Behavioral Health Registered Nurse
Saint Louis, Missouri
Barnes-Jewish Hospital

Job Opportunity: Behavioral Health Registered Nurse

Location: Saint Louis, Missouri
Employment Type: Travel/Contract
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Job Summary

Seeking a Behavioral Health Registered Nurse for a travel contract position in a short-term acute care, Magnet & Teaching hospital with Level I Trauma Center designation. The role involves working in a Behavioral Health Psychiatric Center with a patient-to-nurse ratio of 6:1.

Required Experience

• Minimum 1 year of experience in Behavioral Health nursing (higher value confirmed)
• First-time travelers accepted (no prior travel experience required)

Work Schedule & Environment

• Weekend requirement: Every other weekend
• No on-call duties
• Floating within Behavioral Health service line and to all Behavioral Health units
• No block scheduling accommodation
• Locals not accepted
• Pending license accepted
• Return to Office (RTO) restrictions: No more than 7 days
• Guaranteed hours: 3 shifts per 13 weeks

Required Certifications

• BLS (Basic Life Support)
• CPI (Crisis Prevention Institute) Blue Card only (MAB not accepted)
• Epic electronic health record experience required
• Additional certifications may be required depending on unit (e.g., ACLS, TNCC, PALS) but not specified for this role

Required Skills

• Geriatric and adult inpatient Behavioral Health experience
• Experience in locked units, medical/psychiatric care, substance use/chemical dependency
• Medication administration (PO, rectal, IM, IV, SC, etc.)
• Starting and maintaining IVs
• Blood glucose monitoring
• Foley catheter insertion and maintenance
• Experience with patients exhibiting aggressive behaviors, schizoaffective disorder, intellectual/developmental disabilities, alcohol/opioid withdrawal, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety
• Minor medical skills including insulin administration, colostomy care, insulin pump management, CPAP, minor wound care
• Ability to float to other Behavioral Health units caring for older adults and adults with medical co-morbidities and mobility issues (e.g., dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, bipolar disorder, anxiety)
• Some patients may require pre-op preparation for Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Licensure

• Must hold an active Registered Nurse (RN) license valid in Missouri
• Pending licenses accepted

Compliance & Background Requirements

• Government-issued ID required
• Criminal background check within 6 months, including statewide and nationwide searches
• Quarterly EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG checks
• Education verification of highest nursing degree required
• Fingerprinting required for assignments in Illinois long-term care or rehab units (not applicable here)
• State-specific searches and registries as applicable for Missouri
• Drug testing within 1 year of start, must include comprehensive panel
• Physical exam within 1 year of start
• Fit mask testing (N95) required and must be renewed annually
• Immunizations and health screenings required:

  • Tdap vaccine or declination
  • Negative TB test or chest X-ray with yearly TB questionnaire
  • Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella immunity or vaccination/declination as applicable
  • Seasonal flu vaccination or approved exemption during flu season
• HIPAA acknowledgement, confidentiality, hand hygiene, dress code, and other facility policies must be reviewed and signed prior to start
• Completion of facility-specific orientation modules (approx. 16 hours) through online platform required before start

Additional Requirements

• Unit-specific skills checklist within 1 year of start
• Medication and pharmacology competency exam required
• Dysrhythmia/EKG competency exam may be required depending on unit
• References: Two professional references required, preferably supervisors within the last year
• Employment application must be completed and uploaded

Notes

• This position involves working with a diverse Behavioral Health patient population, including adults with complex psychiatric and medical needs.
• The facility uses Epic for charting.
• The role requires flexibility to float within Behavioral Health units but not outside the service line.
• First-time travel nurses are welcome to apply; prior travel experience is not required.

This summary includes all relevant information for healthcare recruiters and healthcare workers considering this Behavioral Health RN travel contract position in Missouri.