Licensed Practical Nurse - Mental Health jobs in Arizona

LINES OF AUTHORITY:  This position is supervised by the Nursing Manager. Indirectly supervised by R.N. shift supervisor.

POSITION SUMMARY:  Provide care and safety to patients in Pathways Facility. Care includes dispensing medications as ordered by Mohave Mental Health Clinic (MMHC) Behavioral Health Medical Practitioner (BHMP), performing Accu-Cheks, obtaining blood and urine samples as ordered, and providing a therapeutic and educational program via educational protocols.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES/ RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Provides care and safety to patients in Pathways.  Makes assignments for staff under the supervision of the R.N. shift supervisor on duty.
2. Works with R.N. shift supervisors to monitor unit for compliance of safety issues and infection control.   
3. Provides customer service to internal and external customers and stakeholders.   
4. Participates in the Performance Improvement Processes for the unit.   
5. In collaboration with RN shift supervisors ensures that the Treatment Plan and Treatment Plan Review(s) are current and address patient specific needs, problems, and goals.   
6. The employee must work well under pressure, meeting multiple, and sometimes conflicting, deadlines.  The employee shall, at all times, demonstrate cooperative behavior with colleagues and supervisors.   
7. Performs other duties as assigned.
8. Able to effectively de-escalate patients using techniques as trained and outlined in approved crisis intervention models.

PRIMARY CONTACTS:

• Interaction with patients and their families/significant others, peers,  
• subordinates, supervisors and other community medical staff.

POSITION REQUISITES:

Qualifications and Experience

• Current and valid Arizona Board of Licensed Practical Nursing license and current CPR  Certification.
• Have no convictions for felonies or misdemeanor involving substance abuse, sexual  misbehavior or assault.
• State of Arizona Department of Public Safety Fingerprint Clearance. Lack of certification status as per Licensing standards is grounds for immediate dismissal.
• L.P.N. must be able to calibrate and perform Accu-Cheks as per MMHC policy, which includes doing a return demonstration in orientation and annually thereafter.

Preferred: 

• 1-3 years experience in Psychiatric Health Nursing.

Skills/Abilities

Required:

• Possess good Active Learning skills.
• Possess Learning Strategies skills.
• Possess Monitoring skills.
• Possess excellent Social Perceptiveness skills.
• Possess good Critical Thinking skills.
• Possess good Speaking skills.
• Possess good Writing skills.
• Possess excellent Active Listening skills.
• Possess good Reading Comprehension skills.
• Possess excellent Time Management skills.

REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIAL POPULATIONS

Persons conducting assessments and/or providing treatment to special populations are able, through training and experience, as well as through agency-specific observation or testing of performance, to:

SUBSTANCE USE

Staff responsible for providing services to substance using members have appropriate training, education, experience, performance, and demonstrate competency.

Staff must be able to gather and assess information about:

• The relationship of each member's physical status to the dependence.
• The nature of the emotional compulsion to use alcohol and/or other drugs.
• The intensity of the member's preoccupation with using alcohol and/or other drugs.

Staff must also demonstrate competency in their ability to:

• Interpret information about a member's use of alcohol and/or other drugs.
• Develop a written summary and/or treatment plan based on member's problems and needs;
• Provide appropriate services.

SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL

Staff responsible for providing services to seriously mentally ill members have appropriate training, education, experience, performance, and demonstrate competency.

• Staff have knowledge and ability to gather and interpret information about seriously mentally ill members.
• Staff understand the member's needs and the range, intensity, and duration of care, habilitation and rehabilitation required.

INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED

Staff responsible for providing services to members with intellectual disabilities have appropriate training, education, experience, performance, and demonstrate competency.

• Staff have knowledge and ability to gather and interpret information about a member with an intellectual disability.
• Staff understand the member's needs and the range, intensity, and duration of care, habilitation or rehabilitation required.

WORKING CONDITION:

Physical Requirements:

• Able to sit and walk for extended periods of time.
• Occasional lifting (40 lbs) and reaching.
• Able to read and understand chart documents and other written communications.
• Position may require assisting clients in ambulating, eating, and activities of daily living  or assisting other medical staff in the installation of restraints.
• Must be comfortable dealing with mentally ill or intoxicated individuals.

Equipment Operation:

• Telephone, fax, copier, preferred Windows office programs, blood spinner, weigh scales, blood pressure cuff.
• Audio/visual equipment.
• Washer and dryer, microwave, lab printer, dishwasher, and Accu-Chek.

Environmental Conditions:

• Air conditioned and/or heated indoor work environment.

Accommodation(s)

Mohave Mental Health Clinic will provide reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities, unless it would cause undue hardship.  We define reasonable accommodation as any change in the work environment or in the way a job is performed that enables a person with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities.  We will make a good faith effort to list any special requirements in our job descriptions.