Contract Registered Nurse (RN) / Medical Coordinator – Residential Treatment Center
Location: Arlington, Texas
Job Type: Contract / Part-Time
Position: Registered Nurse (RN) / Medical Coordinator
Schedule: Minimum of one scheduled on-site visit per week, with additional on-site and remote availability as needed based on resident needs and program requirements
Reports To: Licensed Child Care Administrator / Program Director
Position Summary
We are seeking a dependable and experienced Registered Nurse (RN) / Medical Coordinator to provide nursing oversight and medical coordination for children and adolescents residing in our Residential Treatment Center.
This is a contract position designed for an RN who can provide routine on-site nursing oversight while also serving as a resource to facility leadership, case management, treatment staff, and direct-care staff regarding residents' medical and medication-related needs.
The RN / Medical Coordinator will conduct scheduled on-site visits, review resident medical records and medication documentation, monitor physician orders and follow-up care, coordinate with healthcare providers and pharmacies, provide staff education and consultation, and help ensure that each resident's medical needs are appropriately addressed and documented.
The RN will work collaboratively with the Program Director, Treatment Director, Case Manager / Aftercare Coordinator, therapists, LSOTP staff, psychiatrists, primary-care providers, pharmacies, direct-care staff, and other members of the resident's treatment team.
Primary ResponsibilitiesNursing and Medical Oversight
- Provide nursing oversight and consultation regarding the medical needs of residents.
- Conduct routine on-site visits to review resident health needs, medical documentation, medication records, and outstanding medical concerns.
- Review available medical histories, diagnoses, allergies, medications, physician orders, treatment recommendations, laboratory results, and other relevant health information.
- Identify medical concerns requiring follow-up and communicate concerns to facility leadership and appropriate healthcare providers.
- Assist the treatment team with understanding and implementing physician orders and medical recommendations.
- Monitor residents with chronic health conditions or other identified medical concerns and provide appropriate nursing recommendations within the RN's scope of practice.
- Communicate with physicians, psychiatrists, dentists, pharmacies, hospitals, specialists, and other healthcare professionals as needed.
- Provide nursing input during treatment-team or service-planning meetings when medical issues are relevant to the resident's care.
- Assist with medical review of new admissions when requested.
Medication Management and Oversight
- Provide oversight of the facility's medication-management processes.
- Routinely review Medication Administration Records (MARs) for accuracy, completeness, missed doses, refusals, medication changes, and other concerns.
- Review medication orders and help ensure medication records accurately reflect current physician or authorized prescriber orders.
- Assist with medication reconciliation following admission, discharge from a hospital, medication changes, or other transitions in care.
- Review medication storage areas for organization, security, expiration dates, discontinued medications, and appropriate storage conditions.
- Monitor medication documentation and identify discrepancies requiring correction or follow-up.
- Coordinate with pharmacies and prescribing providers regarding medication orders, refills, clarifications, and medication-related concerns as appropriate.
- Help ensure appropriate follow-up when residents experience potential medication side effects or adverse reactions.
- Monitor required laboratory testing and medical follow-up associated with prescribed medications when applicable.
- Provide education and consultation to authorized staff regarding medication administration, documentation, common side effects, and circumstances requiring escalation to a healthcare professional.
- Assist facility leadership in reviewing medication errors and developing appropriate corrective actions when necessary.
Medical Records and Compliance
- Review resident medical records for accuracy, completeness, timeliness, and compliance.
- Help ensure records contain current medical and dental examinations, physician orders, medication information, immunization records, consents, laboratory results, appointment documentation, and follow-up recommendations as applicable.
- Identify missing, expired, incomplete, or inconsistent medical documentation and communicate required follow-up to the appropriate staff.
- Assist in maintaining medical records in an organized and audit-ready condition.
- Support preparation for HHSC licensing inspections, DFPS/SSCC monitoring, internal audits, investigations, and other regulatory reviews involving resident health or medication records.
- Assist facility leadership with reviewing and improving policies and procedures related to medication management, medical care, health documentation, infection control, and other nursing-related functions.
- Maintain confidentiality of resident health information and records.
Medical Care Coordination
- Collaborate with the Case Manager / Aftercare Coordinator regarding residents' medical, dental, vision, psychiatric, and other healthcare needs.
- Review recommendations received following medical appointments and help ensure appropriate follow-up occurs.
- Assist with coordination between primary-care providers, psychiatrists, specialists, pharmacies, caseworkers, families, and facility staff when medical clarification is needed.
- Help identify residents who are overdue for medical, dental, vision, laboratory, or other required healthcare services.
- Provide nursing input regarding the urgency and appropriate level of care for non-emergency medical concerns.
- Assist with coordination of STAR Health services and other healthcare resources available to eligible residents when appropriate.
- Support continuity of medical care during admission, hospitalization, return from hospitalization, transfer, and discharge.
- Collaborate with the Case Manager / Aftercare Coordinator to ensure appropriate medical information, medication documentation, follow-up appointments, and healthcare recommendations are incorporated into discharge and aftercare planning.
Staff Training and Consultation
- Provide nursing education and consultation to direct-care and program staff regarding resident health needs.
- Assist with training related to medication administration and documentation when applicable.
- Provide education regarding recognizing medication side effects, adverse reactions, and changes in a resident's condition that require medical attention.
- Provide guidance regarding infection-control practices, communicable illness, basic health and safety practices, and other medical topics relevant to the residential environment.
- Provide resident-specific training when staff require additional knowledge to safely support a resident's identified medical needs.
- Document nursing consultation and training as required.
Quality Assurance
- Participate in quality-assurance activities involving medication management, medical documentation, healthcare coordination, and resident safety.
- Conduct periodic reviews or audits of medication records and medical files.
- Identify trends involving medication errors, missed appointments, incomplete medical documentation, recurring health concerns, or other areas requiring improvement.
- Recommend corrective actions and process improvements when concerns are identified.
- Collaborate with facility leadership to ensure medical practices remain consistent with facility policies, applicable Texas Minimum Standards, contractual requirements, and the needs of residents.
Required Qualifications
- Current, active Registered Nurse (RN) license in the State of Texas.
- RN license must be in good standing and without restrictions that would prevent performance of the duties of this position.
- Graduate of an accredited nursing program.
- Current CPR and First Aid certification.
- Strong knowledge of medication administration, medication documentation, physician orders, medication reconciliation, and basic nursing assessment.
- Ability to review clinical and medical documentation and identify discrepancies or concerns requiring follow-up.
- Strong communication, organization, documentation, and time-management skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively with physicians, psychiatrists, pharmacies, case managers, therapists, administrators, direct-care staff, families, and outside providers.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise appropriate professional judgment.
- Ability to successfully complete required background checks and other screening requirements applicable to a Texas residential child-care operation.
- Ability to provide scheduled on-site services at the facility in Arlington, Texas.
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous nursing experience working with children or adolescents.
- Previous experience in a Residential Treatment Center (RTC), behavioral-health facility, psychiatric setting, residential childcare program, foster-care environment, or similar setting.
- Experience working with residents receiving psychotropic medications.
- Experience reviewing Medication Administration Records and medication-management systems.
- Experience providing medication-related education or training to unlicensed staff.
- Familiarity with Texas HHSC Child Care Regulation, DFPS, T3C, or residential childcare requirements.
- Knowledge of STAR Health and healthcare services available to children in foster care.
- Behavioral-health, psychiatric, pediatric, community-health, or residential nursing experience is strongly preferred.
Contract Expectations
The RN / Medical Coordinator is expected to:
- Provide at least one scheduled on-site visit per week.
- Complete nursing and medical-record reviews during scheduled visits.
- Review medication-management practices and identify concerns requiring corrective action or follow-up.
- Maintain reasonable phone or virtual availability between scheduled visits for nursing consultation and questions.
- Provide additional on-site support when reasonably necessary based on resident medical needs, significant medication concerns, regulatory requirements, or other situations agreed upon with facility leadership.
- Document nursing reviews, recommendations, training, and other services provided under the contract.
- Communicate significant medical or medication-related concerns promptly to appropriate facility leadership.
- Participate in treatment-team, service-planning, regulatory, or administrative meetings when nursing participation is necessary.
Important Scope of Practice
The Registered Nurse / Medical Coordinator provides nursing oversight, assessment, education, consultation, and medical-care coordination within the scope of the individual's Texas RN license.
The RN does not independently diagnose medical conditions, prescribe medications, or perform duties outside the RN's authorized scope of practice unless the individual holds additional licensure or authorization permitting those services.
Pay: $22.00 - $30.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
