Per Diem Nurse - Compass and STEP Programs

The Per Diem Nurse is responsible and accountable for prescribing, implementing, and evaluating the nursing care delivered within their shift, and for utilizing the nursing process to provide assessment, treatment planning, and evaluation of client care within designated clinical areas. The Per Diem Nurse is responsible for meeting all regulatory documentation standards. The Per Diem Nurse participates in the multidisciplinary team, Quality Assurance, and Utilization Review activities. They act as a clinical role model and provide nursing consultation to staff within the assigned areas of responsibility.

***This position supports the Compass and STEP Programs in Salinas and the STEP Program in San Jose***

About COMPASS Monterey County

Seneca’s Monterey County's COMPASS Program provide short-term residential treatment for children and youth experiencing crises, ensuring timely support when it’s most needed. Upon enrollment in the program, the Seneca teams work with the youth and support networks to assess the needs and strengths of the youth in order to develop the foundation goals that will drive treatment. Comprehensive services include timely mental health assessments, crisis counseling, and linkage to long-term, sustainable support based on each client’s unique strengths and needs. The ultimate goal is to provide mental health/crisis services, suicide prevention, decrease in placement changes and reduction of unnecessary psychiatric hospitalization.

About STEP Programs

The STEP (Skills, Transitions, Exploration, and Progress) program provides Day Treatment Intensive (DTI) services to youth ages 12-17. The goal of the STEP program is to provide intensive, short-term stabilization services to enable our clients to step down to lower levels of outpatient mental health treatment. All groups are designed to teach youth the skills necessary to help them learn about their mental health, provide psychoeducation, and help them learn skills to feel better and be safe. STEP consists of a multidisciplinary team of counselors, clinicians, a nurse, psychiatrist provider, and program supervisor.

Responsibilities:

• Evaluate illness or injuries.
• Monitor Physician orders for medication or treatment, and prescriptions filled at outside pharmacies.
• Maintain working relationships with Pediatricians, Specialists, Psychiatrist Providers, Therapists, and hospitals who provide care to clients.
• Arrange appointments or receive orders for treatments when nursing expertise is required to facilitate the process.
• Ongoing training with staff on medications and handling medications.
• Provide other health-related education to staff and clients.
• Document all nursing interventions, including maintaining medication assistance records.
• Collect and analyze assessment data to identify treatment problems and formulate individualized outcomes and plans. Implement and evaluate nursing interventions.
• Review all medical incident reports for shifts.
• Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings.
• Meet regularly with the Program Director and Psychiatrists as requested.
• Collaborate with Psychiatrist Provider to ensure quality of medication administration, adequate consents, medical treatment and follow-up.
• Collaborate with Clinical Manager to ensure health and safety, infection control, resource utilization, and clinical and rehabilitative standards of care.
• Attend appropriate treatment reviews related to health care for youth.
• Provide on-call support for nursing questions, as needed.
• Lead and support groups in the milieu.
• Process referrals, schedule and participate in intakes, complete physical screenings.
• Safely transport youth to medical appointments and assist with the timely pick up of prescriptions and other urgent medical necessities, ensuring continuity of care.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing OR Associate Degree in Nursing (ASN)
• Active Registered Nurse licensure with the regulatory agency responsible for licensing, examination, and enforcement of competent nursing practice standards in the state Nurse is working in.
• Current CPR-BLS certification.
• Psychiatric Nursing experience preferred.
• At least 21 years of age.
• TB test clearance, fingerprinting clearance, and any other state/federal licensing or certification requirements.

Schedule

• Schedule will vary
  • STEP shifts are Mon - Fri, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  • COMPASS shifts are Mon- Fri, 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Benefits

• Starting at $61.90 - $64.40 per hour
  • Actual salary dependent of creditable experience above the minimum qualifications for the role
  • Additional compensation provided upon passing bilingual language proficiency exam
  • Salary increases each year
• Promotional opportunities across the agency in California