Under supervision, to assess, plan, evaluate, coordinate, and administer nursing care to clients and patients; and to perform other duties as required.

1. Provides assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient care.
2. Administers medications and treatments as prescribed and observes for cause and effect.
3. Participates as a member of the nursing team providing treatments and nursing services.
4. Provides direct nursing care for mentally and physically ill clients and patients, and assists in care of others as needed.
5. Assists in restraining and/or secluding physically aggressive patients to protect them from harming themselves, other patients, or staff.
6. Participates with supervisor in orienting, instructing, assigning and evaluating nursing personnel.
7. Participates in planning and organizing inpatient services and programs to meet the needs of the acute, chronic, or short-term crisis of the mentally ill.
8. Participates in the evaluation of treatment planning for each client with other mental health staff.
9. Serves as a representative of the department to the general public, community agencies, and professional groups, interpreting mental health services, and promoting mental health programs.
10. Maintains accurate, complete records of patients mental and physical condition, nursing care provided, and medication and treatment administered.
11. Evaluates equipment and supplies for effectiveness and makes recommendations for changes.
12. Completes procedures for admitting, transferring, and discharging patients.
13. Interprets and communicates medical-nursing policies and programs among nursing personnel, allied professions, clients, and families.
14. Provides case management services to vulnerable adults including development of individual service plans, service coordination, service provision, and follow-up in Community Support Programs.
15. Prepare court reports and testifies in court for emergency detentions, guardianships, and protective placements in Community Support Programs.
16. Selects, monitors, and evaluates contract service providers and other agency services provided to meet the needs of the client in Community Support Programs.
17. Ensures adherence and compliance to the policies and procedures of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 in regards to protected health information.
18. Adheres to, uses, and/or develops quality assurance and performance improvement measures.
19. Performs emergency government duties as assigned in event of Waukesha County Emergency Government declaration.
20. Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with clients and their families, service providers, professional groups, colleagues, and the general public
21. Performs other duties as required.
    
    

QUALIFICATIONS
Essential Knowledge and Abilities

1. Considerable knowledge of the modern principles, practices, and techniques used in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care.
2. Considerable knowledge of modern psychiatric nursing theories, principles, practices and procedures.
3. Considerable knowledge of the problems of mental illness and its treatment theories and techniques.
4. Working knowledge of the physical and psychological behaviors and needs of patients.
5. Working knowledge of the legal aspects of nursing and how the laws relate to the patient.
6. Working knowledge of electronic health record, computerized department program software, internet access, database, spreadsheet, and word processing programs.
7. Working knowledge of nursing tools and equipment such as vital signs and O2 stats, syringes/needles, and electrocardiograms.
8. Working knowledge of confidentiality statutes and requirements, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996.
9. Some knowledge of administrative, managerial, and supervisory principles and practices.
10. Ability to assess and evaluate the needs of clients and make recommendations for programming.
11. Ability to plan for, participate in, and evaluate total nursing care.
12. Ability to organize and direct nursing staff.
13. Ability to respond appropriately in a crisis situation and provide skilled treatment to clients with severe problems.
14. Ability to restrain and/or seclude physically aggressive patients to protect them from harming themselves, other patients, or staff.
15. Ability to develop appropriate plan of services and to implement the plan with individual clients and their families.
16. Ability to utilize word processing, database and spreadsheet programs.
17. Ability to use nursing tools and equipment such as vital signs and O2 stats, syringes/needles, and electrocardiograms.
18. Ability to prepare detailed records and reports.
19. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, clients and their families, service providers, professional groups, colleagues, and the general public.
20. Ability to effectively interact with sensitivity with persons from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, ethnic, and professional backgrounds, and persons of all ages and lifestyles.
21. Ability to work with minimal supervision.

You must meet these minimum Training and Experience requirements:

1. Graduation from a recognized registered nursing education program.
2. A. Current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in Wisconsin.

OR

B. Temporary State of Wisconsin Registered Nurse permit and attainment of the Registered Nurse license within 6 months of employment.

For more information on the Mental Health Center click here: