Overview
Registered Nurse (RN) – HOST Jobs in Seattle, WA at DESC
Description:
Days Off: Saturday, Sunday
Shift: Day (9:00am – 5:00pm)
Insurance Benefits: Dental, Life, Long-term Disability, Medical (no premiums/payroll deductions for employee coverage)
Other Benefits: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), ORCA card subsidy, Paid Time Off (34 days per year), Retirement Plan
Union Representation: This position is a part of a union and is represented by SEIU Healthcare 1199NW.
About DESC:
DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center) is a nonprofit organization working to help people with the complex needs of homelessness, substance use disorders, and serious mental illness achieve their highest potential for health and well-being through comprehensive services, treatment, and housing. Our vision is a community where no person is abandoned, ignored, or experiencing homelessness.
As the region’s leading provider of services to multiply disabled adults who have experienced chronic homelessness, DESC serves almost 3,000 people each day. Our integrated service model is designed to help people secure and maintain appropriate, safe and affordable housing. DESC is recognized nationally and regionally as an innovator in developing solutions to homelessness.
JOB DEFINITION
Homeless Outreach Stabilization and Transition (HOST) is a multi-disciplinary team serving homeless adults experiencing severe and persistent mental illness, co-occurring disorders, and substance use dependency. HOST prioritizes services to those who are highly vulnerable, lack service connections or other support, and are unwilling or unable to engage in traditional service models. The HOST team works throughout Seattle and parts of King County to provide critical survival services and engagement with the ultimate goal of addressing acute mental and physical health needs, increasing stability, obtaining housing, and transitioning to long-term services.
The HOST RN functions as part of the larger HOST team to provide integrated behavioral healthcare services to clients in need of psychiatric care, substance use dependency support, medication coordination/management, medical/hospital advocacy needs, wound care, and other nursing needs. The HOST RN will often provide in-the-moment, low-threshold medical services to clients who may otherwise not present to more traditional clinics. Services will be provided on the streets, in encampments, in shelters, in many of DESC’s Permanent Supportive Housing, and other service centers as assigned. Interested individuals should possess a high degree of autonomy, coordination and collaboration skills, interest in social justice, advocacy, and health integration. Work is done under the supervision of the RN Outreach Supervisor and Outpatient Nurse Manager. Most days will be spent out in the community but also have office hours in the clinic on a rotating weekly basis.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Case Management & Social Support
Participate as a member of a multi-disciplinary team providing some components of on-going case management services to homeless and formerly homeless adults.
Assess clients for a range of health care needs and facilitate linkage and on-going connection to relevant urgent, primary, and specialty health services.
Advocate for clients’ access to community resources and services, especially primary health care services, ensuring that clients’ needs are met, and rights are maintained; consult and collaborate with community providers to ensure continuity of care.
Provide outreach and engagement on the streets, shelters, encampments, and other community areas.
Participate in verbal de-escalation and physical interventions in emergent situations and be willing and able to assist other staff as needed to maintain a safe and secure environment.
Build trusting relationships with clients who may be wary and difficult to engage by employing a warm and accepting approach that includes trauma informed care, harm reduction and motivational interviewing. Demonstrate a commitment to this approach through language and behavior.
Coordinate services closely with mental health program supervisors, case management staff, chemical dependency treatment staff and other DESC staff.
Medication, Medical Services, and Clinical Skills
Under the guidance and direction of the RN Outreach Supervisor, coordinate medical support and medication services for clients by collaborating closely with pharmacies, hospitals, outside providers, and facilities.
Provide individualized medication management services and education as needed, and ongoing assessment of mental status and the impacts of current treatment.
Reconcile medication and medical records with hospitals, pharmacies, other outpatient mental health clinics, and primary care facilities, including collecting appropriate Release of Information requests (ROIs). Ensure that client spaces and clinical spaces are clean, stocked, and appropriate medical equipment is in working order.
Perform client assessments on a walk-in and as-needed basis, in the clinic on a rotating weekly schedule, utilizing pre-established guidelines and guidance from the Outreach RN supervisor and medical providers.
Administer oral medication, injections (both anti-psychotic injections and insulin), provide wound care, foot care, lice, and scabies treatment, within RN scope of practice, in non-traditional spaces including shelters, encampments, on the streets, and other areas within King County.
Perform initial intake [medical, behavioral and substance use disorder history] with clients and then determine if there is interest in Buprenorphine or intramuscular naltrexone. Gather vital signs and any required lab work, such as pregnancy tests and urine toxicology screens. Counsel clients on test results.
Provide clients counseling about their medication assisted treatment (MAT) options and collaborate with them to set personally meaningful goals for treatment of opioid use disorder.
Provide intervention in the case of overdose, administer naloxone to reverse overdose when needed, and linkages to addiction treatment and primary care.
Teach clients about safer substance use, overdose prevention and overdose reversal.
Coordinate communication between care teams, outpatient case management, outpatient nursing care teams, and providers regarding client medical needs and condition.
Complete assessment and plan of care documentation in a timely manner.
OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Participate in required psychiatric consultation, supervision, program meetings and in-service trainings; participate in clinical reviews and case conferences for clients on caseload.
Comply with the agency’s clinical accountability policies and procedures; maintain timely and complete clinical records; participate in quality assurance reviews when assigned.
Comply with applicable program research and evaluation procedures.
Other duties as assigned.
Requirements:
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Registered Nurse, licensed in the State of Washington.
Be able to pass a Washington State Criminal background check.
A Valid Washington State Driver’s License is required
Candidates must be able to independently transport themselves via public transportation, personal vehicle (mileage reimbursements will apply), or work vehicle, throughout King County on every working day, as required.
Knowledge of Harm Reduction strategies and trauma informed care
Experience working with homeless, mentally ill and/or substance abusing population
Knowledge of psychiatric medications, side effects and methods of administration.
Interest or experience in working with clients who are difficult to engage and maintain in traditional mental health programs.
Ability to work effectively with clients displaying a wide range of unpleasant and/or bizarre behavior.
Ability to communicate and work effectively with staff from diverse backgrounds.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Prefer Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.
Experience in community health, behavioral health, case management, and/or resource referral.
Knowledge and skill in working with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders; with homeless or formerly homeless individuals; and crisis intervention and stabilization.
Familiarity with Recovery Principles, Crisis Intervention and Stabilization, Integrated Treatment of Co-occurring Disorders, Intensive Case Management, Illness Management, and relevant Evidenced based/Emerging best practices.
Strong applicants are able to demonstrate the ability to be positive in their empathetic responses to all persons; understand the value of meaningful and deep client engagement; and value a non-judgmental response to sensitive issues.
Candidates should be able to accept feedback and work in a highly collaborative and sometimes stressful environment.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to sit, communicate with other employees, required to lift and carry items weighing up to 40 pounds and to operate computer hardware systems. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:
DESC is committed to diversity in the workplace and promotes equal employment opportunities for all staff members and applicants. The Agency will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, caste, marital status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability in any employment practice, unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification. Minorities and veterans are encouraged to apply.
Title: Registered Nurse (RN) – HOST
Company: DESC
Location: Seattle, WA
