Job Description

The Metro Boston Mental Health Unit at Lemuel Shattuck Hospital seeks a compassionate, skilled caregiver to become part of a dynamic nursing team.

The selected candidate will provide and supervise the provision of direct nursing care and treatment to people served on DMH Continuing Care Units by participating as a member of the multi-disciplinary team, assessing health care and educational needs of patients and their families, assisting in admission and discharge of patients, facilitating milieu groups and supervising assigned staff. Performs related duties as required.

Please note: This is a full-time (40hr/week) Evening shift position: 2:45 PM- 11:15 PM with alternating weekends off. Days off: Week 1: Sun/Thu, Week 2: Mon/Sat.

• Assists with patient admissions by collecting data, assessing learning needs, and participating in treatment planning with a multidisciplinary team.
• Assists patients in preparing for transfer or discharge to a less restrictive setting by providing health and mental health teaching to maximize the rehabilitation potential of each patient and by facilitating a therapeutic milieu group that meets minimally once per week.
• Practices principles of Safety, Hope and Healing, including prevention, trauma-informed care, de-escalation, and restraint/seclusion only when necessary to provide a safe environment. Assists patients in reviewing and revising their Individual Crisis Plans (ICPP) and brings recommended changes to the Treatment Team.
• Performs related duties such as responding to health and safety issues and initiating appropriate action, communicating with appropriate staff, and preparing and maintaining pertinent documentation.
• Serves as a role model for staff at all times, by taking initiative in meeting patient needs, demonstrating professionalism and respect in all interactions, and working collaboratively with all colleagues.
• Investigates complaints by patients and others regarding such matters as methods of treatment, room assignments, etc., and attempts to resolve such complaints to promote patient safety and satisfaction.
• Supervises and provides leadership to nursing staff by utilizing professional standards of practice to ensure that patients receive appropriate care and treatment.
• Plans and assigns nursing duties according to the nature of the activity to be accomplished utilizing the principles and practices of supervision by evaluating the capabilities of subordinates (and available resources) to provide a safe and therapeutic environment.
• Evaluates the capabilities of subordinates to provide a safe and therapeutic environment, provides assistance to staff in improving their skills and abilities and completes formal employee evaluations (EPRS) in a timely manner.
• Evaluates nursing activities by reviewing patient medical records, observing nursing care, and visiting patients to ensure that nursing care is carried out as directed, and that treatments and medications are administered in accordance with physician orders.
• Participates in organized meetings and in team building to ensure total patient care needs are met, and to establish good working relationships.
• Actively supports the goals and mission of the organization and assigned unit by discussing strategies for achieving these goals with the Nurse Manager, and serving as a role model for coworkers, promoting the psychiatric rehabilitation model of treatment, and actively participating organizational committees.
• Actively participates in the identification, planning and implementation of hospital wide and unit based performance improvement and team building activities. Remains informed of hospital and departmental policies and procedures, as well as Joint Commission and CMS standards, in order to ensure that regulatory and departmental standards are met, and a safe therapeutic environment is provided.

• Ability to establish and maintain harmonious working relationships with others.
• Understanding of the principles and practices of nursing.
• Awareness of the problems in providing nursing services to special client groups such as the chronic, severely mentally ill.
• Keen knowledge of psychopathology and current treatment approaches used.
• Ability to set a positive working climate and to establish effective, productive working relationships with others.
• Capacity to maintain flexibility and deal with stress.
• Comprehension of the principles and practices of supervision, including planning and assigning work according to the nature of the job to be accomplished, the capabilities of subordinates and available work resources, and determining employees training needs.
• Knowledge of the methods used in employee evaluations and periodic reviews of work performance.
• Talent to accurately describe the physical, behavioral, and mental status of patients, in oral and written reports.
• Capable to transport heavy objects or persons.

• Given the population served, bilingual or multilingual fluency.
• 1+ years of experience supervising staff.
• Professional experience working with individuals who have acute mental illness.