Position Summary
The Registered Nurse (RN) provides comprehensive, compassionate, and evidence-based nursing care to adolescents ages 13–17 receiving inpatient treatment for eating disorders. The RN is responsible for assessing patients, monitoring medical stability, administering medications and treatments, collaborating with the multidisciplinary treatment team, and supporting patients throughout the recovery process. This role requires strong clinical judgment, excellent communication skills, and a commitment to trauma-informed and family-centered care.
Essential duties and responsibilities
- Patient care
- Perform comprehensive nursing assessments upon admission and throughout hospitalization.
- Monitor vital signs, orthostatic vital signs, weight trends, intake and output, and overall medical status.
- Recognize and respond promptly to signs of medical deterioration, including electrolyte imbalances, cardiac instability, dehydration, and refeeding syndrome.
- Administer prescribed medications, IV fluids, electrolyte replacements, enteral feedings, and other treatments according to physician orders.
- Assist with nasogastric (NG) tube placement, verification, feeding, maintenance, and removal as appropriate.
- Monitor laboratory results and promptly communicate critical values to the medical provider.
- Perform phlebotomy, specimen collection, and other nursing procedures as needed.
- Maintain accurate and timely electronic medical record documentation.
- Therapeutic responsibilities
- Provide compassionate, nonjudgmental nursing care that promotes recovery and emotional safety.
- Participate in meal support and therapeutic meal supervision as assigned.
- Monitor patients for eating disorder behaviors, self-harm, suicide risk, and other safety concerns.
- Implement individualized nursing care plans.
- Support patients through anxiety related to meals, weight restoration, and treatment interventions.
- Educate patients and families regarding medical conditions, medications, nutrition, and discharge planning.
- Collaboration
- Collaborate with psychiatrists, pediatricians, nurse practitioners, dietitians, therapists, social workers, behavioral health technicians, and other interdisciplinary team members.
- Participate in daily treatment team meetings and shift handoff reports.
- Communicate changes in patient condition promptly to the appropriate provider.
- Assist in discharge planning and continuity of care.
- Safety and quality
- Maintain infection prevention and control standards.
- Ensure medication safety and compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Follow emergency response procedures, including cardiac emergencies, behavioral emergencies, and medical crises.
- Participate in quality improvement initiatives and ongoing staff education.
- Maintain a safe, therapeutic, and supportive treatment environment.
Qualifications
- Required
- Current, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license in the applicable state.
- Graduate of an accredited nursing program (Associate Degree in Nursing or Bachelor of Science in Nursing).
- Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
- Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment.
- Strong assessment, critical thinking, and communication skills.
- Ability to maintain patient confidentiality and professional boundaries.
- Preferred
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification.
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification (if required by facility policy).
- One to three years of nursing experience in pediatric, adolescent medicine, psychiatric, behavioral health, medical-surgical, or eating disorder treatment settings.
- Experience caring for medically complex adolescents.
- Experience with electronic medical records (EMR).
- Knowledge and skills
- Knowledge of eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), binge eating disorder, and other specified feeding or eating disorders.
- Understanding of refeeding syndrome, electrolyte abnormalities, cardiac complications, dehydration, and nutritional rehabilitation.
- Ability to recognize changes in medical or psychiatric status requiring immediate intervention.
- Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
- Strong interpersonal and conflict-resolution abilities.
- Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with the treatment team.
- Physical requirements
- Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
- Ability to lift and move up to 50 pounds with assistance as needed.
- Ability to respond quickly during emergency situations.
- Ability to safely assist with patient transfers and mobility.
- Ability to perform repetitive nursing tasks requiring manual dexterity.
- Work Schedule
- Full-time, part-time, PRN, day, evening, night, weekend, and holiday shifts available.
- Twelve-hour shifts may be required based on operational needs.
- Participation in an on-call rotation may be required.
- Preferred Professional Attributes
- Compassionate and patient-centered approach to care.
- Commitment to trauma-informed and family-centered treatment.
- Strong emotional resilience and professionalism.
- Excellent teamwork and leadership abilities.
- Dedication to evidence-based practice and continuous professional development.
