Description

American Traveler is seeking a Psychiatric RN for an inpatient behavioral health unit in Rapid City, SD, requiring Epic experience and the ability to work variable 12-hour shifts with a mixed adult and pediatric psychiatric population.

Details

• Inpatient behavioral health unit located at an offsite facility approximately 15 minutes from the main hospital campus
• 52-bed facility serving psychiatric patients including children and adolescents (ages 5–17) and adults
• Patient diagnoses include depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, psychosis, and adjustment disorder; no dementia, severe autism, forensic, or inmate patients
• Facility does occasionally have violent or aggressive patients; no ECT performed
• RN-to-patient ratio of 1:8 with a psych tech
• 12-hour variable shifts including days (0800–2030) and nights (2000–0830); combo weeks may include two 12-hour and two 8-hour shifts
• Every other weekend rotation required; weekend shifts may fall on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday
• Two of four major holidays are required; if one of Thanksgiving or Christmas is worked, the other is given off
• Low census on-call possible depending on unit acuity
• RNs may float between the three floors within the offsite behavioral health facility
• Epic EMR experience required; Omnicell medication dispensing system used

Requirements

• Active RN license — South Dakota license or Compact RN license currently in hand
• Current BLS certification required; CPI certification preferred prior to start but may be obtained during assignment
• Minimum 1 year of psychiatric nursing experience required
• First-time travelers considered only with 2 or more years of experience
• Epic EMR experience required
• Ability to perform physical de-escalation techniques and patient restraint (takedown, holding patient for injection, seclusion) when necessary
• Strong verbal de-escalation and group didactic communication skills
• Candidates must reside at least 100 miles from any facility in the health system
• 2 professional references dated within the past year required for consideration
• DOB and SSN required for consideration

Additional Information

• Responsibilities include medication administration (PO and injectable), care plan evaluation and documentation, admission screenings, nursing assessments, minor wound care, EKGs (training provided), glucometer use, telephone/verbal orders, vital signs, Columbia Suicide Risk Screen, end-of-shift report, patient belongings documentation, and discharge planning
• Orientation consists of two 12-hour facility orientation shifts, one shift of eLearning modules, and two departmental orientation shifts
• Unit support includes 24/7 security with tasers, personal panic alarms worn by all staff, cameras throughout common areas, 24/7 on-call MD coverage, 24/7 Behavioral Emergency Response Team (BERT), psych techs at a 1:5–6 ratio, and a 24/7 charge nurse supporting all three units
• Lab draws routine labs daily; behavioral health staff are responsible for STAT labs
• Block scheduling is not available; shift assignments (days vs. nights) are variable throughout the contract
• No RTO approved during the Sturgis Bike Rally (first three weeks of August)
• Permanent staff who have left must wait one full year before returning as a traveler
• Required scrub color is navy; free parking is available on site