Job Purpose/Summary

The ACT Registered Nurse utilizes the professional nursing process to provide a holistic approach to nursing interventions. The incumbent promotes mental health and physical well-being through treatment and crisis intervention. The ACT Registered Nurse provides individual, group, and family counseling for consumers with a variety of psychiatric disorders. The position administers injections, as well as assists psychiatrist as needed. The incumbent attends team meeting daily. The ACT Registered Nurse utilizes technical nursing skills to administer, dispense, and safeguard medications stored at the ACT or CTT office. The position performs nursing duties in accordance with standard agency practices.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Registered Nurse (RN) licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Experience: Minimum of 6 months of experience working in a psychiatric setting preferred.

Licenses, Certifications & Clearances:  

• Act 33/34 Clearances
• FBI Clearance
• Valid State of PA Class 1 Drivers License
• Access to properly insured motor vehicle for client transportation and fieldwork and a safe driving record

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Exhibits ethical business behavior and maintains confidentiality of information and compliance as required by WFS policy.
• Ability to exhibit cultural sensitivity and to contribute to a work environment where diversity is welcomed and supported.
• Commitment to supporting the Quality Whole Person Care® service philosophy and work-place culture.
• Excellent knowledge of nursing care methods and procedures.
• Excellent knowledge of emergency care.
• In-depth knowledge of health and safety guidelines and procedures (e.g., sanitation, decontamination, etc.) and willingness to follow them at all times.
• A team player with excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Responsible and compassionate.
• Outstanding organizational and multi-tasking skills.
• Combines patience with excellent problem-solving skills.
• Commitment to empowering others to solve their own problems.
• Commitment to valuing a nurturing family as the ideal environment.
• Conviction about the capacity of people to grow and change.
• Ability to establish a respectful relationship with persons served to help them gain skills and confidence.
• Ability to work collaboratively with other personnel and/or service providers or professionals.
• Capacity to maintain a helping role and to intervene appropriately to meet service goals.
• Ability to set appropriate limits.
• Knowledge of normal growth and development, as well as normal and abnormal personality development.
• Knowledge of treatment process relative to a variety of diagnostic categories.
• Ability to make a nursing assessment, plan interventions, and implement treatment plans.
• Ability to perform professionally the technical aspects of nursing.
• Ability to make perceptive observations of consumers’ conditions and document accurately.
• Ability to establish and maintain an effective working rapport with consumers, other members of the mental health team, or service providers.
• Ability to work some evenings to accommodate the needs of consumers.

• Mental Illness and Substance Abuse requirements:
  • Knowledge of substance abuse vs. substance dependency, identifying signs and symptoms of substance abuse and substance dependency, life-threatening symptoms related to dependency and detoxification, and determining which level of care a consumer is suited for, based on signs and symptoms and benzodiazepines
  • Knowledge of dual diagnosis criteria for Axis I MH (Mental Health) and SA (Substance Abuse) disorders
  • Ability to identify which substances are potentially addictive and, therefore, require detoxification physically
  • Ability to identify when a consumer requires medical care (monitoring and/or management), due to over-dosage or detoxification
  • Ability to delineate when symptoms are resultant of mental illness vs. psychoactive substance use or alcohol use
  • Ability to educate consumer about symptoms and signs of dual diagnosis (MH and SA)

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Monitors consumer’s condition and assesses their needs to provide the best possible care and advice.
• Observes and interprets consumer symptoms and communicates them to physicians.
• Collaborates with physicians and nurses to devise individualized care plans for consumers.
• Performs routine procedures (e.g., blood pressure measurements, administering injections, etc.) and fills in consumers’ charts.
• Adjusts and administers consumer medication and provides treatments according to physician’s orders.
• Provides instant medical care in emergencies.
• Supervises and trains LPNs and nursing assistants.
• Fosters a supportive and compassionate environment to care for consumers and their families.
• Expands knowledge and capabilities by attending educational workshops, conferences, etc.

• Initially assesses the consumer’s needs and proposes goals and treatment strategies to the multidisciplinary treatment team through daily meetings. Arranges initial psychiatric evaluation and advocates for services as necessary.
• Collaborates with consumer on treatment planning. Develops and maintains a treatment plan, which reflects individual consumer needs and goals. Reviews and updates treatment plan with multidisciplinary treatment and consumer at least every 90 days.
• Provides individual supportive counseling services and/or group therapy for assigned consumers as determined by treatment plans.
• Meets agency expectation for productivity.
• Communicates with families, significant others, or service providers, when necessary, to arrange appointments, explain medication regime, or monitor progress. Consults with psychiatrists of other health care providers to address any medical issues and promote continuity of care.
• Assesses crisis situations and determines consumers’ need for psychiatric hospitalization. Arranges for hospitalization, as needed, and involuntary commitment when appropriate. Assures transportation, as needed, and coordinates arrangements when warranted.
• Displays a working knowledge of agency and community resources. Refers consumers needing other services. Contacts collateral resources such as physicians, other agencies, and supportive services. Participates with staffing of other intra/inter agency service providers, such as OVR (Office of Vocational Rehabilitation), NorthCo, CRR (Community Residential Rehabilitation), Partial, etc.
• Maintains clinical records. Documents contacts with consumers and collaterals. Updates forms, as needed, and reviews charts for compliance with county and state regulations.
• Completes required paperwork, such as clinical charges, service activity logs, and other consumer/program related correspondence, including SSI, SSDI, MA, insurance, and hospital communication forms.
• Reviews consumer liability forms regularly to ensure correct funding sources are being billed for service.
• Prepares and administers injectable, oral, and topical medication as prescribed by physician. Utilizes nursing assessment skills to administer PRN (as needed) medications from an approved list provided by psychiatrist. Administers STAT medications ordered by psychiatrists in accordance with agency policy. Assesses consumer for therapeutic or untoward side effects from STAT medication. Accurately documents in consumers’ medical records.
• Receives and documents verbal medication orders from the psychiatrists according to agency policy. Transcribes medication orders to medication monitoring form in accordance with agency procedures.
• Assesses consumers response to on-going medication regime, including desired, as well as possible, side effects. Determines from the nursing assessment which response requires immediate attention from the physician, which responses are expected, and which responses can wait until the consumers’ regular scheduled appointment with the psychiatrist.
• Provides medication monitoring service for children referred to the department. Reports observations to attending psychiatrist.
• Provides Clozaril monitoring services for consumers participating in the agency’s Clozaril program. Reviews laboratory values and alerts psychiatrist and the National Registry of any abnormal results. Coordinates services, as needed, and communicates pertinent information. Dispenses Clozaril after the psychiatrist approves the required bloodwork results. Provides health teaching regarding the medication and related issues.
• Dispenses medication to consumers or prior-approved designee, assuring the correct person receives correct prescription.
• Assists in safeguarding medications stored on the agency premises in accordance with established agency procedures (double locked).
• Employs “universal blood and body fluid precautions” as recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) when administering medications or providing direct care, which may involve exposure to blood or other body fluids.
• Monitors laboratory results and annual physical examinations of consumers on the nursing caseload. Informs psychiatrist of any abnormal lab results or health related issues. Recommends medical follow-up when appropriate. Assists consumer with arrangements for medical follow-up when necessary.
• Assesses the needs of persons who may become physically ill while at the agency centers. May also accompany a physically ill person in an ambulance to the nearest hospital. Recommends medical follow-up when appropriate and assists with arrangements as needed.
• Provides consumer health teaching on diagnoses, treatment pharmacotherapy, nutrition and diet therapy, and other health related issues. Additionally, provides health teaching for families, significant others, and/or service providers as warranted.
• Maintains clinical competence by utilizing supervision, current literature, consultation, and staff development opportunities.
• Serves on agency’s Pharmacy Utilization Review Committee (PURC) and other committees as assigned by Supervisor. Participates in Clozaril meetings and treatment teams as needed to ensure continuity of care.
• Collaborates with pharmacies, physicians, service providers, and medical secretaries to resolve consumer medication issues.
• Provides in-service for other staff members on health-related subjects or any material relevant to mental health care providers.
• Adheres to PA regulations and the requirements set forth by federal agencies of OSHA and the Department of Transportation governing the management of infectious and chemotherapeutic waste, storage, and removal.
• Completes the portion of the comprehensive assessment for nurses, which is part of the ACT guidelines (Section 2) in a timely fashion (6 weeks of admission).

Quality Whole Person Care® is Wesley Family Services’ service philosophy that aims to enhance the clinical care provided to individuals served while also helping to strengthen the way we support one another as colleagues.  WFS has embedded QWPC practices which emphasize every person has value in all aspects of services and work-place culture.

WFS is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policies for both current and prospective employees prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin (including limited English proficiency), age, sex assigned at birth, sexual orientation, transgender identity, gender transition, gender identity, gender expression, disability, or military/veteran status.

$10,000 HIRING BONUS paid in installments: $5,000 after 6 months and $5,000 after 1 year!!

New grads are encouraged to apply!!

Primarily 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. schedule!!

*Meeting with consumers in community settings*

*Possibility to work 4 10 hour shifts per week*

*Agency cars provided for any consumer transport*

On-call: $265/week with additional call out pay!! Opportunity for additional bonus available!!

Education: Registered Nurse (RN) licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Experience: Minimum of 6 months of experience working in a psychiatric setting preferred

Pay: $60,000 - $70,000 per year

Greensburg, PA

Benefits for Full Time Employees:

Medical, Dental, and Visions plans effective the 1st of month after 30 days
Flexible Work Schedule
15 paid days off 1st year, 20 Paid days off 2nd year, then continues to increase
Tuition Reimbursement
Discounted Tuition for several local colleges/universities.
11 Paid Holidays
Pet Insurance
Employer Paid Short Term and Long Term Disability
401k Plan - Employer match available!
Employer paid life insurance
Critical Illness Diagnosis & Accident Insurance
Yearly performance reviews with merit increase eligibility