Telecare's mission is to deliver excellent and effective behavioral health services that engage individuals in recovering their health, hopes, and dreams. Telecare continues to advance cultural diversity, humility, equity, and inclusion at all levels of our organization by hiring mental health peers, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, veterans, and all belief systems.
As part of the Telecare Family, the Santa Cruz County Psychiatric Health Facility (PHF) is a 16-bed locked acute psychiatric inpatient program for adults aged 18+, diagnosed with serious mental illness (SMI), experiencing a mental health emergency and require intensive treatment and support. The CSP is a locked crisis program. It serves adults 18+ admitted both voluntarily and involuntarily. The length of stay is up to 23 hours.
Shifts Available
Part Time .5; AM 9:00 am - 1:00 pm; Monday - Friday
Expected starting wage range is $43.04 - $53.15. Telecare applies geographic differentials to its pay ranges. The pay range assigned to this role will be based on the geographic location from which the role is performed. Starting pay is commensurate with relevant experience above the minimum requirements.
Position Summary
The Utilization Review (UR) Nurse works collaboratively with the treatment team to ensure that the care provided is appropriate and medically necessary. The UR Nurse also ensures that medical record documentation explains the care provided as well as the members served responses to treatment.
Qualifications
Required:
- Graduation from accredited LVN program. Two (2) years of acute inpatient psychiatric nursing experience. Current LVN State license. Current BLS certification
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must be CPR, Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI), and First Aid certified on date of employment or within 60 days of employment and maintain current certification throughout employment
- All opportunities at Telecare are contingent upon successful completion and receipt of acceptable results of the applicable post-offer physical examination, 2-step PPD test for tuberculosis, acceptable criminal background clearances, excluded party sanctions, and degree or license verification. If the position requires driving, valid driver’s license, a motor vehicle clearance and proof of auto insurance is required at time of employment and must be maintained throughout employment. Additional regulatory, contractual or local requirements may apply
Preferred
- Utilization Review Nurse experience preferred
Essential Functions
- Demonstrates the Telecare mission, purpose, values, and beliefs in everyday language and contact with the internal and external stakeholders
- Reviews members served admission data and clinical documentation to ensure compliance with county and state regulations relating to medical necessity and case documentation
- When appropriate, interviews members served significant others and consults with existing outpatient team
- Consults with psychiatrist and medical staff regarding the members served diagnosis, medical justification, length of treatment, and case documentation
- Assesses records for appropriate level of care and treatment, aftercare, and discharge planning for members served
- Presents any treatment plan disagreements to the treatment team
- Advocates for required members served treatment with medical providers
- Provides training and information about utilization requirements to clinical, supervisory, and management staff
- Participates with departmental staff in utilization and quality improvement meetings and projects
- Prepares memorandum, letters, and correspondence and comprehensive daily members served status summaries
- Participates in Quality Assurance (QA) survey audit of the program to ensure agency compliance on utilization review regulations
- Must assist with restraint of members served in the event of assaultive behavior and pass assault crisis/crisis prevention training
Duties and responsibilities may be added, deleted and/or changed at the discretion of management.
Skills
Thorough knowledge of:
- Psychological and social aspects and characteristics of emotional disturbances and mental illness
- Principles and methods of counseling and the accepted techniques for assessing psycho-social behavior
Working Knowledge Of
- Human behavior and development
- Appropriate and available community resources
- Problems, needs, and attitudes of the population served
- Pertinent laws and regulations regarding health and social service programs
- Federal, state, and county regulations pertaining to utilization review
- Laws and regulations as they pertain to members served legal rights
- Pharmacology of medications and psychotropic drug treatment
- Methods and procedures of admissions, discharges, and members served care in acute care psychiatric facilities
Ability To
- Communicate effectively in oral and written format
- Maintain effective interpersonal relationships
- Understand and apply state, federal, and local regulations and laws governing quality assurance and utilization review
- Work independently
- Analyze treatment plans, which include the diagnosis of client behavioral and emotional problems
- Use good judgement in order to make critical decisions about the medical necessity of treatment
- Work in a high stress environment
- Must have excellent troubleshooting and communication skills
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
The employee is occasionally required to sit, squat, kneel, twist, push, pull and lift and carry items weighing 25 pounds or less as well as to frequently walk, stand, bend, reach and do simple and power grasping. The position requires manual deviation, repetition and dexterity as well as Hazardous Exposure (Blood Borne Pathogens, Hospital Waste, Chemical & Infectious).
EOE AA M/F/V/Disability