RN-PSYCH SVCS

Covenant Health; Knoxville (TN); On-site; USD 68,000 - 84,000; Full time

Job summary

Parkwest Medical Center, Covenant Health’s flagship facility in West Knoxville, is seeking a Registered Nurse for Senior Behavioral Health on the day shift. You will provide clinical direction within the patient care team and apply the nursing process to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care.

The role emphasizes supervision, maintaining a safe therapeutic environment, medication administration, and collaborating with physicians and other professionals to develop measurable treatment plans.

Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited nursing school.
• Current Tennessee RN licensure.
• Previous psychiatric nursing experience not required.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical direction as part of a patient care team.
• Maintain a safe and therapeutic patient environment.
• Perform medication administration duties.
• Implement physician orders accurately and document properly.
• Lead training and orientation of new staff as directed.
• Participate in the multidisciplinary treatment team.
• Advocate for patient rights and address concerns.
• Develop and implement patient care plans.
• Perform ECG and bedside glucose monitoring.
• Adhere to infection control and safety policies.

Skills

Therapeutic communication

Clinical direction

Patient care planning

Medication administration

NANDA nursing diagnoses

DSM IV classifications

Education

Nursing degree

Tools

ECG

Bedside glucose meter

Vital signs assessment

Job description

Registered Nurse, Senior Behavioral Health

Full Time, 72 Hours Per Pay Period, Day Shift

Parkwest Overview

Parkwest Medical Center, Covenant Health’s flagship facility in West Knoxville, combines world-class cardiac expertise with the warmth of home in serving a vibrant East Tennessee community. Since 1973, Parkwest has grown into the region’s largest hospital in the area, offering advanced services like an all-digital catheterization lab, comprehensive breast health, emergency, and critical care. It’s consistently ranked among Tennessee's top 10 hospitals by U.S.News & World Report and earns national recognition as a Top100 Heart Hospital, as well as an “A” safety grade from Leapfrog. As part of Covenant Health, the region’s largest employer, Parkwest Medical Center, marries cutting-edge technology with compassionate, community-centered care, earning accolades for cardiology, stroke, surgical excellence, and patient safety. To learn more about Parkwest Medical Center and our units, visit Covenant Health Parkwest Medical Center Opportunities.

Position Summary

Responsible for quality patient care by providing clinical direction as part of a patient care team and by using the nursing process in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating the delivery of patient care.

• Provides proper supervision and guidance in the daily activities of the program as part of a patient care team.
• Responsible for maintaining a safe and therapeutic patient environment as part of a patient care team.
• Demonstrates and maintains competence in therapeutic communication, supportive counseling, small group dynamics, scheduled activities, and the therapeutic milieu to manage the unit, to provide support and limits for the patients, and to carry out the Treatment Plan for each patient.
• Implements the use of restrictive measures with patients as necessary in collaboration with medical staff when least restrictive measures have failed and provides clinical supervision during the intervention.
• Assists in the training, orientation, and teaching of new staff members as directed by the Nurse Manager or Nurse Supervisor.
• Performs medication administration duties.
• Implements physician orders accurately and with proper documentation.
• Solicits administrative or medical consultation to assure quality patient care.
• Accesses emergency medical care for patients, provides a report to the Emergency Room, assures that a report from the Emergency Room is provided before the return of the patient, and facilitates the receipt of records. Provides for patient stabilization.
• Determines patient acuity and makes patient care assignments to appropriate nursing staff.
• Facilitates the admission process and discharge process and assures that all relevant information is comprehensive, accurate, and appropriately documented.
• May perform 24-hour chart reviews.
• Participates in the treatment team process by interacting with the multidisciplinary team of care providers.
• Applies Infection Control, Hospital Emergency, Hazardous Materials Management, and Patient/Proprietary Information Confidentiality policies.
• Advocates for the rights of the patients and is able to process patient complaints and concerns.
• Formulates nursing diagnosis (using NANDA taxonomy) and uses standard DSM IV classifications of mental disorders to express conclusions supported by the collection of data.
• Develops treatment plans with specific goals that are patient-centered, time-oriented, and measurable and that are unique to each patient’s needs.
• Performs ECG, VP, and Bedside Glucose Meter procedures.
• Follows policies, procedures, and safety standards. Completes required education assignments annually. Works toward achieving goals and objectives and participates in quality improvement initiatives as requested.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Education

A graduate of an accredited nursing school

Minimum Experience

Previous experience in the practice of psychiatric nursing not required.

Licensure Requirement

Current licensure as a registered professional nurse in the State of Tennessee.