Psychiatric Nurse (RPN) at Synapse Resource Center

Location: Awka, Anambra State
Reports to: Clinical Lead

Job Purpose

• To work as part of a team of medical professionals to provide psychiatric nursing care to patients of all ages, gender, religion and disposition, while creating a safe and therapeutic environment to aid their mental stability.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities
The Psychiatric Nurse provides direct and individualized nursing care to patients based on the application of scientific nursing principles. In addition to basic nursing care, responsibilities of Psychiatric Nurses include (but are not limited to):

• Assessing and planning individualized nursing care requirements for all patients.
• Developing nursing care plan based on individual patient's needs.
• Ensuring that identified care plan is implemented and evaluated for all patients especially those within their identified groups.
• Ensuring that care given is individualized, patient-centered, evidence-based, and in collaboration with other members of the multidisciplinary team, as well as other statutory and voluntary organizations when necessary.
• The Nurse would spend extensive parts of the shift directly or in directly monitoring and evaluating patient care.
• Ensuring that the number of patients at the point of hand-over and take-over are accurate.
• Adequately care for patients in line with the nursing ethics.
• Attending multidisciplinary team meetings, the planning and supervision of case conferences regarding the assessment, care, planning, implementing and evaluating treatment of patients on the practice, giving advice on discharge suitable for patients.
• Administer prescribed medication to patients, monitor use, document and report appropriately any reaction.
• Educate patients on the purpose, dosage, and side effects of medication, and explain the implications of refusal to take prescribed medication.
• Daily documentation of the shift's activity as regards to patients in clinical reports, and updating care plans.
• Coordinating and supervising of support staff on duty.
• Assigning shift duties to every support staff while on shift.
• Also the Nurse will be expected to undertake performance appraisal of support staff, as directed by the Clinical Lead.
• Engaging in pickup of new or old clients when required.
• Observe assigned patients on a daily basis to identify, interpret, and document physical and emotional status and/or patterns, such as assaultive or suicidal behaviour, and response to treatment or medication.
• The Nurse is required to deal with crisis intervention and treatment, particularly for those patients who require special observation or for those that are on suicide watch.
• Inspection of patients' rooms every morning.
• Encouraging patients to take part in therapeutic activities such as art therapy.
• Checking of Patient's vital signs daily.
• Working with the support staff to see to the personal hygiene of patients in the morning.
• Participating in or lead individual or group counselling sessions, family conferences, and recreational and social therapy sessions to assist patients in understanding the nature of emotional and physical problems, and to accept the need for treatment.
• Participate in departmental and team meetings to discuss patient care and progress, shift activity, and program policies and procedures.
• Ensuring activity schedule is properly implemented
• Ensuring that projected meal time is properly implemented.
• Make Clinical presentations during clinical meetings and ward rounds.
• Demonstrating leadership by training colleagues and subordinates in a bid to improve clinical practices.
• Reporting any breech in hospital policy by patients and co-workers to the Head Nurse or Clinical lead.
• Attending to any additional responsibilities as prescribed by company’s policy or/and the Clinical Lead.

Additional Responsibilities
Under the title of Psychiatric Nurse, the incumbent must:

• Be alert and sensitive to patients' psychological, emotional and physical needs and behavior.
• Analyse a situation and adopt a course of action.
• Prepare and maintain nursing records and reports.
• Recognize and respect boundaries of confidential information.
• Possess good communication skills.
• Exercise independent judgment in medical emergencies.
• Demonstrate tact, diplomacy, patience, and compassion.
• Establish and maintain good working relationships with co-workers, other agencies, and organizations.
• Comply with nursing policies, ethics and program regulations.
• Understand and implement valid oral and written medical instructions.
• Be able to work independently.

Person Specification

• Must be a Registered Psychiatric Nurse
• Must be medically and physically fit.
• Must have a minimum of 3 years’ work experience as a Psychiatric Nurse