Job Description

Conducts comprehensive assessments including substance use screening and suicide risk assessments. Provides specialized care for patients experiencing manic episodes, active hallucinations, and those diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, and somatic symptom disorder. Offers support and intervention for patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder and implements strategies for managing violent and assaultive behaviours. Administers long-acting injectable antipsychotic medications and monitors for extrapyramidal symptoms in patients receiving such treatment, ensuring holistic care and safety for all patients under their care.

Responsibilities

General:

• Provides age-specific patient-centered care utilizing the nursing process.
• Performs patient assessment using appropriate, problem-focused, and age-specific assessment techniques.
• Performs continual critical care assessment of patient and family’s physical and psychological needs.
• Involves the patient, significant others, and health care providers in the plan of care when appropriate.
• Collaborates with a multi-disciplinary team to provide patient care.
• Coordinates and plans critical care/clinical pathway, and prioritizes care, based on individual needs. Revise the care plan as necessary.
• Initiates appropriate transfer plan.
• Recognizes subtle cues to anticipate potential problems.
• Documents all relevant data in the medical record according to hospital/departmental standards.
• Ensures availability and maintenance of supplies and equipment needed for the unit and patient care.
• Performs clerical duties when needed.
• Assumes responsibility for meeting Joint Commission International Accreditation (JCIA) required mandatory education (e.g. fire, safety, infection control and others).
• Participates in staff meetings and unit committees/projects.
• Participates in developing and achieving unit goals.
• Maintains a safe environment for patients and staff.
• Performs safe handling and administrating of Narcotic/Controlled and Semi-Controlled Drugs and documentation as directed by policies and procedures.
• Ensures completion of unit competencies i.e. pain management, and utilization of Emergency department devices.
• Maintains clinical and professional competency based on the latest research and established standards of practice.
• Completes yearly, the critical care nursing competencies (basic).
• Participates in unit-based Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities (data collection, CQI teams, incident reporting, customer complaint reporting, medication error reporting etc.).
• Participates in ongoing educational activities.
• Maintains mandatory educational requirements.
• Performs additional duties when required.

Unit Specific:

• Assists in thorough psychiatric nursing assessments to evaluate patients’ mental health status.
• Administers substance use screening to identify patients at risk of substance abuse.
• Aids in suicide risk assessments for psychiatric patients to ensure their safety.
• Provides specialized care for patients experiencing manic episodes, ensuring their needs are met.
• Offers support and intervention for patients experiencing active hallucinations to manage their symptoms effectively.
• Assists in creating tailored care plans for patients diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.
• Provides comprehensive care for patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, addressing their unique needs and symptoms.
• Offers compassionate care for patients with somatic symptom disorder, addressing both physical and psychological aspects of their condition.
• Supports in implementing strategies for managing and supporting patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
• Utilizes appropriate techniques to manage violent and assaultive behaviours in patients.
• Administers long-acting injectable antipsychotic medications to patients as prescribed by the healthcare team.
• Aids in assessments for extrapyramidal symptoms in patients receiving antipsychotic medications to monitor for side effects and ensure patient safety.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing (minimum of three (3) years full-time course duration) or
• Degree in Nursing (minimum two (2) years course duration) and Registration as a Registered Nurse from Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia
• For UAE nationals graduates of UAE or non-UAE universities are exempted from the experience and clinical training requirements for the applied title. (UAE nationals must submit a copy of their birth certificate and the mother’s family book)
• Non-UAE national graduates from UAE universities are required to successfully complete six (6) months of clinical training post-graduation in an APS health facility (except for Registered and assistant Nurse titles)
• Must hold a valid License/Registration to practice in their home country and/or country of last employment (where applicable)
• Must hold a minimum of a valid Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification or others according to the scope of practice 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum of two (2) years of recent post-graduate experience in Psychiatry and Behavioural Health Nursing.
• Knowledge of and ability to render care and services based on age, appropriateness, and developmental needs of patients.
• Skills in the assessment of patient and family’s physical and psychological needs.
• Skills in coordination and planning of care and prioritising care based on individual needs.
• Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification is essential.