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Shift: Days, 3x12hrs
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Hours: 36 hrs/wk
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Start Date: Aug 3, 2026
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Length: 10 weeks
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Openings: 1
American Traveler is seeking an experienced RN for a Pediatric Psychiatric Unit position in Bangor, ME, requiring at least 1 year of behavioral health nursing experience and an active ME or compact RN license.
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12-hour day shifts, 7A–7P, 36 hours per week
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Freestanding acute inpatient psychiatric facility with a contracted ER located 5 minutes away
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Pediatric psychiatric unit serving patients ages 5–18, with floating required to the adult psychiatric unit (ages 18+/geriatric)
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Pediatric patient population includes diagnoses such as Eating Disorders, Depression, Suicidal Ideation, Anxiety, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and Gender Dysphoria
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Adult patient population most commonly includes Schizophrenia, MDD, and Bipolar Disorder; also Eating Disorders, Suicidal Ideation, Anxiety, and medically cleared SUD/detox patients on CIWA
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All patients are medically cleared prior to admission; lines, drains, and tubes are not typical
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Both voluntary and involuntary admissions; no forensic patients or inmates
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Daytime RN ratio is 1:5–6; nighttime ratio is 1:13 with nursing resource support
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Psych Tech support: Peds unit has 6 techs on days and 2 on nights; Adult unit has 2 techs on days and 2 on nights
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Charting system: Cerner; Pyxis used for medication management
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Every other weekend rotation (Saturday and Sunday)
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No on-call responsibilities
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Holidays worked on a rotating basis
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RTO of up to 7 days may be approved; contract may need to be extended if shifts within a week cannot be covered
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Modified self-scheduling: travelers sign up for preferred shifts, which are reviewed and adjusted by the manager/scheduler to ensure coverage; unassigned shifts may be auto-assigned
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Active ME state license or compact RN license currently in hand
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Current BLS certification required
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MOAB certification required (obtained on-site during orientation)
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Minimum 1 year of behavioral health nursing experience required
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Pediatric behavioral health experience preferred; candidates without peds experience may be considered with manager approval
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Experience with de-escalation techniques and physical restraints (chemical restraints are not used)
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Comfortable with medication administration, group facilitation, and clinical documentation
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2 professional references within the past year required, with at least one from a supervisor, manager, director, or charge nurse (no peer references)
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Full SSN, Driver's License, and copies of all certifications required for consideration
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Flu vaccination required for clearance to start (medical exemptions only, subject to facility review)
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Permanent address must be 100+ miles south/southwest of the facility to meet traveler eligibility
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Must not have previously worked at any Northern Light Health Hospital in a permanent capacity
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Provides acute inpatient psychiatric care including traditional medical and psychiatric nursing, medication passes, and documentation
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Specialized therapeutic programming offered on-site includes pet therapy, group sessions, and community gardening
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Seclusion rooms are available and used when necessary for patient safety
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Travelers may have the opportunity to serve as Charge Nurse, though it is not required
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During patient escalations, a designated 'code leader' verbally de-escalates while assigning roles to responding staff from across all units; travelers may function as the code leader
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A debriefing form is completed following all code situations; management rounds to escalation events to provide support
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MOAB is reviewed again during on-site orientation; scenario-based de-escalation training is held every other week, and a MOAB Educator/Trainer is available on-site
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Unit support includes a Nurse Supervisor (evenings/weekends), Nurse Manager (days), House Administrator (overnight/weekends), Charge Nurse, Psych Techs, contracted Phlebotomist, NP (on-site until 1600, on call overnight), Psychiatrist (daily rounds and on call 0000–0600), and an Occupational Therapist (0800–1630, 7 days/week)
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Security is on-site but does not respond to patient escalations; staff from all units respond to escalations
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Orientation consists of the first week (Mon–Fri) on day shift, followed by the second week on 12-hour contracted shifts
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Scrub color must be any solid color and professional in appearance
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Free parking is available on-site
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Heavy snow conditions are expected during winter months
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First-time travelers are welcome to apply
