Registered Nurse (RN) - Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Nurse Specialist

Description

Days Off: Saturday, Sunday

Shift: Day 

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

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

The Registered Nurse (RN) will outreach and support individuals who have been diagnosed with opioid use disorder (OUD) and prescribed medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD). The RN will act as a member of DESC’s interdisciplinary ‘Opioid Treatment Network’ (OTN) team to provide low-barrier access to medications for opioid use disorder. DESC currently provides the medications: buprenorphine, Suboxone, Sublocade, Brixadi and Vivitrol to treat opioid use disorder. RN will work closely with individuals living in permanent supportive housing sites, scattered sites, shelters, encampments and those who live houseless, to formulate comprehensive MOUD induction and care plans. The RN will provide daily support through outreach to individuals engaged in the MOUD induction and stabilization process. The RN will provide client-centered care through the lens of harm-reduction. Work is done under the supervision of the Nursing Supervisor and Nurse Manager.  

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Coordinate MOUD induction and care plans for individuals starting or restarting MOUD.  
• Administer Sublocade injections, Brixadi injections and Vivitrol injections as well as other formularies of MOUD.  
• Assess and monitor patients during the induction, stabilization, and maintenance phases of MOUD treatment using an approach that is patient-centered, includes harm reduction strategies and occurs in non-traditional settings.  
• Integrate care with a multidisciplinary team of psychiatric providers, nurses, substance use professionals, peer support specialists, mental health case managers and primary care providers.
• Provide counseling and education about MOUD treatment options to clients and utilize shared decision-making to establish client goals.  
• Comprehensive data tracking for MOUD clients per grant deliverables 
• Follow state and federal guidelines and program-specific policies and procedures for opioid dependent patients in collaboration with prescribing providers and dispensing pharmacies. 
• Utilize critical thinking, clinical judgment, patience and flexibility in frequent contacts with clients.  
• Have strong verbal and written communication skills.  
• Provide ongoing assessments of individuals receiving MOUD treatment. 
• Assess clients for a range of health care needs and facilitate linkage and on-going connection to relevant urgent, primary and specialty health services to ensure continuity of care. Advocate for patients’ access to a variety of community resources and services.
• Collaborate closely with other DESC services.
• Consult and collaborate with community providers to ensure continuity of care and that patients’ needs are being met, and rights maintained.
• Provide nursing services and basic wound care. 
• Serve as an educational resource and provide consultation for DESC staff.
• Participate in psychiatric consultation, supervision, program meetings and in-service trainings.
• Comply with the agency’s clinical accountability policies and procedures; maintain current and complete clinical records; participate in quality assurance reviews.
• Assess and intervene in emergent medical situations, including individuals experiencing overdose 
• Participate in verbal de-escalation and crisis interventions in emergent situations and be willing and able to assist other staff as needed to maintain a safe and secure environment.
• Other duties as assigned by the Nursing Supervisor, Nurse Manager, Nursing Director or Medical Director. 

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Registered Nurse, licensed in the State of Washington, in good standing.
• Interest or experience in working with clients who are difficult to engage and maintain in traditional mental health programs.
• Be able to pass a Washington State Criminal background check.
• Knowledge and skill in working with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders. 
• Knowledge and competency in delivery and practice of Harm Reduction strategies.
• Flexibility, willingness to adapt to changing circumstances, accept new responsibilities and work cooperatively with team members to accomplish goals of program. 
• Ability to relate to a wide range of people, demonstrate highly developed communication skills, and have a desire to serve individuals experiencing homelessness and/or mental illness.  
• Ability to remain open and receptive to constructive feedback.
• Ability to work effectively with clients displaying a wide range of challenging behaviors.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with staff from diverse backgrounds.
• Subscribe to the philosophy of harm reduction and trauma-informed care. 
• Valid Washington State Driver’s License, reliable vehicle and insurable driving record. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Knowledge and experience with buprenorphine, Suboxone, Sublocade, Brixadi, and Vivitrol.  
• Knowledge and experience working with houseless or formerly houseless individuals.  
• Familiarity with Recovery Principles, Crisis Intervention and Stabilization, Integrated Treatment of Co-occurring Disorders, Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Informed Care, Intensive Case Management, Illness Management, and relevant Evidenced based/Emerging best practices. 
• Bachelor of Nursing degree.
• Bilingual in Spanish/English.

Strong applicants can 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. Applicant should be highly skilled in time management and possess the ability to prioritize competing tasks in a fast-paced environment. Candidates should be able to accept feedback and work in a highly collaborative and sometimes stressful environment. Employee will be working both indoors and outdoors in all types of weather. 

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 sit for long periods  of time, communicate with other persons by talking and hearing, required  to lift and carry items weighing up to 25 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.