What are the responsibilities and job description for the PSYCHIATIC NURSE (ACT TEAM) position at Arlington County, VA?
Position Information
Effective June 30, 2024: This position includes a $2,500.00 gross signing bonus at hire and $2,500.00 gross bonus at the completion of the probationary period.
Are you an experienced Psychiatric Nurse with the passion and desire to be part of a cohesive team which provides community-based services to the Arlington Community?
The Department of Human Services is seeking a Psychiatric Nurse to join the Program for Assertive and Community Treatment (ACT) team responsible for providing crisis intervention, substance use treatment, intensive case management, and individual and group treatment services to adults who are severely-mentally ill. The employee will work under the direction of the team Psychiatrist and program manager to provide services both out in the community and in a clinic setting.
Duties include:
- Oversees medication administration and medical services provided to clients;
- Provides case management services including the development of treatment goals, education, and rehabilitation plans;
- Coordinates, schedules, and administers medical assessments of client physical health;
- Conducts comprehensive assessment of mental health to include history, functioning, and service needs;
- Coordinates psychiatric treatment with medical treatment;
- Refers to community physicians for further assessment and treatment;
- Performs ongoing assessment of activities of daily living (ADLs) and provides problem solving, skill training and supervision to assist clients with ADLs;
- Provides side-by-side support and coaching to help socialization; and
- Organizes and leads individual and group social and recreational activities and opportunities to practice social skills.
Arlington County DHS is committed to delivering client services in an effective, equitable, respectful, and trauma-informed manner. Our staff is dedicated to ensuring our clients are approached, engaged and cared for in ways that demonstrate competency, sensitivity and awareness of factors which impact the client experience including but not limited to: cultural identity, gender, racial, and ethnic diversity, religious/spiritual ascription, physical capability, cognitive and literacy levels, sexual orientation, and linguistic needs.
Selection Criteria
Minimum:
- A Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from an accredited college or university;
- Considerable experience in a psychiatric setting, serving clients with mental health, substance abuse or developmental disabilities that demonstrates knowledge the impact they can have on physical health; and
- Licensed or eligible for licensure as a Registered Nurse in Virginia or by endorsement from another state to practice professional nursing.
Desirables: Preference may be given to candidates with one or more of the following:
- ACT or similar experience providing community-based services;
- Master's degree in Nursing;
- Experience performing technical nursing procedures, administering treatment medications, and developing solutions to clinical operational concerns;
- Case management experience with the severely mentally ill population;
- Qualified Mental Health Professional- Adult (QMHP-A) or a Licensed Mental Health Provider (LMHP)
- Experience participating on a multi-disciplinary team; and/or
- Working with clients with dual diagnosis.
Special Requirements
Applicant must possess, or obtain by the time of appointment, a valid motor vehicle operator's license from the applicant's place of residence or the applicant must have the ability and willingness to use alternative methods of transportation to perform assigned duties and responsibilities at locations other than the primary worksite. The applicant must authorize Arlington County to obtain, or the applicant must provide, a copy of the applicant's official state/district driving record. Any offer of employment may be contingent upon a favorable review of the applicant's driving record.
A pre-employment criminal records check will be conducted. It may include checks of the following: criminal record, driving record, education, professional licensure, and credit history. You may be required to sign a release authorizing the County to obtain your background information.
Must be licensed or eligible for license by endorsement to practice professional nursing as a Registered Nurse in Virginia within 60 days of hire. The Board of Nursing may issue a license by endorsement to an applicant who has been licensed as a professional nurse by another state, the District of Columbia, or a United States possession or territory. Possession of or eligibility to receive prescriptive authority in Virginia may be required depending upon the assignment. http://www.dhp.virginia.gov/Boards/Nursing/.
Must meet the criteria of a Qualified Mental Health Professional- Adult (QMHP-A) or a Licensed Mental Health Provider (LMHP) per the Virginia Board of Counseling regulations within 60 days of hire. https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/counseling/docs/QMHP_FAQs.pdf (Download PDF reader)
Must complete pre-hire federal background check and State of Virginia Central Registry check.
Employment restrictions: To ensure that dual relationships are avoided and that employees who are also clients do not relate to their service provider as co-professionals, employees will not be hired by the County to provide or support services to the team or program in which they are current clients:
- You cannot concurrently receive behavioral health services from Arlington County Community Service Board (CSB) programs while employed in an Arlington County CSB program (exception Crisis Intervention services).
- At least 24 months must have passed between receipt of CSB services from Arlington County and employment in an Arlington County CSB program.
Additional Information
The pay ranges listed above are effective June 30, 2024.
Work Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., including some evenings, rotating weekends, and holidays. This position does include a rotating 24 hour on-call as part of the work hours.
This is a grant-funded position and is contingent upon funding availability.
Please complete each section of the application, including the supplemental questionnaire. A resume may be attached; however, it will not substitute for the completed application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Applicants who have questions or need assistance with the application may telephone (703) 228-3500 or visit the Human Resources Department. Our staff will be happy to work with you to enter your application into the system. Public access computers are available at all County Libraries, and in the Human Resources Department.
The examination process for this position may include: (1) training and experience evaluation; (2) written and oral examination; (3) personal interview; (4) performance test/work sample; and/or (5) physical examination.
Applicants with disabilities may request reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process. Please call the ADA Coordinator at 703-228-3559 (voice) or email pers@arlingtonva.us.
