Responsibilities

Pathways Center Care Campus has two 24/7 Crisis Stabilization Units; one for adults and one for individuals ages 5-17.  Pathways Center's Crisis Stabilization Units (CSU's) are short term (2-7 days), medically monitored crisis residential programs, which offer services for a limited duration to stabilize acute psychiatric or behavioral symptoms, evaluate treatment needs, and develop plans to meet the needs of persons served.  The programs operate 24 hours per day 7 days per week. The CSU's are designed to serve as a first line of community based alternative care to hospitalization, offering psychiatric stabilization and detoxification services on a short term basis. 

In addition to the crisis stabilization programs, Pathways Center Care Campus has a Crisis Service Center (CSC).  The CSC provides on-site and telephonic crisis intervention and 23-hour observation services 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.  The CSC operates on a walk-in basis and provides psychiatric/substance abuse related crisis evaluation and brief intervention services to support an individual who is experiencing an abrupt and substantial change in behavior noted by severe impairment of functioning typically associated with a precipitating situation or a marked increase in personal distress.  Interventions are provided by licensed behavioral health professionals designed to prevent out of community treatment or hospitalization. 

The Charge Nurse is the designated shift lead and is responsible for ensuring efficient and effective client care in the delivery of crisis stabilization and detoxification services.  Duties include but are not limited to the following:

§   Oversees patient care and guides and directs employee assignments in accordance with unit needs and employee roles

§   Ensures team adherence to unit schedules, workflows and protocols

§   Utilizes knowledge of regulations, guidelines and standards to resolve routine issues as they arise

§   Addresses general client concerns and completes appropriate documentation for quality assurance and tracking

§   Serves as the onsite point of contact for stakeholders in the absence of the DON and/or ADON

§   Monitors unit performance against identified performance targets

§   Maintains accurate, detailed reports and client records in accordance with established policies and procedures and within specified timeframes

§   Leads shift change to efficiently report critical information to the oncoming shift

§   Works collaboratively with physicians and physician extenders to ensure continuity of care

§   Participates in treatment team meetings to discuss and plan for patient care, treatment planning and discharge planning

§   Conducts assessments for individuals presenting for admission to the Crisis Stabilization Unit for behavioral health crisis and/or detoxification from substances 

§   Reviews referrals and gathers information needed by the physician to determine appropriateness for admission and communicates with physician to obtain admission orders 

§   Administers prescribed medications and note times and amounts on patients' charts

§   Provides education to client and family, as appropriate

Effectively utilizes electronic health record functions and other software applications to monitor client progress, treatment, and program outcomes

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited college or university OR Associate’s degree in nursing from an accredited college or university AND a current Georgia license to practice as a registered nurse (RN) AND one year of professional nursing experience