Registered Nurse Inpatient Psychiatric Specialty

The Clinical Nurse (CN) II provides Family-Centered Care as demonstrated by recognizing the patient, family and/or designee as a full partner in providing compassionate and coordinated care based on respect for patient's preferences, values, and needs. Assumes active role in clinical education of patients, families and staff. Functions effectively within nursing and inter-professional teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect, and shared decision-making to achieve quality patient care. Integrates best current evidence with clinical expertise for delivery of optimal health care. Uses data to monitor the outcomes of care processes and uses improvement methods to test changes to continuously improve the quality and safety of health care systems. Minimizes risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance. Uses information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision-making.

Neuropsychiatric Special Care (NSC) - Inpatient and Partial Hospitalization Program

The Neuropsychiatric Special Care (NSC) Program provides acute, individualized and group based behavioral treatment for children and adolescents ages 4-17 with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and/or intellectual disability who are experiencing a behavioral crisis. NSC nurses are essential members of an interdisciplinary team, delivering compassionate, evidence-based care in a highly structured and supportive environment.

The Nursing Role on NSC:

Behavioral Support & Observation
NSC nurses partner closely with psychologists, BCBAs, Behavioral Health Clinicians and Behavioral Health Specialists to implement therapeutic interventions that help in behavior reduction. Nurses use ongoing observation and data-informed care to support patient safety, engagement, and progress.

Structured Therapeutic Milieu
Nurses help maintain a predictable, therapeutic milieu that promotes regulation, learning, and skill development. Patients participate in daily groups focused on coping skills, emotional regulation, social skills, executive functioning, and daily living skills, with nurses reinforcing these skills throughout routine care.

Medication Management
In collaboration with psychiatry, NSC nurses administer and monitor psychiatric medications, assess therapeutic response and side effects, and support treatment adjustments to reduce barriers such as anxiety, irritability, impulsivity, and mood-related symptoms.

Family and Caregiver Collaboration
Our team provides education and support to families, helping caregivers understand their child's treatment plan and strategies for continued success after discharge. Collaboration with families and community providers is a key component of care.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Family-Centered Care: Recognize the patient or designee as the source of control and full partner in providing compassionate and coordinated care based on respect for patient's preferences, values, and needs.
  * Delivers patient and family centered care incorporating the nursing process while providing developmentally appropriate, culturally sensitive, evidence based care. Actively anticipates changes in patient outcomes/ unit needs in the provision of care.
  * Care is guided by the Professional Practice Model throughout the continuum of care.
  * Communicate and advocate patient values, preferences and expressed needs as part of implementation of care plan, evaluation of care and assessment of patient/family learning needs to the interdisciplinary team. Initiates and anticipates individualized care and education for patients/families across the continuum using an interdisciplinary approach.
• Teamwork & Collaboration: Function effectively within nursing and inter-professional teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect, and shared decision-making to achieve quality patient care.
  * Applies communication practices that minimize risks across transitions of care.
  * Presents own perspective and supporting evidence in patient care and team discussions.
  * Collaborates with team members in shared decision making.
• Evidence Based Practice: Integrate best current evidence with clinical expertise and patient/family preferences and values for delivery of optimal health care.
  * Identifies key concepts of research and evidence-based practice.
  * Participates in structuring the work environment to facilitate integration of new evidence into standards of practice.
  * Recognizes and communicates the need for revision of hospital and departmental policies procedures, practice guidelines, and/or measures for clinical practice evaluation.
  * Recognizes the standard of care provided by the applicable professional organization and /or association.
• Quality Improvement: Use data to monitor the outcomes of care processes and use improvement methods to design and test changes to continuously improve the quality and safety of health care systems.
  * Utilizes outcome data at the patient level to make care decisions.
  * Participates in the quality improvement activities and uses quality measures to understand individual and unit performance.

• Safety: Minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance.
  * Utilizes and discusses policy, procedures, and guidelines to support practice.
  * Communicates observations or concerns related to unsafe situations that pose a risk to patients, families or the health care team.

Minimum Qualifications

• Degrees
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• Experience
  • Required:One (1) year of nursing experience.
• Licenses & Certifications
  • Basic Life Support
  • Registered Nurse
• Additional Requirements
  • BLS/CPR with at least six (6) months left before expiration. RN License from multistate compact.

Salary Information
Pay is dependent on applicant's relevant experience.

Hourly Range: $36.52 to $54.78

Benefits Information
Here, you matter. As a Children's Hospital Colorado team member, you will receive a competitive pay and benefits package designed to take care of your needs that includes base pay, incentives, paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance, company provided life and disability insurance, paid parental leave, 403b employer match (retirement savings), a robust wellness program, and access to professional development tools, including an education benefit to help you advance your career.

As part of our Total Rewards package, Children's Colorado offers an annual employee bonus program that rewards eligible team members based on organizational performance. If organizational goals are met for the year, the bonus is paid out the following April.

Children's Colorado delivers annual base pay increases to eligible team members based on their performance over the previous year.

EEO Statement
It is our intention that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions be based on job-related factors. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or any other status protected by law or regulation. Be aware that none of the questions are intended to imply illegal preferences or discrimination based on non-job-related information. The position is expected to stay open until the posted close date. Please submit your application as soon as possible as the posting is subject to close at any time once a sufficient pool of qualified applicants is obtained.

Colorado Residents: In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Additional Information

Department: Neuropsychiatric Special Care

Status: Full-time, benefit eligible

Shift: Three 12 hour shifts, Days 7a to 7p, rotating weekends