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

Job Opportunity: Behavioral Health Registered Nurse (RN)

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

Job Details

• Shift: 3 shifts per week, 12-hour day shifts
• Patient Ratios: 1:6
• Weekend Requirement: Every other weekend
• Floating: Within service line and to all Behavioral Health units
• Block Schedule: Not accommodated
• Local Candidates: Not accepted (must be outside 75-mile radius)
• Pending License: Accepted
• On-call: No
• Guaranteed Hours: 3 shifts per 13 weeks
• RTO Restrictions: No more than 7 days off

Specialty & Experience

• Specialty: Registered Nurse - Behavioral Health
• Required Years of Experience: 1 year
• Prior Travel Experience: Not required (first-time travelers accepted)

Patient Population & Unit Description

• Adult psychiatric and geriatric patients (18 years and older)
• Patients with co-morbid medical conditions requiring a med-surg approach
• Diagnoses may include dementia, depression, Parkinson's Disease, bipolar disorder, anxiety
• Some patients require pre-op prep for Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
• Work includes presence in milieu, restraint application, IV starts, and charge nurse duties as needed

Required Certifications & Skills

• Certifications:

  • BLS (Basic Life Support)
  • CPI (Crisis Prevention Institute) Blue Card or Management of Assaultive Behavior (MAB) if applicable
• Skills:

  • Geriatric care
  • Inpatient psychiatric care
  • 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
• Special Requirements:

  • Experience with Epic electronic health record system
  • Medical and psychiatric nursing experience

Additional Job Expectations

• May float to other Behavioral Health units with older adult and adult populations
• Some patients have mobility issues and medical co-morbidities
• May work as charge nurse as needed

Facility Highlights

• Short Term Acute Care facility
• Magnet & Teaching Hospital
• Level I Trauma Center
• 1259 staffed beds
• Charting system: Epic
• Scrub color: Navy

Compliance & Documentation 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
• Professional license primary source verification (Missouri RN license)
• Drug testing within 1 year, including a comprehensive panel
• Physical exam within 1 year
• Fit mask testing (N95) required and must be renewed annually
• Immunizations and titers required:

  • Tetanus/Diphtheria/Tdap (every 10 years)
  • Negative TB test or chest X-ray within 1 year
  • Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella immunity or vaccination/declination
  • Seasonal flu vaccination or approved exemption during flu season
• Unit-specific competency exams and skills checklists required
• Medication test/pharmacology competency exam required
• Background checks and state-specific searches as applicable
• Facility-specific documents including HIPAA acknowledgement, confidentiality form, hand hygiene, dress code, and orientation modules must be completed prior to start

Notes

• First-time travelers are accepted; manager open to interviewing first-timers
• No on-call required
• Floating within Behavioral Health service line only
• No block scheduling accommodation
• Must be willing to work every other weekend
• Pending licenses accepted for Missouri

This position is ideal for a Behavioral Health RN with at least 1 year of experience, comfortable working with adult and geriatric psychiatric populations, and skilled in both medical and psychiatric nursing care in an inpatient locked unit setting.