RN Acute (AM) *13 Week Assignment* - AltaPointe Health

The Children's Residential Services Program serves children and adolescents ages 5 to 18 years of age who are experiencing severe emotional or behavioral disturbance. These children have failed to respond successfully to multiple less restrictive treatment interventions. BayPointe offers a caring, structured environment and developmentally appropriate therapeutic services for each child 24 hours a day.

The program provides support to families or caregivers that helps maintain, enhance, or develop attachment with their child/adolescent during treatment and throughout the discharge process. Children and adolescents diagnosed with co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders receive care in a special mental illness-substance abuse service track. The consumers, families, caregivers, school system personnel, DHR workers, and others as appropriate, are directly involved in the consumer’s treatment and discharge planning.

The goal is to improve each child’s or adolescent’s level of functioning and to discharge to a less restrictive treatment setting. The program primarily serves residents of south Alabama; however, the program considers referrals from across the state.

Nurses in the hospital setting are responsible for completing the admission process for all consumers entering the facility, assigning/supervising routine task assignments of unit staff, administering medication as needed, communicating daily with the physician regarding the consumer’s physical and mental status, attend multidisciplinary meetings as held,  and deescalating or resolving crisis situations on the unit.

Essential Functions

• Completion of the admission process for consumers including: Nursing Assessments, Medical Checklist/Physical Health/Nutritional screening, Medication List, Medication Administration Record, vital signs, height/weight, transcribing physician orders, AIMS, and admission notes.               
• Observes consumers behavior in groups and activities, documents observations in consumer records, interacts with consumers and evaluates needs to ensure that proper information is reported from shift to shift and during staffing with the Treatment Team.
• Supervises nursing care overseeing routine task assignments of RNs, LPNs, CNAs, and Behavioral Aides/Specialists
• Administers medications, observing the Six Rights of medication administration
• Provides medication education for the consumer and family, including uses and potential side effects.  Monitors consumers for potential side effects of medications and reports findings to the physician
• Communicates effectively with the physician regarding the consumer’s physical and mental condition
• Interfaces with the multi-disciplinary team and actively and cooperatively participates in development of the interdisciplinary treatment plan
• Performs venipuncture for laboratory requests, monitor results, and reports all abnormal findings to the physician
• Provides emergency care as needed (CPR, MindSet, PRN medications), according to AltaPointe Policy & Procedures
• Assists consumers with personal care issues (bathing, toileting and other personal hygiene items)
• Demonstrates willingness to work on any unit at EastPointe or BayPointe based on facility needs and as directed by the supervisor
• Demonstrates the ability to recognize the elements of a crisis state and knows how to deescalate or resolve the situation
• Assists with Seclusion and Restraints per AltaPointe Policy & Procedures
• Effectively demonstrates the application of child/adolescent/adult competencies
• Adheres to professional code of ethics
• Seeks clinical supervision and consultation needs.
• Accepts and employs suggestions for improvement
• Actively works to enhance clinical skills
• Documents in a timely fashion per AltaPointe policy.
• Documents in a clear, concise manner types of consumer problems, treatment goals and services provided
• Documentation shows that forms, notes, logs, and other applicable written information are completed promptly, accurately and updated when appropriate
• Documents legibly
• Courteous and respectful attitudes towards consumers, visitors and co-workers
• Treats consumers with care, dignity and compassion
• Respects consumers’ privacy and confidentiality
• Is pleasant and cooperative with others
• Assists consumers and visitors as needed
• Personal values don’t inhibit ability to relate and care for others
• Is sensitive to the consumers’ needs, expectations and individual differences
• Is gentle and calm with consumers and families
• Administrative and other related duties as assigned
• Actively participates in Performance and Improvement activities
• Actively participates in AltaPointe committees as required
• Completes assigned tasks in a timely manner
• Accesses appropriate community resources according to consumer needs.
• Follows AltaPointe Policy & Procedures
• Maintains current state license and requirements for renewals
• Attends required in-services and workshops

Physical Requirements

• There is frequent standing, sitting, and walking which are in bursts of 5 to 10 minutes.  However, there are times when this can be extended to pacing with the consumer (time could be undetermined), and at times sitting and standing can be extended with the employee having the ability to change positions as permitted by the observance and behavior of the consumer at that time.
• There is occasional forward bending from the hips while kneeling to reach to the side.
• There is an occasional need to be able to assume a full squat/lunge from a standing position.
• There is an occasional need to maintain back extension while being on stomach with one’s own body weight on hips and legs.  This position is maintained for several minutes.
• Occasionally, be able to put one’s own body weight on one knee and one elbow on the same side of one’s body.
• Occasionally, be able to kneel and reach to same side toward the floor.
• Lift up to 10 pounds from the floor to various levels, including from the floor to overhead occasionally during shift.
• Have the ability to lift up to 50 pounds to assist in Activities of Daily Living, as required.  Be able to lift up to 50 pounds from floor to waist.
• Strong grasp is needed to use keys to open doors throughout the facility, and to maintain constant contact with a consumer during a restraint procedure or with other hold techniques.
• Pushing/pulling force up to 25 pounds occasionally during shift.
• There are times that require the employee to be able to ambulate as quickly as possible to assist coworkers with a consumer in a restraint procedure.  (Example:  jog/run up to 0.1 mi).
• At times therapy may be inside or outside the facility; therefore, some activities will dictate physical requirements for playing or games.