Department/Unit: Psychiatry Float Pool

Hours/Shift: Full-Time (32 hours/week) - Day/Evening rotating shift (every other weekend required, evening shifts)

Benefit Eligibility: Full-Time Benefits Eligible

Expected Starting Salary Range: $34.00 - $43.02

Working as a Psychiatry Nurse at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center you will enjoy:

• Elevating your psychiatric nursing skills by developing greater behavioral assessment skills and therapeutic communication
• Leading and co-leading group programming to support patient engagement.
• Implementing a token economy to reinforce positive behaviors, promote skill-building, and support progress toward discharge goals.
• Providing direct patient care in a team-based setting and collaborating with an interdisciplinary team to ensure the best outcomes.
• Implementing individualized patient care plans and documenting behavioral observations.
• Establishing a safe, stable, and nurturing environment for youth in crisis. 
• A state-of-the-art mental health facility that opened in October 2023!

Enjoy Tuition Free Benefits Including:

• Psychiatric Residency Enrichment Program
• Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Training

Job Responsibilities

Milieu Management & Patient Safety

• Create a safe, stable, and nurturing environment and utilize trauma-informed and developmentally appropriate strategies to support patients experiencing a range of psychiatric challenges, including mood disorders, anxiety, psychosis, aggression, self-harm, eating disorders, and neurodevelopmental disorders.
• Implement a token economy to reinforce positive behaviors.
• Proactively prevent and respond to crises using Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) strategies, including verbal de-escalation and physical interventions when necessary due to imminent risk.
•  Lead and intervene in behavioral crises, apply appropriate strategies based on the Stress Model of Crisis and individualized care plans.
• Perform safety checks, room, and patient searches, and maintain awareness of environmental risk factors.
• Ensure continuous compliance with departmental policies, hospital protocols, and regulatory standards (CMS, Joint Commission).

Nursing Care & Clinical Judgment

• Apply critical thinking and clinical judgment to assess patient care needs and develop care plans.
• Administer medications and monitor for effectiveness.
• Develop, coordinate, and implement nursing care interventions across physical and mental health needs.
• Deliver support for activities of daily living (e.g., bathing, feeding, toileting) and provide developmentally appropriate care in both group and individualized settings.
• Maintain designated observation levels (e.g., continuous observation, 15-minute checks, remaining within arm’s-length of patient) with accuracy and compassion.
• Recognize changes in patient condition, respond to deteriorations, and escalate concerns as needed.

Group Programming & Therapeutic Engagement

• Lead or support structured group programming modifying delivery to meet developmental needs.
• Engage patients meaningfully and observe behaviors to inform treatment progress and problem-solving.
• Build therapeutic rapport while maintaining professional boundaries and advocating for patient needs.

Compliance & Safety Leadership

• Maintain current knowledge of relevant accreditation standards and regulatory requirements.
• Complete all certifications, licensure renewals, and Safety College trainings on schedule.
• Partner with nurse councils, Magnet representatives, and leadership to promote safety best practices and continuous performance improvement.
• Identify and report safety and compliance concerns promptly to support a culture of accountability.

Documentation & Communication

• Accurately document assessments, care interventions, incident reports, safety checks, and patient progress.
• Review and ensure timely, accurate documentation from Behavioral Health Specialists, especially around incidents, safety checks, and behavioral observations.
• Serve as the communication bridge between Behavioral Health Specialists and the interdisciplinary team. Clarify clinical priorities and ensure team members are informed and coordinated.
• Actively participate in family-centered rounds; provide updates and education to families and caregivers, promoting transparency and support.
• Utilize teach-back and other strategies to support understanding of care goals.
• Contribute meaningfully to shift reports, handoffs, and interdisciplinary care planning.

Professional Development & Team Collaboration

• Work closely with physicians, advanced practice RNs, social workers, allied health providers, and families to support continuity of care.
• Assign tasks such as safety checks, group facilitation, or patient support, while monitoring for completion, quality, and safety.
• Engage in shared decision-making through unit-based councils or ongoing communication with peers and leaders.
• Participate in performance reviews, peer feedback, and clinical education to maintain competency and promote growth.
• Support student and new nurse onboarding through role modeling, mentoring, and shared learning experiences.
• Collaborate effectively across disciplines using the Interprofessional Practice Model (IPM), ensuring cohesive and coordinated care.

Cultural Competence & Advocacy

• Assess cultural factors and individual preferences that may impact care, integrating needs into nursing practice.
• Advocate ethically for patients and families, particularly when they are unable to advocate for themselves.

Qualifications

Required:

●    Associate/Diploma prepared RNs from ACEN, CCNE or NLN CNEA accredited institution

●    If hired as an external candidate without BSN or MSN, must enroll in a BSN or MSN program within 1 year of hire date and complete program within 5 years of hire date

●   Active Ohio RN License. May be required to obtain other state licensure

●    Foreign graduates must have license validated through TruMerit per Ohio Board of Nursing code for Foreign Graduates

• Pass Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Certification Course during orientation

Preferred:

●       BSN from ACEN or CCNE accredited institution or MSN

Comprehensive job description provided upon request.

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