Overall responsibility for nursing and medical staff and areas of the Youth Community Crisis Stabilization (YCCS) Program serving individuals ages 13-18 who have behavioral health symptoms that require 24-hour per day care in an unlocked treatment setting. The YCCS Registered Nurse oversees nursing and medication administration services. Provides health promotion training and access to medical care for individuals. Functions as part of an interdisciplinary team and support individual’s treatment goals using brief counseling, crisis prevention planning and psych-education techniques. Provides leadership to assist the program to meet high quality standards and provide value to individuals in a community care system. Ensures a safe and clean environment. Liaisons with multi-disciplinary community and collaborative providers as needed. 

The essential job duties/responsibilities of the position include but are not limited to the information listed
below:
• Oversees the filling of the prescriber’s orders, administering medications, and monitoring vital signs. 
• Works with the YCCS Direct Service Workers and YCCS Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) in ensuring an environment that promotes safety, recovery, and treatment.
• Supervises all LPN staff working at the YCCS.
• Oversees and ensures coordinated medical care for all individuals.
• Contributes to/or provides comprehensive assessment, brief crisis counseling, crisis prevention planning, and provide psycho-education.
• Assists the program clinician with assessment, discharge planning and care coordination.
• Leads or assists with treatment team meetings.
• Implements treatment plans. Uses recovery-oriented, motivational interviewing, harm-reduction, trauma-informed, culturally competent and strengths-based approaches to help youth safely and successfully transition to home or an alternate setting. 
• Oversees and provides nursing care, teaching and assistance with activities of daily living according to each individual’s plan.
• Oversees, takes, and documents the individual’s vital signs including temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, and occasionally pulse oximetry per prescriber’s orders.
• Oversees and collects sputum, urine, and stool samples as appropriate and ordered by the primary prescriber.
• Conducts Wellness psycho-educational groups for individuals.
• Oversees and provides liaison between individuals and community health care providers to promote access to community resources and quality care for routine and urgent medical, dental, and psychiatric care for YCCS youth.
• Provides education and support of individuals’ families and friends (following HIPAA authorization by individual) regarding enrollees’ needs and preferences as they relate to health care.
• Provides training; attends supervision meetings, staff meetings and team meetings as required. 
• Adheres to all company and divisional and program specific policies and procedures, including safe work practices, worker’s compensation, universal precautions and exposure control. Complies with accreditation and licensing standards, as well as all regulations.
• Contributes to program’s quality improvement goals and objectives. 
• Uses crisis intervention techniques when necessary. Accesses on-call back up when needed. 
Completes incident documentation as needed. 
 
Knowledge and Skills:
• Experience working with youth and families using evidenced based practices in a community mental health and/or substance use clinic, residential, acute or sub-acute or similar setting. 
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a multi-disciplinary team. 
• Comfortable using a computer and experienced working in an electronic health record, proficient in communicating effectively, both written and verbally, with varying audiences. 
• Familiar with MassHealth and managed care practices. 
• Ability to mentor and coach staff at all levels. 
• Demonstrates sensitivity to cultural, religious, racial, disability, and gender issues. 
• Knowledge of human, legal, civil rights, community, and other resources. 
• Utilizes evidence based best practices. 
• Promotes empowerment and self-advocacy techniques. 
• Knowledge of formal and informal assessment practices. 
• Knowledge of crisis intervention techniques. 
• Knowledge of documentation requirements. 
• Works well under pressure, meet multiple and often competing deadlines. 
• Ability to work in a professional and confidential capacity. 
• Knowledge of the Code of Ethics.

Established in 1977, Vinfen is a nonprofit, health and human services organization and a leading provider of community-based services to individuals with mental health conditions, intellectual and developmental disabilities, brain injuries, and behavioral health challenges. Our services and advocacy promote the recovery, resiliency, habilitation, and self-determination of the people we serve. Vinfen's 3,500 dedicated employees are experienced, highly-trained professionals who provide a full range of supportive living, health, educational, and clinical services in over 550 sites throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut. For more information about Vinfen, please visit www.vinfen.org/careers.

My Job. My Community. My Vinfen.

Vinfen is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.

Typical Requirements:
• Nursing school education, training and Registered Nurse credential required.
• Three to five years supervised practical experience preferred, including internships, in a clinical or rehabilitation setting with persons with psychiatric conditions. 
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Bi-lingual/bi-cultural and lived experience of psychiatric conditions preferred.

Preferred /Required Education:
Associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing required. 

Driving Requirements: 
Driving is not required.

 
Physical Effort:
Ability to lift at least 25 pounds using proper lifting techniques.

Ability to operate a computer and other office equipment such as a calculator, copier, and printer.

Ability to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time as needed.

Ability to bend, reach, file, sit, stand and move around the facility.

Ability to speak, hear and communicate with clients, staff and external representatives.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth 
perception, and ability to adjust focus. 

Required Certifications:
CPR required within two weeks of hire. 

Required Credentials/Licenses:
RN License in Massachusetts is required