Registered Nurse Inpatient Psychiatric Specialty

Job Overview

The Clinical Nurse (CN) II provides Family-Centered Care as demonstrated by recognizing the patient, family and/or designee as a full partner in providing compassionate and coordinated care based on respect for patient's preferences, values, and needs. Assumes active role in clinical education of patients, families and staff. Functions effectively within nursing and inter-professional teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect, and shared decision-making to achieve quality patient care.

Integrates best current evidence with clinical expertise for delivery of optimal health care. Uses data to monitor the outcomes of care processes and uses improvement methods to test changes to continuously improve the quality and safety of health care systems. Minimizes risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance. Uses information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision-making.

The Neuropsychiatric Special Care (NSC) Program provides acute, individualized and group based behavioral treatment for children and adolescents ages 4-17 with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and/or intellectual disability who are experiencing a behavioral crisis. NSC nurses are essential members of an interdisciplinary team, delivering compassionate, evidence-based care in a highly structured and supportive environment.

Behavioral Support & Observation
NSC nurses partner closely with psychologists, BCBAs, Behavioral Health Clinicians and Behavioral Health Specialists to implement therapeutic interventions that help in behavior reduction. Nurses use ongoing observation and data-informed care to support patient safety, engagement, and progress.

Structured Therapeutic Milieu
Nurses help maintain a predictable, therapeutic milieu that promotes regulation, learning, and skill development. Patients participate in daily groups focused on coping skills, emotional regulation, social skills, executive functioning, and daily living skills, with nurses reinforcing these skills throughout routine care.

Medication Management
In collaboration with psychiatry, NSC nurses administer and monitor psychiatric medications, assess therapeutic response and side effects, and support treatment adjustments to reduce barriers such as anxiety, irritability, impulsivity, and mood-related symptoms.

Family and Caregiver Collaboration
Our team provides education and support to families, helping caregivers understand their child's treatment plan and strategies for continued success after discharge. Collaboration with families and community providers is a key component of care.

• Family-Centered Care:
  Recognize the patient or designee as the source of control and full partner in providing compassionate and coordinated care based on respect for patient's preferences, values, and needs.
  
  • Delivers patient and family centered care incorporating the nursing process while providing developmentally appropriate, culturally sensitive, evidence based care. Actively anticipates changes in patient outcomes/ unit needs in the provision of care.
  
  • Care is guided by the Professional Practice Model throughout the continuum of care.
  
  • Communicate and advocate patient values, preferences and expressed needs as part of implementation of care plan, evaluation of care and assessment of patient/family learning needs to the interdisciplinary team. Initiates and anticipates individualized care and education for patients/families across the continuum using an interdisciplinary approach.
• Teamwork &
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Function effectively within nursing and inter-professional teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect, and shared decision-making to achieve quality patient care.
  
  • Applies communication practices that minimize risks across transitions of care.
  
  • Presents own perspective and supporting evidence in patient care and team discussions.
  
  • Collaborates with team members in shared decision making.
• Evidence Based Practice:
  Integrate best current…