REGISTERED NURSE - Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment

REGISTERED NURSE - Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment

Tupelo, Mississippi | Full-time | On-site | Weekday schedule

Protect what matters. Improve what does not work. We need a nurse who can hold firm on safety, think clearly when the answer is not black and white, and help build a healthier clinic around the people we serve.

POSITION SNAPSHOT

• Location: Tupelo, Mississippi, 100% on-site
• Setting: Outpatient behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment clinic
• Regular schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with a one-hour lunch
• Employment: Full-time, salaried, W-2
• Base salary:$50,000 to $62,000 annually, commensurate with experience and credentials
• Additional pay: Incentive opportunities may become available only after at least 90 days of employment and demonstrated competence in the role
• Reports to: Executive Director, with a secondary reporting line to the Chief Administrative Officer, who also serves as Compliance and Quality Assurance Officer
• This is an outpatient clinic role, not a residential, inpatient, or overnight nursing position.
• Some clients are seen in the evening, so the nurse may occasionally work a planned later start and end time. Although this is intentionally a weekday position, exceptional circumstances may require limited availability outside standard hours, such as a client emergency, staffing gap, survey or inspection, or urgent clinic event. These occasions are the exception, not the routine.

WHAT THIS ROLE REALLY IS

• Own the medical side
• We are an outpatient substance use disorder treatment clinic looking for a Registered Nurse who wants to own the nursing and medical coordination side of client care, not just get through a shift.
• This is a small, close clinical team. You will be the nurse the rest of the staff turns to for a set of vitals, a read on whether something looks off, or the lab that has to be drawn before a client leaves the building. You will be visible, busy, and trusted with real autonomy. If you like being the person who catches things, solves problems, and closes loops, this is a strong fit.
• Notice it. Act on it. Close the loop.

Why your assessment matters

• One thing to understand about this population before you apply: many of our clients are not receiving regular primary care anywhere else. Showing up for treatment may already be the hardest thing they do that week. A routine physical, dental visit, or follow-up appointment is often not happening unless someone here notices the need and helps make the connection.
• For some clients, your assessment may be the only real medical evaluation they receive all year.
• Hypertension, untreated diabetes, infections, liver disease, dental abscesses, injuries, pregnancy, and other health concerns show up here first, but only if the nurse actually looks. That is why we expect a real head-to-toe assessment, not a form filled in from memory.

Use judgment, not rigidity

• Substance use treatment does not always fit neatly into a policy binder. Clients are complicated, resources are imperfect, and the technically ideal option is not always immediately available. We need a nurse who can assess the actual risk, stay within the boundaries that matter, and find the safest workable path forward.
• The lines that do not move: client safety, infection control, medication safety, ethics, privacy, and scope of practice.
  The things that can improve: workflows, routines, communication, and how we get good care accomplished in real life.
• We are not looking for a rule-enforcer who treats every preference as a regulation. We are looking for someone who understands why a standard exists, applies it intelligently, and helps the team build flexible best practices that work in real life.

**New graduates are encouraged to apply**. Skill gaps can be trained. Attitude cannot. We would rather teach a curious, coachable new nurse who wants to work than hire an experienced nurse who has stopped caring.

• This is not a chair-and-clipboard nursing job. If you want to stay engaged, use your judgment, teach the people around you, and leave the medical side of the program better than you found it, you will have room to do that here.

WHAT YOU WILL OWN

• Assessment and care planning
• • Perform comprehensive head-to-toe nursing assessments at admission and throughout treatment.
  • Formulate nursing diagnoses that accurately reflect each client’s current problems, risks, and functional needs.
  • Develop, document, and maintain individualized nursing care plans with measurable goals and specific interventions.
  • Reassess clients and revise care plans as their condition, risks, or treatment needs change.
  • Integrate nursing care plans with the broader clinical treatment plan so medical and counseling teams work from the same picture.
  • Obtain and document manual vital signs accurately and consistently.
• Clinical care and monitoring
• • Perform venipuncture and blood draws on-site.
  • Administer medications and maintain an accurate medication administration record.
  • Monitor for withdrawal symptoms, medication side effects, and changes in medical status.
  • Execute delegated protocols and standing orders using sound nursing judgment, including recognizing when a situation requires immediate provider involvement.
  • Be trained and cross-trained in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Prior TMS experience is not required.
  • Serve as a medical resource for counselors, technicians, and support staff throughout the day.
• Labs, medications, and care coordination
• • Manage lab follow-through from beginning to end: identify testing needs, schedule and complete draws, track results, and promptly escalate abnormal findings.
  • Proactively contact primary care providers, psychiatrists, specialists, and other outside clinicians to request records, reconcile medications, share relevant findings, and coordinate care.
  • Work directly with pharmacies to resolve fills, refills, prior authorizations, delays, and discrepancies, following through until the client has access to the medication.
  • Support client engagement when someone is hesitant about a blood draw, test, or other care need by exploring the concern and working with the treatment team to address barriers.
• Infection prevention and everyday health
• • Take the lead in making infection prevention part of how the clinic actually operates, not a policy staff sign once and forget.
  • Promote practical standards for hand hygiene, PPE, sharps safety, medication and supply storage, cleaning and disinfection, respiratory etiquette, exposure response, and the handling of biohazardous materials.
  • Notice weak spots, correct unsafe habits respectfully in the moment, and help design better workflows when the current process is not working.
  • Teach staff and clients the reason behind healthy practices so expectations feel useful rather than arbitrary.
  • Encourage realistic preventive health habits and follow-through, including primary care, dental care, vaccinations, sleep, hydration, nutrition, wound care, and management of chronic conditions.
  • Help shape policies, protocols, and training based on current standards while keeping them practical for the people who must use them every day.
• Documentation and team support
• • Maintain accurate and timely clinical documentation that meets state, organizational, and accreditation requirements.
  • Support intake, discharge, and transitions of care alongside the interdisciplinary team.
  • Communicate significant findings and changes in client status promptly and clearly.

THE KIND OF NURSE WHO THRIVES HERE

• • Does not wait to be managed. You see what needs to happen and start it. Nobody should have to track you down to ask whether a lab was drawn, an abnormal result was escalated, or a pharmacy call was returned.
  • Works with appropriate urgency. Assessments, draws, medication passes, and follow-up tasks are completed on schedule.
  • Closes the loop. You do not stop after leaving a message. You track the issue, follow up, and confirm the outcome.
  • Uses sound judgment. You can act confidently within a delegated order or protocol and recognize when a decision belongs to the provider.
  • Uses judgment when there is no perfect playbook. You will not have a policy for every situation. You gather the facts, identify the real risk, stay within your scope, and make the safest workable decision.
  • Knows what is truly non-negotiable. Client safety, infection control, medication safety, ethics, and legal requirements are firm. Personal preferences and inefficient routines are not automatically rules.
  • Builds best practices instead of bureaucracy. You can turn evidence and standards into simple, flexible processes that staff can understand and actually follow.
  • Raises the health standard around you. You notice poor infection-control habits, unsafe shortcuts, or neglected health needs and address them directly, respectfully, and consistently.
  • Stays curious and coachable. You are comfortable saying, “I’m not sure, but I’ll check,” asking questions, and incorporating feedback.
  • Keeps learning. When you encounter an unfamiliar medication, condition, or protocol you do not know, you look it up and seek reliable guidance. We provide training support, but the desire to grow must come from you.
  • Practices healthcare hospitality. You treat every client with warmth and dignity, including the ones who arrive irritable, guarded, distressed, or experiencing withdrawal. If you tend to become dismissive, cold, or condescending when a client is difficult, this is not the right setting for you.
  • Works respectfully across differences. Our clients represent many racial, cultural, socioeconomic, gender, religious, and personal backgrounds. You provide the same high standard of care to every person.
  • Brings a workable attitude. The day will not always go as planned. We can work through a busy shift, a frustrating phone call, or a process that needs fixing. Chronic negativity, eye-rolling, and acting as though reasonable requests are an imposition wear down the whole team.
  • Keeps the workplace adult and drama-free. No gossip, cliques, triangulation, or running side commentary about coworkers. If you have a concern, address it directly and professionally when appropriate, or bring it through the correct supervisory channel.
  • Can disagree without becoming difficult. We want you to question a process that does not make sense and propose a better one. We also expect you to listen, accept feedback, and move forward once a decision is made.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• • Active, unrestricted Registered Nurse license in Mississippi, or a valid multistate or compact license with Mississippi practice privileges.
  • Current BLS/CPR certification, or willingness to obtain it.
  • Demonstrated competency in manual vital signs, venipuncture/phlebotomy, and medication administration.
  • Working knowledge of standard precautions and core infection-prevention practices, with the confidence to teach and reinforce them across a multidisciplinary team.
  • Working command of the nursing process: assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
  • Ability to develop a clear, practical care plan that another clinician can follow.
  • Strong reading comprehension and written communication skills. You will routinely interpret orders, lab results, medication information, policies, and provider notes and be expected to act on what you read.
  • Comfort using everyday workplace technology, including electronic health records, email, messaging platforms, and phone systems.
  • Availability to work on-site Monday through Friday, including occasional planned later shifts for evening clients.
  • Willingness to train in new clinical modalities, including TMS.
  • Ability to pass all background checks and pre-employment screenings required by the Mississippi Board of Nursing and organizational policy.
  • Ability to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Preferred, but not required
• • Experience in substance use disorder treatment, behavioral health, detoxification, or psychiatric care.
  • Familiarity with medications for addiction treatment and withdrawal assessment tools such as COWS and CIWA.
  • Experience documenting in an EMR or EHR.
  • Prior TMS experience.
• ** New Graduates Encouraged to Apply **

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING CONDITIONS

• Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position. As typically performed, the role requires the ability to:
• • Stand and walk for most of an eight-hour shift.
  • Frequently bend, stoop, squat, kneel, twist, and reach overhead or below the waist.
  • Use fine motor coordination and manual dexterity for venipuncture, medication preparation, and equipment handling.
  • Routinely lift, carry, push, or pull up to 25 pounds and occasionally up to 50 pounds, with or without assistance.
  • Assist or steady an unsteady client and respond promptly during a medical emergency.
  • Move quickly between rooms and across the clinic when urgent assistance is needed.
  • Maintain a steady working pace through consecutive assessments, blood draws, and medication passes.
  • Kneel, crouch, rise unassisted, and maneuver in confined spaces such as restrooms and small exam rooms.
  • Read medication labels, syringe gradations, lab values, and computer screens accurately.
  • Hear sufficiently for auscultation, conversation, and telephone communication.
  • Communicate clearly in person, by telephone, and in writing.
  • Sit and use a computer keyboard for extended documentation periods.
  • Work around potential exposure to bloodborne pathogens, communicable disease, and biohazardous materials while following standard precautions and using appropriate PPE.
  • Work calmly and professionally with clients who may be agitated, distressed, or experiencing acute withdrawal.

HEALTH AND IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS

• This position requires compliance with Heale’s applicable immunization and health-screening requirements, including Hepatitis B, MMR, Varicella, Tdap, annual influenza vaccination, COVID-19, and TB screening. Requests for medical or religious accommodation will be evaluated in accordance with applicable law.

BASE PAY AND INCENTIVE OPPORTUNITIES

• The base salary range is $50,000 to $62,000 annually, based on experience and credentials.
• Additional compensation opportunities do not begin upon hire. An RN may become eligible only after completing at least 90 days of employment and demonstrating competent, reliable performance across the core responsibilities of the position. Completing 90 days alone does not guarantee eligibility. The nurse must demonstrate the clinical skill, judgment, follow-through, documentation quality, professionalism, and reliability needed to perform the role successfully.
• Once eligibility is established, the RN may earn incentive compensation for meeting clearly defined individual and shared quality goals.
• Incentive measures may include:
• • Timely, complete nursing assessments and meaningful care-plan updates.
  • Reliable lab completion, result tracking, and escalation of abnormal findings.
  • Closed-loop medication reconciliation, pharmacy follow-through, and outside-provider coordination.
  • Documentation accuracy and timeliness.
  • Infection-prevention leadership, staff education, and measurable improvement in safe practices.
  • Completion of agreed quality-improvement projects and implementation of better clinical workflows.
  • Client connection to needed medical, dental, preventive, or specialty care, measured by the nurse’s documented follow-through rather than by factors outside the nurse’s control.
  • Shared clinic quality, safety, and client-care goals.
• Performance expectations will be specific, measurable, communicated in advance, and limited to outcomes the nurse can reasonably influence. Incentives will never require cutting corners, avoiding difficult clients, or compromising clinical judgment to hit a number.
• The final incentive measures, targets, measurement periods, and payment terms will be provided in writing as part of the compensation plan.

WHY THIS ROLE IS WORTH YOUR TIME

• • A predictable weekday schedule: No rotating shifts or routine night rotations. Evenings and weekends remain yours the overwhelming majority of the time.
  • Stable compensation: Salaried W-2 employment with predictable pay.
  • Meaningful nursing practice: Apply clinical judgment and build continuity of care rather than filling a hallway-and-clipboard role.
  • Paid TMS training: Develop experience in a specialized treatment modality.
  • Support for growth: Receive structured onboarding and training, including support for new graduates.
  • Purposeful work: Help identify unmet health needs and improve outcomes for people in recovery.
  • Benefits: Health, dental, and vision insurance; paid time off; paid holidays; license-renewal support; and access to a CEU library.

Ready to Apply?

Please apply directly through our careers site:

https://easyapply.co/job/registered-nurse-1789?rcid=referral

All applications should be submitted through the direct job-site link above.

Heale Counseling LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.