RN II - DCB 4B Geriatric Psychiatric Unit (Day Shift)

UTHealth Houston; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% paid medical premiums

Generous time off

Longevity Pay

Retirement/pension plan

Wellbeing and employee discounts

Job summary

UTHealth Houston’s John S. Dunn Behavioral Sciences Center is hiring a Registered Nurse II to join the day-shift team on the 4B geriatric psychiatric unit.

You will deliver professional nursing care to geriatric patients with various psychiatric diagnoses and supervise nursing staff on the unit. The role emphasizes patient safety, dignity, and recovery, with orientation and mandatory training, and a benefits package including comprehensive insurance, generous leave, longevity pay and a pension

Qualifications

• Current Texas RN license required.
• CPR certification required.
• Bachelor's degree in nursing with 1 year nursing experience; OR ADN with 3 years; OR Nursing Diploma with 2 years; OR HCPC Staff Nurse I pathway.

Responsibilities

• Assess patient needs, plans and implements patient care activities and evaluates the patients’ response to the treatment.
• Assist patient and families in discharge planning, including medications, safety issues post-discharge, home care, potential problems and appropriate follow-up for additional support needed.
• Participate in regularly scheduled team conferences and collaborates with health care providers in treatment, discharge planning and provisions of care.
• Functions as the liaison between patients and physicians, other multidisciplinary team members and community agencies/resources.
• Documents patient care and outcomes per hospital policy and accrediting agencies.
• Administers medication and other therapeutic interventions, as ordered by the physician.
• Makes decisions based on experience and training as to whether emergency situation exists and responds to emergency situations. May administer CPR and/or other first aid measures.
• Remains abreast of developments in nursing by attending seminars and workshops, reading pertinent literature.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills

Compassionate care

Team collaboration

Nursing assessment

Patient safety

Education

Bachelor's degree in nursing

Associate degree in nursing

Nursing Diploma

ADN with HCPC experience

Job description

UTHealth Houston’s John S. Dunn Behavioral Sciences Center, the largest academic psychiatric hospital in the country, is hiring a Registered Nurse II to join their team of professionals on the day shift supporting the Dunn Center 4B Unit. The 4B Unit serves geriatric psychiatric patients with a variety of psychiatric diagnosis such as major depressive disorder, psychosis, suicidal thoughts, or other mental health conditions. Forty percent of the patient population are ages sixty and above. We are seeking compassionate and motivated professionals who are passionate about behavioral health and geriatric patient care. The ideal candidate will have experience delivering safe, high-quality care and maintaining a therapeutic environment that promotes patient safety, dignity, and recovery.

Unit Information and Work Environment

DCB 4B is a 24-bed geriatric psychiatric unit that provides specialized care to both male and female patients. The unit is committed to fostering a safe and therapeutic environment that prioritizes patient and staff safety, meaningful patient engagement, and service excellence. Through strong teamwork and collaboration, the interdisciplinary team delivers recovery-oriented, trauma-informed care that promotes dignity, respect, and optimal patient outcomes. DCB 4B strives to support each patient’s recovery journey while maintaining the highest standards of compassionate, patient-centered psychiatric care.

Typical Staffing Levels and Team Structure

• 3 Registered Nurses (RNs)
• 3 Psychiatric Technicians (Psych Techs)

Schedule:

Day Shift, 7am-7pm. Nurses work 7 shifts in a two-week period (3/4 split matrix schedule / Matrix scheduling pattern with alternating weekends - Weekends are defined as Friday, Saturday, and Sunday).

Orientation Schedule:

All new hires will go through a 4-week mandatory orientation process

• 2 Week Hospital Wide Education Orientation: 8:00am – 4:30pm
• 2 Week Unit-Based Orientation

Please note: Team members will be required to float to other behavioral health units based on staffing needs and patient census.

The John S. Dunn Behavioral Sciences Center at UTHealth Houston, inclusive of the Harris County Psychiatric Center (HCPC), offers individualized inpatient treatment options for a variety of behavioral health disorders across the 23 units on-site. These units include treatment in child/adolescent, adult/geriatric, co-occurring disease, psychosis, and competency restoration units.

What we do here changes the world. UTHealth Houston is Texas’ resource for healthcare education, innovation, scientific discovery, and excellence in patient care. That’s where you come in.

Once you join us you won't want to leave. It’s because we reward our team for the excellent service they provide. Our total rewards package includes the benefits you’d expect from a top healthcare organization (benefits, insurance, etc.), plus:

• 100% paid medical premiums for our full-time employees
• Generous time off (holidays, preventative leave day, both vacation and sick time – all of which equates to around 37-38 days per year)
• The longer you stay, the more vacation you’ll accrue!
• Longevity Pay (Monthly payments after two years of service)
• Build your future with our awesome retirement/pension plan!

We take care of our employees! As a world-renowned institution, our employees’ wellbeing is important to us. We offer work/life services such as...

• Free financial and legal counseling
• Free mental health counseling services
• Gym membership discounts and access to wellness programs
• Other employee discounts including entertainment, car rentals, cell phones, etc.
• Resources for child and elder care
• Plus many more!

Position Summary:

Assesses patients’ medical and psychiatric needs and provides professional nursing care in response to this assessment. Directs and supervises the delivery of care by other nursing team members (LVNs and Psychiatric Technicians) in an inpatient psychiatric setting.

Position Key Accountabilities:

• Assesses patient needs, plans and implements patient care activities and evaluates the patients’ response to the treatment.
• Assists patient and families in discharge planning, including instructions concerning medications, safety issues post-discharge, home care, potential problems and appropriate follow-up for additional support needed.
• Participates in regularly scheduled team conferences and collaborates with the related health care providers in treatment, discharge planning and provisions of care.
• Functions as the liaison between patients and physicians, other multidisciplinary team members and community agencies/resources.
• Documents patient care and outcomes per hospital policy and accrediting agencies.
• Administers medication and other therapeutic interventions, as ordered by the physician.
• Makes decisions based on experience and training as to whether emergency situation exists and responds to emergency situations. May administer CPR and/or other first aid measures.
• Remains abreast of developments in the field of nursing by attending seminars and workshops, communicating with peers and reading pertinent literature.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Certification/Skills:

Current State of Texas Registered Nurse license. CPR certified.

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in nursing from an accredited nursing school with one year nursing experience; OR Associates degree in nursing from an accredited nursing school with three years nursing experience; OR Nursing Diploma (3 year program) and two years nursing experience; OR will accept ADN with two years' experience at HCPC as a Staff Nurse I.

Minimum Experience:

Years of experience varies based on education level.

Physical Requirements:

Exerts up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 20 pounds frequently and/or a negligible amount constantly to move objects.

Security Sensitive:

• 51.215

Residency Requirement:

Employees must permanently reside and work in the State of Texas.