Nurse Service Coordinator Westside DMH at Step-Up on 2nd Street – Los Angeles, California

Nurse Service Coordinator

Westside DMH Programs

REPORTS TO: DIRECTOR OF NURSES

HOURS: FULL TIME

CLASSIFICATION: NON-EXEMPT

REQUISITION NUMBER: 1778

BENEFITS AND WHAT WE OFFER:

SUMMARY: The Nurse Service Coordinator is a vital member of the Westside DMH team, providing medication support, medical linkage, and case management services to individuals with a chronic mental health diagnosis, chronic health diagnosis, and who are at risk of or currently without a home. The Nurse Service Coordinator provides Mental Health recovery-focused services related to the safe and appropriate administration of medical treatment (including medications) as the physician prescribes. The position requires clinic days to support the Psychiatrist in the office and conduct field outreach at the member's home. All team members must adhere to Medi-Cal, Medicare, and LAC-DMH documentation standards. The Nurse Service Coordinator works collaboratively with Step Up's interdisciplinary teams to provide members with high-quality medication support and care management. The Nurse Service Coordinator must demonstrate behavior consistent with Step Up's core values and promote and maintain a professional and effective relationship and communication within the nursing team and other teams within the agency.

DUTIES: The following reflects essential functions for this job but does not restrict other tasks, which may be assigned:

Direct Service and Support

Coordinate psychiatric care with the program or consulting psychiatrist within the scope of practice.

• Adheres to medication management policies and procedures.
• Assure medications are prescribed, ordered, and delivered promptly.
• Transcribe physician orders accurately and promptly.
• Coordinates with pharmacy regarding approved medications
• Provides information and education to members in a variety of forums
• Administer medications per the physician's orders and follow up with members to monitor effect.
• Perform basic nursing assessments, including vital signs and monitoring for side effects of psychiatric active medications.
• Perform medication reconciliation, nutritional screening, and pain screening.
• Provide medication support services in the community (client's home, field, or community agency) as needed.
• Assist with coordinating medical, behavioral health resources, and ancillary services.
• Provide behavioral health methods to modify unhealthy behaviors, learn new healthy and positive lifestyle behaviors to ensure housing stability, and increase recovery skills.
• Support Psychiatrist on clinic days.
• Provide formal and informal training and support for members on medical conditions, including treatments and medications.

Team Engagement and Community Relationships

• Attend staff meetings, supervision, and training as required.
• Actively participate in team meetings, training, committee meetings, and other staff activities.
• Communicates information and recommendations to the treatment team to ensure continuity of care.
• Model the highest ethical behavior in relationships with coworkers, supervisors, members, providers, and colleagues in the community.
• Support and provide coverage for the nursing team as needed or requested by the DON.

Documentation and Data Collection

• Maintain client files in compliance with DMH and HIPAA requirements.
• Maintain medication room, medical supplies, and medication storage in compliance with state and federal laws and accreditation standards.
• Complete medication logs and temperature logs within program timelines.
• Complete accurate documentation and become proficient in EHR to ensure

documentation follows regulatory requirements and accreditation standards.

SKILLS: Knowledge of or experience with Medi-Cal, Medicare, and Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health service delivery, documentation requirements, and compliance.

Must have comprehensive knowledge of psychotropic medications, side effects, and administration methods, including the ability to administer prescribed injections safely.

Must have the ability to follow oral and written medication orders.

Knowledge and familiarization of the use and provision of psychiatric medications, mental health diagnoses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression, as well as co-occurring substance and medical co

conditions (diabetes, hypertension, HIV-AIDS, etc.)

Perform basic physical assessments of individuals, including vital signs, monitor for side effects of psychiatric active medications, and provide information to physicians.

Possess an understanding of and sensitivity to multicultural communities.

Must have extensive knowledge of resources and excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Must be aware of protocol for reporting suspected abuses, neglect, or other dangerous conditions.

QUALIFICATIONS: California LVN license. The required license must be current.

Conditional, provisional, probationary, or restricted licenses are not accepted.

The candidate must have two or more years of experience in behavioral health, acute medical-surgical, home health, skilled nursing, or direct client services to individuals at risk of or currently without a home, diagnosed with a mental illness, chronic health conditions, or tri-morbidity.

Valid California Driver's license and automobile insurance are mandatory as automobile travel is required throughout Los Angeles County by personal or company vehicle.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Work with people experiencing homelessness whether on the streets, in shelters or other places of habitation or services, may present inherent challenges and difficulties such as: exposure to bed bugs or other infestations, unpleasant smells or odors, individuals who may have poor hygiene or unclean homes due to homelessness, mental health symptoms, or poverty. Additionally, in working with our members, employees may encounter instances of profanity, sexually explicit or derogatory language, or verbal or physical expressions of anger and trauma. Very rarely do these situations ever escalate to physical contact, and negative or derogatory communication patterns can often be negotiated successfully. All direct care staff are provided adequate training to develop skills to deescalate crisis situations that may arise and Step Up has established procedural safeguards for all employees to mitigate (but not eliminate) these inherent risks of employment.

Please note: This position is part of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU 721) Bargaining Unit.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands and fingers; handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk; and hear. The employee is frequently required to walk, balance, stoop, kneel, and/or crouch. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Keyboard data entry required.

Step Up utilizes the principles of trauma-informed care and mental health recovery. These principles inform our Core Values of Hope, Wellness, Voice and Choice, Respect, and Collaborative Relationships. As representatives of Step Up, employees agree to adhere to these values in their interactions with members, colleagues, supervisors, and associated community members.

STEP UP CORE VALUES

HOPE – We believe all people have the capacity for positive growth and change. We use hope to inspire and motivate ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

WELLNESS – We believe in promoting a culture that supports healthy and fulfilling lives. We use a supportive environment to foster well-being for ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

VOICE AND CHOICE – We believe in the right to choose and be heard. We use voice and choice to create meaningful outcomes and empowerment for ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

RESPECT – We believe in promoting interactions that are non-judgmental, transparent. We use respect to guide all of our words and actions with ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS – We believe in forming partnerships to share resources, knowledge, and experiences. We use collaborative relationships to strengthen accomplishments for ourselves, our members, our colleagues, and our community.

Step Up provides equal employment opportunities without regard to age, ancestry, color, creed, mental or physical disability, marital status, medical condition, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.

STEP UP IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER