The Alternative to Meds Center is a licensed holistic residential, behavioral health, and substance abuse treatment facility in Sedona, Arizona. We specialize in helping patients taper off of and find alternatives to medications. Our program is both holistic and integrative. We assess and treat each part of the individual and utilize the best available treatment that will be the most effective. Through the use of an environmental toxin removal program, orthomolecular supplementation, and naturopathic treatments, residents work to restore balance to their brain chemistry, thereby reducing symptoms and reducing the need for medications and other substances.
Our residents travel to us from all over the world to participate in our immersive residential program. We are a small organization of around 50 team members delivering care for up to 17 residents at a time.
We are currently interviewing nurses to assist with nursing services in our treatment center.
SCHEDULE: Full Time. Day Shifts can be discussed / determined at Interview.
Duties include documentation in medication charts, filling medication organizers, picking up prescriptions from the local pharmacy, assisting medical director in carrying out medication adjustments per orders, and peer counseling with a focus on assisting with Insurance reviews through proper documentation. Applicants MUST have Arizona RN level licensing and be comfortable working in a behavioral health setting.
ATMC is a team oriented workplace, and can be extremely rewarding when helping people achieve physical, mental, and spiritual transformations. This is a unique opportunity and we are looking for the unique individual right for the job.
Ideal candidate:
- MUST have ACTIVE Arizona RN level licensing
- Has experience in a mental/behavioral health setting (preferred, not required)
- Has a heart of service and is exceptionally compassionate
- Has an interest in nutrition, supplements and co-occurring disorders
- Is detail oriented, professional and highly motivated
- Has a CAN DO! attitude
- Is adept in navigating novel and challenging situations with grace and discernment
- Is looking for a long-term career opportunity
- Enjoys contributing in a team atmosphere
- Has a knack for calming others rather than adding to high intensity situations
- Builds rapport with others easily
We have a team approach and promote a friendly and caring atmosphere.
If interested, please first check out our website (www.alternativetomeds.com) to learn more about our philosophy and services. Then, submit your resume along with a cover letter sharing with us why you feel you you'd be a great addition to our team. We look forward to connecting with you!
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Registered Nurse Job Description
Purpose:
Nurses centralize the responsibility for nursing duties. They maintain accurate and updated resident records, offer residents a safe harbour to express physical, mental or emotional issues and manage government required/licensing employment guidelines to ensure we are in compliance.
Required Certification(s):
Registered Nurse (RN) in the state of Arizona
Supervisor: Director of Nursing
Supervised:
Resident’s safety and well being as well as Care Providers ability to stay in compliance with medication and supplement assistance and documentation.
Minimum qualifications
- Minimum level role required as defined by AZ DHS behavioral health licensing board
- Behavioral health technician, which is defined as an individual who is not a behavioral health professional who provides behavioral health services at or for a health care institution according to the health care institution’s policies and procedures that:
- If the behavioral health services were provided in a setting other than a licensed health care institution, the individual would be required to be licensed as a behavioral professional.
- Are provided with clinical oversight by a behavioral health professional
- Experience
- Some experience working in behavioral health preferred but not required
- Education
- At minimum an associates degree in nursing
- Licenses and certification
- Current licensure as a registered nurse with AZ nursing board
- CRP for healthcare providers
- Arizona Fingerprint clearance card
- Required trainings (provided by employer)
- Policy and procedure
- Agency Orientation
- Medication skills and knowledge
- HIPAA
- Verification of skills
- Risk assessment training
- Waived testing
Key responsibilities
- Documentation of patient information for the use of insurance billing in a way that advocates for the treatment the resident needs
- Assist the medical director in the documentation of medication orders such as med increases, decreases, new medications, as well as the discontinuation
- Assist the providers such as NP or Naturopathic Doctor with the ordering of labs as well as the retrieval of the results in a way that is efficient and supports the needs of the resident
- Performs initial assessments for new residents in a way that ensures they receive the appropriate level of care and their needs are met
- Provides TB tests for both staff and residents to ensure the facility is free from TB infection
- Fills medication organizers accurately based on the prescriptions of the medical director or ND.
- Ensures the EMAR/MAR is accurate and up to date based on the most recent changes in a resident’s treatment plan, orders, labs, etc.
- Provides waived testing services to residents such as urine drug screening and Point of Care testing for Covid-19
- Ensure that the storage of all medications is secure and safe
- Assist the team in ordering referrals for outside providers and sharing patient information as needed
Activities:
Obtain orders from provider for any medication increase, medication decrease, discontinued medication, or new medication.
Order and pick up medication from the pharmacy ensuring that all insurance information is updated at the pharmacy.
- The nurse is responsible for making sure meds are stocked. The resident is not expected to keep track of their meds or get refills. We are responsible for all prescription meds and ensuring the resident has enough of all prescribed meds.
- Refills can be called faxed in by the nurse with the authorization of the provider, except for some schedule II medications that require an e-scribe order from the provider.
- Nurses also advocate for residents to ensure costs of medications are covered by insurance whenever possible.
Fill medication boxes once a week or when needed.
- The nurse fill the resident’s medication organizer for the week. The organizer reflects what the most current doctor’s orders are for the resident’s medication. The organizer also allows non-licensed staff to assist the resident with the self-administration of medication.
- When a medication change is ordered by the provider, the nurse alters the medication organizer and associated documentation to reflect the change immediately.
Manage the storage of all medication
- The bulk meds(medication bottles) are kept in a separate safe that only the nurses have access to. PRN medication bottles are kept in the resident’s medication bin which the care providers have access to.
- All controlled substances are required to have a count done on them and the count must be kept current day to day. The nurse does the initial count and monitors that care providers continue to keep an accurate count as they assist with the self-administration of medications.
Manage referrals for outside providers.
- This may require obtaining an order/referral for a specialist such as dermatologist, chiropractor etc...
- This may also involve:
- coordinating treatment with those providers
- sharing labs and other pertinent medical information
- making appointments for residents
- ensuring follow up care/appointments occur
- communicating pertinent information to the team
Order labs for residents and ensure labs are carried out.
- Some labs are standing orders for all residents. For example, all residents may receive an initial lab on the first business day after their intake. This lab is a comprehensive panel to test kidney/liver function, blood sugar, wbc count, and other basic functions to ensure the resident is in an appropriate condition to participate in all aspects of the program.
- Some additional labs may be ordered throughout the course of treatment based on individual need. These labs may include, but are not limited to... food allergy testing, mold testing, adrenal testing, GI map testing, genesight testing, neurotransmitter, thyroid, metals or hormone testing.
- Protocol for residents with a minimum 8 week stay in treatment includes a challenged/provoked toxic metal/essential minerals test. This test will give the resident an idea of what their toxic burden is as well as how mineralized they are. This will also give the resident clues to the source of their symptoms and the future course of action to resolve these issues.
Obtain lab results online and upload to patient chart and notify provider results are in.
- All labs must be reviewed by the provider with the resident.
- The provider will determine the proper course of action based on the lab results.
- The doctor and the resident both sign the lab to document it was reviewed.
- The toxic metals/essential minerals lab is a bit more complicated to read. This is because we are using a challenged/provoked specimen and the test read for unchallenged specimens. The test is challenged by using a chelating agent, so the readings will typically be higher than the range allows for. This factor is taken into account when reading the test.
Inform residents of any change of medication and provide education.
- Residents should be an active participant in their treatment.
- Any decisions regarding their medication or medical care should be done with the resident with them being part of the decision making process.
- Any changes to their meds(decreases, increases, discontinuing or adding new meds) must be discussed with them prior to them taking effect.
- The resident should be informed of the effects the changes to their medication may have on them.
- The nurse should explain possible withdrawal symptoms, side effects, as well as suggest coping techniques to help the resident manage these symptoms.
Monitor residents on medication withdrawal while tapering.
- The nurse monitors the residents through direct interaction as well as reports from the team to ascertain the status of their symptoms and progress in regards to their medication changes.
- The nurse will monitor the effects of any new medication and report the findings to the doctor and the medical team.
- The nurse will also monitor the effects of any medication reduction to determine the level/severity of withdrawal symptoms as well as the residents ability to continue their med taper.
Communicate medication changes and medical concerns/updates to the team.
- The nurse will generate a nurse report daily to communicate to the team medication changes, changes to symptoms, progress, special needs, and any other pertinent information related to the resident’s ongoing care.
- Staff are required to read these reports in order to offer continuity of care.
Manage medication knowledge, training and supervision of Care Provider medication delivery and blood pressure training.
- Nurses train and monitor newly hired Care Providers for a minimum of 1 hour on the proper use of our EMR (Sunwave), our EMAR system, how to assist residents in the self administration of medications, proper documentation of medication self administration, etc.
- The nurse monitors the daily medication assistance by Care Providers to residents. The nurse ensures that the Care Providers…
- Document clearly, accurately and appropriately.
- Have an understanding of medications commonly prescribed.
- Have an understanding of common symptoms, withdrawal, side effects of medications.
- Are competent taking manual blood pressures and have an understanding of appropriate blood pressure ranges and when to report to a medical staff.
- Have an understanding of appropriate behavioral and physical ranges and when to report to a medical staff.
Conduct initial assessments for new residents.
- Nurses conduct the initial assessment at intake which includes:
- Vital signs, observed symptoms both subjective and objective
- Administering TB for residents upon intake.
- Documentation of assessment (see form)
- Documentation of current medications in medication log book
- Organizing scheduled and PRN medications in a medication organizer
- Email assessment report to staff
Provide TB testing and Physical for staff as necessary
- The nurse is responsible for administering TB tests for staff as directed by HR Admin. To meet facility requirements.
- The nurse is to conduct a physical for new staff as directed by HR Admin. To meet facility requirements.
On-call as needed
- On-call is designated to authority making staff to address crisis needs during irregular business hours. The nurse serves as backup for said on-call person to answer questions and provide professional advice as needed.
- The nurse is only called by the on-call person after chain of command protocol has been utilized and not available at all hours for any other staff members. The nurse may also be called for medication questions by CP staff after hours only.
- On-call nurse schedule rotates between nurses weekly or as assigned by the Director of Nursing.
- During scheduled on-call nursing time the nurse will be accessible via phone or text.
Pay: $37.00 - $40.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
