BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NURSE CASE MANAGER

SEARHC is a non-profit health consortium which serves the health interests of the residents of Southeast Alaska. We see our employees as our strongest assets. It is our priority to further their development and our organization by aiding in their professional advancement.

Working at SEARHC is more than a job, it’s a fulfilling career. We offer generous benefits, including retirement, paid time off, paid parental leave, health, dental, and vision benefits, life insurance and long and short-term disability, and more.

This position functions within the Psychiatry Department to assist patients with medication refills, referrals, triage and patient education. 

Key Essential Functions and Accountabilities of the Job

• Clinical Skills:
  • Facilitates medical care for patients in Behavioral Health/Psychiatry Service.
  • Facilitates medication refills between patients, physician, pharmacy, and insurances.
  • Provides nurse case management to identify and obtain appropriate medical/therapeutic information in preparation for prescriber visits.
  • Provides patient education and refers to physician as appropriate.
  • When appropriate conducts nursing physical evaluation, injections, and lab collection as needed. 
  • Coordinates care plans with primary care and specialties.

• Case Management:
  • Provides culturally sensitive, systematic mental health/SUD nursing care that reflects contemporary nursing practice and the client’s health care/treatment plan.
  • Provides comprehensive mental health case management to outpatients of all ages.
  • Utilizes multiple brief patient contacts to provide education and reinforce clinician’s plan of care.
  • Identifies situations where nursing or case management would benefit the patient and communicates closely with clinicians, both medical and behavioral; identifies situations beyond nursing scope of practice and seek appropriate clinician direction.
• Clinic Support Activities:
  • Researches patient education material.
  • Researches equipment as needed and work with biomedical services to ensure clinic equipment is maintained.
  •   
• Other Functions
• • Other duties as assigned

Education, Certifications, and Licenses Required

• Active nursing license in Alaska or other U.S. state required.
  • Direct Hire must have applied for an Alaska nursing license at time of hire.
  • Agency staff must have an active Alaska license.
• OR An LPN license with 5+ years of specific Behavioral Health experience.
• High school diploma or equivalent required.

Experience Required

• At least six months’ nurse case management experience
• Experience with mental health care, SUD, and medical primary care phone triage - preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Medications, disease processes, and the ability to utilize information resources.
• How to access systems related to psychiatric/SUD patient care both within and outside of SEARHC.

Skills in:

• Communicating effectively with and empathizing with patients.
• Performing a nursing assessment.
• Documenting appropriately.

Ability to:

• Recognize the acuity of a situation and seek an appropriate plan and level of care.
• Individualize education in a manner that is meaningful to each patient.
• Communicate with patients who may have challenges related to comprehension and mood.

Computer Skills: 

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Products including Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Other SEARHC provided computer applications

Travel Required:
Less than 10% travel expected.