Inpatient Behavioral Health Registered Nurse
St. Louis, Missouri
Barnes-Jewish Hospital

Job Opportunity: Registered Nurse (Travel/Contract)

Location: Saint Louis, Missouri
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Position Details

• Specialty: Registered Nurse (RN)
• Experience Required: Minimum 1 year in specialty
• Prior Travel Experience: Not required; first-time travelers are accepted
• Employment Type: Travel/Contract
• Shift Requirements:

  • Weekend shifts every other weekend required
  • Guaranteed 3 shifts per 13 weeks
  • No on-call required
  • No block scheduling accommodation
  • No local candidates accepted (75-mile radius restriction)
  • Pending license accepted
  • Return to Origin (RTO) restrictions: No more than 7 days

Unit & Patient Population

• Adult Psychiatric and Geriatric patients (18+ years)
• Patients with co-morbid medical conditions requiring med-surg approach
• Locked unit, inpatient behavioral health setting
• Diagnoses include dementia, depression, Parkinson’s Disease, bipolar disorder, anxiety
• Some patients require pre-op prep for Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Nurse-to-Patient Ratio

• 1:6

Required Certifications

• BLS (Basic Life Support)
• CPI (Crisis Prevention Institute) - Blue Card only; 1-day seminar required, can be accommodated onsite
• Epic experience required
• Medical and Psychiatric nursing experience required

Required Skills

• Geriatric care
• Inpatient behavioral health
• Locked unit experience
• Medical/Psych nursing
• Substance use/chemical dependency
• Medication administration (PO, rectal, IM, IV, SC, etc.)
• Starting and maintaining IVs
• Blood glucose monitoring
• Foley catheter insertion and maintenance
• Restraint application
• Presence in milieu
• IV starts
• Ability to float within behavioral health service line units
• Willingness to work as charge nurse as needed

Facility Highlights

• Type: Short Term Acute Care
• Magnet & Teaching Hospital
• Level I Trauma Center
• Total Staffed Beds: 1259
• Charting system: Epic
• Scrub color: Navy

Compliance & Documentation Requirements

• Government-issued ID required
• Criminal background check within 6 months (7-year search including statewide and nationwide checks)
• EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG checks quarterly
• Education verification of highest nursing degree
• State license primary source verification (Missouri license verifiable on NURSYS)
• Drug testing within 1 year, must include specific panels and be valid throughout assignment
• Physical exam within 1 year
• Fit mask testing annually (N95 respirators required)
• Immunizations and titers:

  • Tdap (or declination)
  • Negative TB test or chest X-ray (2 negative PPDs or T-Spot/Q-Gold within 1 year)
  • Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella immunity or vaccination/declination
  • Flu vaccination or medical/religious exemption required during flu season (09/30 - 04/01)
• Background checks and state-specific searches as required for Missouri
• Facility-specific documents including HIPAA acknowledgement, confidentiality form, hand hygiene, fingernail, dress code policies, and orientation modules (approx. 16 hours via WorkRamp)
• Unit-specific competency exams and medication/pharmacology competency exam required annually
• Skills checklist within 1 year of start (unit specific)

Additional Notes

• Floating will be within behavioral health units caring for adult and geriatric patients with medical co-morbidities and mobility issues
• Some patients may have diagnoses such as dementia, depression, Parkinson’s Disease, bipolar disorder, or anxiety
• Candidates must be able to perform restraint application and presence in milieu
• Charge nurse duties may be required occasionally
• No on-call responsibilities
• No block scheduling accommodations

This position is ideal for RNs with behavioral health experience who are comfortable working with adult and geriatric psychiatric populations in an inpatient locked unit setting. The facility supports first-time travel nurses and offers a structured schedule with guaranteed shifts.