Registered Nurse (RN) - MRT

Days Off: Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Shift: Day (8:00am - 6:30pm)

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

The Mobile Response Team (MRT) provides 24/7 mental and behavioral health services to adults (18 and over) at Health through Housing (HtH) facilities and targeted Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) sites across King County. The primary goal of the program is to provide in the moment crisis behavioral health services and time-limited behavioral health case management via mobile intensive response teams for the purpose of assisting individuals in becoming aware of behavioral health and other community service options. The MRT is a mobile interdisciplinary team consisting of certified peer counselors, behavioral health case managers, substance use disorder professionals, mental health professionals, and Buprenorphine waivered medical staff.   

The Mobile Response Team Registered Nurse (RN) functions as part of the larger team to provide integrated behavioral healthcare services with clients in need of psychiatric and other medical attention, medication coordination/management, client education, health assessment and related services. The RN will provide in-the-moment, low-threshold medical access to clients who may otherwise not present to more traditional clinics. This position is involved in all aspects of referral, outreach and engagement, intensive case management services, as well as coordination with other providers to assure successful transition of consumers to on-going care. Services will be provided in Seattle and King County areas.  

Interested individuals should possess a high degree of coordination and collaboration skills, interest in social justice, advocacy, and health integration. This position requires a high degree of coordination and collaboration with other DESC programs as well as outside agencies. The MRT RN works primarily with clients in need of psychiatric and other medical attention, providing medication coordination/management, client education, health assessment and related services. Work is done under the supervision of the Outpatient Nurse Manager, Nursing Director ad Medical Director.  

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Case Management & Social Support:

• Participate as a member of a multi-disciplinary team in responding to referrals through MRT dispatch, providing short-term (no more than 90 days) case management and medical services to referred individuals.  
• Assess clients for 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 maintained; consult and collaborate with both DESC staff and community providers to ensure continuity of care. 
• Provide outreach and engagement services 
• Participate in the planning, organizing and facilitation of information-gathering, outreach and client engagement, follow-up, team consultation, and referrals out of MRT.  
• Coordinate services closely with mental health program supervisors, case management staff, SUD staff and other DESC staff as appropriate.  

Medication, Medical Services, and Clinical Skills:

• Under the guidance and direction of the Outpatient Nurse Manager, RN Supervisor and MRT ARNP, coordinate medical aspects of medication services for clients. 
• Provide individualized medication management services and education as needed, and ongoing assessment of mental status and the impacts of current treatment. 
• Provide specialized training and consultation to other staff members on medical issues relating to clients and their care. 
• Perform initial history and physical of client; documenting any client identified concerns, vital signs, and mental health status exams/AIMs assessments. 
• 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. 
• Reconcile medication and medical record with hospitals, other outpatient mental health clinics, and primary care facilities, including collecting appropriate Release of Information requests (ROIs) as needed.  
• Provide / coordinate chronic disease management; educate client re: self-care and medication management. 
• Administer oral medication, injections, and provide wound care within scope of practice and plan of care or as prescribed by eligible provider.  
• Coordinate communication between care team, outpatient case management, outpatient nursing care team, and providers regarding client medical needs and condition. 
• Complete assessment and plan of care documentation as appropriate. 

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Participate in psychiatric consultation, supervision, program meetings and in-service trainings; participate in clinical reviews and case conferences for clients on caseload. 
• Manage client registry to proactively identify clients who need follow-up and reach out to them personally and through case managers and outreach staff. 
• Comply with the agency's clinical accountability policies and procedures; maintain timely and complete clinical records; participate in quality assurance reviews when assigned. 
• 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. 
• Make frequent contact with clients and use motivational interviewing, client-driven goal exploration, and supportive counseling to enhance adherence. 
• Teach clients about safer substance use, overdose prevention and overdose reversal. 
• Comply with applicable program research and evaluation procedures. 
• Other duties as assigned. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Registered Nurse, licensed in the State of Washington. 
• Interest or experience in working with homeless, formerly homeless, mentally ill and/or substance abusing population desired. 
• 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. 
• Prefer Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. 
• 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. 
• Subscribe to the philosophy of cooperation and continuity across programs and of consideration and respect for clients. 

PREFERED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in community health, behavioral health, case management, and/or resource referral. 

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.