Registered Nurse- RN
GUIDANCE CENTER OF LEA COUNTY
Summary
The Behavioral Health and Psychiatric RN ensures that all clinical care is delivered in a manner that meets or exceeds goals and expectations for clinical outcomes, quality assurance standards, and patient satisfaction. The RN gauges the behavioral health patients' psychiatric state, collaborates with a multi-disciplinary team to support each patient's care plan, monitors adherence to all treatments, administers psychotropic and other medications, has strong de-escalation skills, maintains patient safety during restraint, hold or seclusion events, conducts education, and helps prepare the patient and family for a safe and therapeutic continuum of care.
Job description
Job Summary
The Behavioral Health and Psychiatric RN ensures that all clinical care is delivered in a manner that meets or exceeds goals and expectations for clinical outcomes, quality assurance standards, and patient satisfaction. The RN gauges the behavioral health patients' psychiatric state, collaborates with a multi-disciplinary team to support each patient's care plan, monitors adherence to all treatments, administers psychotropic and other medications, has strong de-escalation skills, maintains patient safety during restraint, hold or seclusion events, conducts education, and helps prepare the patient and family for a safe and therapeutic continuum of care.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Provides thorough, timely and accurate documentation of all pertinent data, therapeutic interventions and patient responses including assessment, care plan, patient goals, and interventions according to established standards for the care of the behavioral health care patient.
- Coordinate daily behavioral health plan of care.
- Verify/update client information to include contact details, demographics, forms, consents, etc. at the start of every engagement.
- Evaluating and implementing for comfort and well-being of the patients' medical, social, and emotional needs in the behavioral health setting.
- Provides patient and family education regarding behavioral, psychiatric, and medical needs from time of entry into the health care setting to disposition to next continuum of care.
- Safely administers medication in accordance with provider orders, protocols, and policies and monitoring effectiveness with a strong knowledge of the psychotropic drug class.
- Collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team regarding care and disposition specific to the patient's behavioral, psychiatric, and medical needs.
- Delegates tasks as appropriate to other members of the behavioral, psychiatric, and medical health care teams.
- Maintains a safe behavioral health environment.
- Maintain a safe behavioral health milieu.
- Provide direct therapeutic interaction and participation with behavioral health patients and their families.
- Provides patient care based on standards of practice, procedures, and policies of the health system.
- Must be able to perform the professional, clinical and or technical competencies of the assigned unit or department.
- Maintain confidentiality for all information regarding clients, staff, physicians, and GCLC obtained as a result of employment at GCLC.
- Other duties may be assigned as required.
Required Skills/Abilities
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Excellent time management skills.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Strong supervisory and leadership skills.
- Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
Qualifications
- Current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in New Mexico. Licensure must be maintained during period of employment.
- Two (2) years of experience.
- Prior experience as a behavioral health RN is preferred.
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred but not required.
Level and Degree of Supervision
Supervised by the Med Clinic Program Manager. Clinical Supervision provided by the Med Clinic Program Manager and Medical Director with direction from the consulting pharmacist, Psychiatrist and Nurse Practitioner. Supervision to include one (1) hour per week supervision and participation in case staffing, general, and team meetings.
Physical Requirements
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
- Prolonged periods of standing, bending, and reaching.
- Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds at times.
Requirements
- Current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in New Mexico
- Two (2) years of experience
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
- Excellent time management skills
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Strong supervisory and leadership skills
- Ability to prioritize tasks and delegate when appropriate
- Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software
- Prior experience as a behavioral health RN preferred
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred but not required
Company overview
Guidance Center of Lea County, Inc. (GCLC) is a nonprofit community mental health center established in 1971 in Hobbs, New Mexico. Originally founded as a crisis line, the organization has grown over five decades to become a comprehensive behavioral health provider serving Southeastern New Mexico. GCLC offers 26 distinct behavioral health services, including substance use treatment, outpatient therapy, intensive outpatient programs, autism clinic services, psychiatric care, and crisis intervention. The organization serves over 1,000 clients monthly and responds to approximately 66 crisis interventions each month. As the sole provider of comprehensive family-centered services in the region, GCLC operates multiple locations including its main facility on West Broadway Street, Humphrey House residential care facility, and an autism clinic. The center is committed to the Sanctuary Model of Trauma Informed Care and is pursuing Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) designation to enhance service accessibility and quality. GCLC accepts various payment options including Medicare, Medicaid, and state-financed insurance plans, ensuring community-wide access to essential mental health and substance abuse treatment services.