Registered Nurse (RN) 

Registered Nurse (RN) 

Position Overview

The Registered Nurse (RN) provides comprehensive nursing care within a correctional healthcare environment, supporting both the general population and restricted housing units. This role is responsible for triaging health service requests, coordinating daily patient care, managing urgent sick calls and follow-up appointments, and collaborating closely with physicians and other healthcare providers.

Schedule

• 36 hours per week
• Three (3) 12-hour shifts per week
• Regular shift: 9:30 AM - 10:00 PM
• Every third weekend
• Every third holiday
• Holiday shift: 6:00 AM - 6:30 PM

Key Responsibilities

• Gather and review Health Service Requests submitted from the housing units and triage patients according to clinical urgency and healthcare needs.
• Coordinate the daily nursing and patient-care schedule based on health service requests, scheduled appointments, referrals, and clinical priorities.
• Assess and provide nursing care for urgent sick-call patients.
• Manage multiple patient follow-ups resulting from provider referrals and RN follow-up appointments.
• Assist healthcare providers with the ongoing management of patients with chronic health conditions, following established chronic-care guidelines and treatment plans.
• Provide direct support to the MD/AMD, including completing verbal orders, coordinating and consulting with off-site healthcare providers, and managing requests and communications through the Cerner messaging system.
• Function as a nurse clinician for patients within both the general population and restricted housing settings.
• Assess patients, identify changes in condition, implement appropriate nursing interventions, and communicate significant findings to providers.
• Provide nursing care to patients housed in Health Services Unit (HSU) sick cells, including patients requiring a higher level of observation or ongoing clinical support.
• Utilize long-term care nursing skills when caring for patients with extended illnesses, complex medical needs, or ongoing healthcare requirements.
• Provide post-operative and recovery care, including monitoring patient status, identifying complications, and following provider-directed treatment plans.
• Collaborate with physicians, advanced practice providers, nursing staff, correctional staff, and off-site healthcare providers to promote continuity of care.
• Accurately document assessments, interventions, provider communications, orders, and patient outcomes in Cerner.
• Respond appropriately to changes in patient condition and escalate urgent or emergent concerns according to established clinical protocols.
• Maintain compliance with facility policies, nursing standards, infection-control practices, and applicable regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

• Current and unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license as required by the state.
• Current BLS/CPR certification.
• Strong nursing assessment, triage, critical-thinking, and clinical decision-making skills.
• Experience managing patients with chronic conditions, acute illnesses, post-operative needs, and/or long-term care needs preferred.
• Experience working with an electronic health record; Cerner experience preferred.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with physicians and an interdisciplinary healthcare team.
• Correctional, behavioral health, emergency, acute care, long-term care, or similar nursing experience is a plus.