According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics nursing is one of the top 10 occupations with the largest job growth. Licensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational Nurses travel jobs and assignments are available in every state and the specialty list continues to grow as well. Room for continuous growth and expanding of your career in the Nursing and healthcare field is a great asset for this type of work as well. Expand your career and your experience and explore our beautiful country at the same time!

The Psychiatric Unit LPN/LVN will provide care for patients will disease or illness that has led them to temporary or long-term hospitalization. The Psychiatric LPN/LVN specializes in the institutional care of patients with mental disorders. The LPN/LVN works in medical centers and large hospital psychiatric care units, usually with patients who are staying in the unit for intensive treatment or short term evaluation before being returned to their homes for long term care. The Psychiatric LPN/LVN shares the same focus and duties as other nurses but in this setting the LPN/LVN is required to place focus on interaction with the patient, as their companionship with the patient is the primary mode of practice.

Psychiatric Unit Licensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational Nurses are assigned a number of patients and will provide direct care to each of these patients, including facilitating social and emotional needs, supervising medication schedules and evaluating the progress of the patients. Good communication skills are essential as the LPN/LVN will be collaborating with a variety of interdisciplinary professionals to determine and provide the best possible care for the patients. Education of the patient’s family members about the conditions and how to create a supportive environment for the patients to return to for long-term care and recovery is also one of the LPN/LVN’s duties.

Many of the patients in the Psychiatric Unit may be hospitalized because they are a danger to themselves or others the LPN/LVN is responsible for maintaining a safe environment through the use of monitoring devices and restraining techniques if necessary. Psychiatric Unit LPN/LVN’s provide social support for the patient by creating and encouraging them to take advantage of available opportunities such as social activities, support groups and other therapeutic measures, as well as participating with the patient when appropriate.

Psychiatric LPN/LVN Responsibilities may include:

• Perform focused interview with patient to identify their specific needs.
• Use the process of nursing to assess, plan, implement and evaluate patient care.
• Assess symptoms indicating phychosocial and/or physiologic changes in patient’s condition.
• Collect, analyze and interpret data and information from other health care providers.
• Document actual and/or potential diagnoses as well as documenting the patient’s plan of care using these diagnoses, selected nursing interventions and expected patient outcomes.
• Identifies and prioritizes care and treatment based upon patient requirements.
• Perform interventions according to priorities, plan of care, and the facility’s policies and patient care outcome standard.
• Monitor the consistency of patient care by medical staff.
• Provide and evaluate patient and family education and information.
• Provide a safe and comfortable patient environment.
• Document the response of the patient to nursing and other interventions.
• Monitor and revise care plans according to evaluation and effective or ineffective nursing interventions