients with behavioral health needs.
Utilizes the nursing process in the delivery of comprehensive and developmentally appropriate care to high-risk behavioral patients and their families.
Acts as a psychiatric resource for the team by providing clinical support, monitoring compliance with system policies, guidelines, documentation, and by maintaining a safe environment for patients with behavioral health needs.
Responds to behavioral emergencies throughout the building and collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to ensure patient and staff safety.
Is knowledgeable of the regulatory standards related to the care of hospitalized patients with behavioral health needs and ensures compliance with those standards.
Essential Functions
Conducts individualized age-specific patient/family assessments according to defined unit scope and nursing practice standards, appropriate collaborative problems (CPG's)/nursing diagnoses (ND's), or protocols. (Individualized refers to the patient’s developmental, cognitive, cultural, psychosocial, spiritual, and educational/family influences and physical/medical care needs.)
Admission/Initial Assessment:
Collects and documents data related to patient’s individualized care.
Demonstrates age-specific competency in assessment of patients by the ability to obtain and interpret information in terms of the patient needs, knowledge of growth and development, and understanding of the range of treatment needed by these patients.
Assesses patient/family need for education and uses an individualized approach in delivery style.
Assesses family expectations for, and involvement in the assessment and continuous care or treatment of the patient.
Identifies nursing diagnoses, collaborative problems, and/or protocols for each patient, based on assessment, at the time of admission.
Shift Assessment/Reassessment
Performs reassessment based on unit standards, CPG's/ND's, protocols and changes in patient condition. Communicates changes to appropriate persons (MD, Charge RN, family) as indicated.
Utilizes appropriate telephone etiquette.
Develops individualized patient/family plan of care using CPG/ND’s, and practice guidelines/protocols to meet identified needs in collaboration with Behavioral Health Team. (Plan of Care includes current and anticipated actions focused on care, education, discharge needs.)
Utilizes assessment data from the healthcare team to individualize appropriate goals and actions for the patient, including collaboration with the family and the healthcare team.
Utilizes individualized assessment data to develop the patient/family’s plan of care.
Formulates goals and outcomes based on assessment data.
Revises plan of care based on patient’s condition, interdisciplinary input, and family needs.
Demonstrates ability to prioritize patient interventions based on assessments/reassessments
Implements and evaluates nursing actions in accordance with the individualized patient/family plan of care and patient condition/needs.
Oversees that the nursing and interdisciplinary plan of care/goals are coordinated, implemented, evaluated, and revised as needed. Identifies the need for interdisciplinary involvement/outside resources and follows through. Uses appropriate resources (Charge Nurse, CNS/Educator, Director, MD, etc.) to ensure that clinical outcomes are achieved.
Education Qualifications
Associate's Degree from an accredited school of nursing Required or
Bachelor's Degree from an accredited school of nursing Required
Experience Qualifications
2 years of psychiatric nursing experience Preferred and
Experience with pediatric patients Preferred and
Previous experience with EPIC Preferred
Skills and Abilities
Must be able to perform a variety of duties, often changing from one task to another of a different nature, without loss of efficiency or composure, and be able to perform under stressful conditions when confronted with multiple requests, demonstrating prioritizing skills.
Licenses and Certifications
RN - Registered Nurse - State Licensure and/or Compact State Licensure in the state of Nebraska Upon Hire Required and
BLS - Basic Life Support through the American Heart Association Upon Hire Required and
PALS - Pediatric Advanced Life Support within 180 Days Preferred
Children’s is the very best for kids and the very best for your career! At Children’s, we put YOU first so together, we can improve the life of every child!
Children’s is an equal opportunity employer, embracing and valuing the unique strengths and differences of people. We cultivate an inclusive environment of respect and trust where we all belong. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, religion, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.
Education Qualifications
Associate's Degree from an accredited school of nursing Required or
Bachelor's Degree from an accredited school of nursing Required
Experience Qualifications
2 years of psychiatric nursing experience Preferred and
Experience with pediatric patients Preferred and
Previous experience with EPIC Preferred
Skills and Abilities
Must be able to perform a variety of duties, often changing from one task to another of a different nature, without loss of efficiency or composure, and be able to perform under stressful conditions when confronted with multiple requests, demonstrating prioritizing skills.
Licenses and Certifications
RN - Registered Nurse - State Licensure and/or Compact State Licensure in the state of Nebraska Upon Hire Required and
BLS - Basic Life Support through the American Heart Association Upon Hire Required and
Certification as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse (PMH-BC) after 2 years and/or 2000 mental health care hours Preferred
Team members currently ineligible for advanced certification are strongly encouraged to pursue them upon eligibility.
Children’s is an equal opportunity employer, embracing and valuing the unique strengths and differences of people. We cultivate an inclusive environment of respect and trust where we all belong. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, religion, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.
The Behavioral Health & Wellness Center at Children’s Nebraska will be a world-class facility providing the full spectrum of pediatric behavioral and mental health services for children and their families. Located on our main hospital campus to provide a convenient continuum of care, the center will offer a crisis assessment center, behavioral health urgent care, 40 single-occupancy inpatient beds, a partial hospitalization program and outpatient services – all guided by our innovative, trauma-informed model of care.
Incorporates critical thinking into the delivery of clinical skills and in analyzing patient response to orders, tests, labs, medications, and treatments.
Demonstrates clinical competence in administering interventions according to identified standards and age specific needs.
Provides and/or coordinates with other disciplines patient/family education according to identified care needs, considering assessment of patient/family’s readiness to learn
Documentation reflects accurate assessment/evaluation, modification, and patient’s response to therapy, changes in condition, and therapeutic interventions/procedures.
Entries in the medical record follow hospital policy (i.e., date, time, use of appropriate abbreviations, and legibility).
Documentation is completed within established timeframes including, but not limited to: Admission Assessment form, daily Patient Flowsheet, Family Education Record, and Interdisciplinary Goals.
Reviews and updates computerized care plan to accurately reflect the plan of care.
Completes computerized documentation within established timeframes, including, but not limited to: Medication Administration Record, Allergies, Patient Information, etc.
Completes and verifies accurate order entry in the computerized care plan.
Ensures that discharge instructions clearly state patient care needs after discharge.
Uses clinical judgment based on nursing skills acquired through formal and informal experiential knowledge and evidence-based guidelines to globally assess the patient's situation
Supports staff in providing a safe environment for patients with high-risk behaviors by inspecting rooms, proactively identifying potential safety hazards, and removing at-risk items.
Delivers competent and skilled nursing care to patients and families according to their identified needs.
Provides content expertise and education to staff caring for high-risk patients and assists staff in finding available resources related to behavioral health patients.
Provides a just in time resource to nursing, administrative supervisors and physicians caring for high-risk behavioral patients.
Assists staff in finding available resources related to behavioral health patients.
Reviews documentation and orders in EPIC and collaborates with staff to ensure that the patient’s level of observation is appropriate, and documentation is accurate and complete.
Identifies patient care concerns in real time and collaborates and escalates as needed to promote resolution.
Provides education and facilitates learning for the patient care team related to constant visual observation guidelines and policies, therapeutic interactions, and patient safety.
Assists with consistent application of guidelines and policies across the hospital.
Identifies and presents opportunities for performance/quality improvement activities to improve clinical outcomes.
Assists with patient de-escalation, provides physical intervention if needed, thorough and accurate documentation, and participates in the debriefing afterwards.
Audits Physical Intervention documentation and assists in collecting, inputting, and sharing data in real time.
Delivers care with a team-oriented approach, an emphasis on good customer relations, sound clinical judgment, and appropriate decision-making abilities that take into consideration evidence-based practice.
Advocates for the patient, represents the concerns of the patient/family and identifies and assists in resolving concerns.
Ensures that Patient Health Information (PHI) is protected and secured at all times.
Adheres to all infection prevention initiatives (i.e., hand hygiene, proper disposal of waste, etc.)
