Psychiatric Registered Nurse

Psychiatric Registered Nurse

Salary: $41.43 - $52.35 Hourly Location: NE, NE Job Type: Part-time/Full-time Job Number: 10162 Department: Community Mental Health Center Division: 5 E-CENTER INPATIENT Opening Date: 03/20/2026 Closing Date: 4/3/2026 4:30 PM Central

Description

Benefits Questions

The Position Incumbent works under the direction of the Director of Nursing or designee, providing professional psychiatric nursing care to acutely and chronically ill patients and assisting supervisor in providing direction and training to other Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) staff.

Essential Functions

• Implement psychiatric nursing processes and protocols, including carrying out physicians orders and prescribed medical treatment.
• Collect clinical data (e.g. observations/assessments of biophysical, psychosocial, environmental, progress status, educational, discharge planning), record/report patient conditions.
• Establish and maintain effective work relationships with clients, supervisors, County employees, elected officials, attorneys, law enforcement, judges, other agencies, and the public.
• Comply with Civil Service policies and regulations, collective bargaining agreements, County policies, department policies and laws to create a cooperative, safe, respectful and quality work environment.
• Identify and document patients physical and emotional status and/or patterns consulting treatment team, identifying appropriate treatment strategies and providing information regarding treatment/process plan outcomes (e.g. goal status).
• Assist in developing and implementing ongoing individualized patient treatment plans based on communicating insights and observations.
• Delegate, direct, or assign nursing care.
• Assist with planning, orienting, training, evaluating, and supervising the work of team members.
• Administer medication therapy and treatment regimens (e.g. monitor response, document observations), educating patients of medication (e.g. purpose, dosage and side effects) and assisting patients with compliance.
• Provide quality care (e.g. health, nutrition, clothing, spiritual needs) and recognize each patients individuality and need for specialized treatment.
• Complete and update patient records of observations, assessments, and treatments.
• Provide non-judgmental and non-discriminatory care sensitive to the patients/familys diversity, preserving autonomy, dignity and rights.
• Accompany physicians on rounds, assisting physicians with examinations and ordered treatments.
• Educate patients and family members regarding treatment plan, psychiatric care, and continuation of treatment and related patient care issues.
• Ensure cleanliness of equipment and environment.
• Assist in daily operations and functions of the secure treatment facility, serving as a team coordinator.
• Direct and assist with the management of patients at risk for escalation.
• Provide general direction and delegate tasks to licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and psychiatric technicians.
• Participate or lead individual/group counseling sessions, family conferences, and recreational/social therapy sessions, assisting patients in understanding the emotional and physical problems and need for treatment.
• Admit and assess patients, obtaining new patient history (e.g. medical, psychiatric, social, family).
• Obtain and record vital signs, schedule tests, and perform basic procedures (e.g. catheterization, respiratory therapy, blood draws, ostomy care, ECG).
• Conduct and communicate shift-change reports ensuring continuity of care.
• Recognize and intervene during acute episodes utilizing crisis intervention.
• Comply with and ensure staff adherence with CMHC procedures and protocols.
• Assist patients to obtain proper follow-up during acute hospitalization and at discharge, identifying community agencies/resources for transition and stabilization of living in the community.
• Develop therapeutic relationships with patients, maintaining a professional attitude toward clients and treating them with empathy and respect.
• Participate in department meetings discussing patient care, progress, policies, and procedures.
• Maintain competency in psychiatric/mental health nursing care and specific nursing procedures (e.g. research, webinars, seminars, classroom, online training).
• Recognize individuals with co-occurring and trauma disorders are expected and welcome into treatment.
• Handle, use, and dispose of chemicals and biohazards.
• Recommend changes to nursing services and clinic activities; assist in developing and implementing policies, procedures and protocols; maintain updates to the department policy and procedures manual.
• Participate in quality improvement activities.
• Provide and promote a positive image of CMHC (e.g. professionalism, pride, cooperation, trust).
• Interact with staff from various community medical facilities, courts, and County and State agencies, testifying in court regarding patients mental and physical condition.
• Perform duties of Access Nurse.
• Serve as a member of various committees.
• Safely operate a motor vehicle when required to travel on County business.
• Report to work with regular, consistent attendance.
• Perform other duties as assigned and directed.

Education and Work Experience and Other Requirements

• Associates degree, Diploma or BSN from an accredited college or university in nursing required.
• Licensed Registered Nurse (RN) in Nebraska license or a compact state recognized by the Nebraska Board of Nursing upon hire and maintained in good standing throughout employment required.
• Basic life support/cardiopulmonary resuscitation (BLS/CPR) certification, first aid course and completion of Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) training within 6 months of hire.
• Valid drivers license and own transportation upon hire and maintained throughout employment required.
• Completion of a pre-employment criminal record check, conditional offer drug screen, and physical assessment required.

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work is generally performed in a locked psychiatric care facility and in a Correctional facility.
• Noise level is usually moderate and at times extreme.
• Work hours are assigned shift hours; however, schedule may vary (e.g. days, shifts, weekends, holidays, overtime/extra hours, emergency call-in).
• Work involves potential exposure to biohazards and potential risk of injury from assaultive/abusive patients.
• Work may be stressful when dealing with time constraints, multiple/changing priorities, limited resources, uncooperative/irate individuals and emergency situations.
• Work requires physical activity including extended periods of walking and standing, frequent sitting, bending and reaching, and occasional climbing, carrying, balancing, kneeling, and crouching.
• Work also requires the ability to frequently lift and/or carry objects weighing up to 50 pounds, push 35 pounds and occasionally pull up to 75 pounds.
• Required sensory abilities include vision, hearing and touch.
• Visual abilities, correctable to normal ranges, include close, distance and color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Communication abilities include the ability to talk and hear within normal ranges.
• Incumbent must possess the hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate computers and other equipment.

Douglas County is an EOE - Disability/Veterans

Douglas County offers a comprehensive benefit package including:

• Insurance including health, dental, vision, and life
• Pension
• Sick Leave
• Vacation Leave
• 13 Holidays
• Flex Spending Accounts
• Deferred Income plans (457 plan)
• EAP
• Health Savings Accounts

Application Questions

1. What level of advanced nursing degree do you hold?

   • No degree/diploma
   • Associates degree/diploma in nursing
   • Bachelors degree in nursing
   • Masters degree in nursing

2. Are you a licensed Registered Nurse (RN) in Nebraska or a compact state?

   • Yes
   • No

3. List your nursing license number.

4. List the state of your nursing license.

5. How many years of related experience do you have?

   • Less than one year
   • One year
   • Two years
   • Three years
   • Four years
   • Five or more years

6. Basic life support/cardiopulmonary resuscitation (BLS/CPR) certification, first aid course and completion of Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) training is required within 6 months of hire. Do you agree to this condition of employment?

   • Yes
   • No

7. You must possess a valid drivers license and own transportation at the time of hire and throughout employment. Do you understand this condition of employment?

   • Yes
   • No

8. This position requires the ability to deal effectively with individuals from a wide range of social and economic backgrounds and diverse cultures and ethnicity including individuals who may be maladjusted, emotionally or mentally disturbed, hostile, and physically and verbally abusive. Is this acceptable to you?

   • Yes
   • No

9. Are you able to successfully perform the Essential Functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation?

   • Yes
   • No

10. Are you able to meet the Physical Requirements and Working Conditions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation?

    • Yes
    • No

11. If you answer yes to claiming Veterans Preference, you must attach to your application, before submission, a copy of your DD214 including page 4 identifying your character of service (and IF disabled, verification of disability from the VA), OR if you are a spouse of a 100% disabled veteran, you must attach a copy of your spouses DD214, showing character of service, a copy of the veterans disability verification from the Department of Veterans Affairs demonstrating a 100% permanent disability rating, and proof of marriage to the veteran; OR if you are a spouse of an active service member, you must attach a copy of your spouses active service orders and proof of marriage to the active service member. I understand this requirement that documents must be attached.

    • Yes
    • No
    • I am not claiming Veterans Preference

12. Have you ever been convicted of a violation of any criminal statute whether felony or misdemeanor, or do you currently have a charge pending for any felony, misdemeanor, or other criminal offense excluding minor traffic violations? NOTE: Applicants are not obligated to disclose a sealed juvenile record of arrest, custody, complaint, disposition, diversion, adjudication, or sentence.

    • Yes
    • No

13. If you answered "yes", please list offense(s) and date(s) of occurrence(s). NOTE: A conviction record is not an automatic bar to employment. Each case is considered in relation to the position applied for.

14. Are you able to work varied days from 3:00 PM to 11:30 PM?

    • Yes
    • No

15. The pay range salary for this position is $41.43 to $52.35 per hour. Is this acceptable to you?

    • Yes
    • No

16. If referred by a current Douglas County employee, please list their name.

Required Question

Employer: Douglas County (NE) Address: 1819 Farnam Street, Suite 505 Omaha, Nebraska, 68183 Phone: 402-444-6188 Website:http://hr.douglascounty-ne.gov/employment