Job Description

JOB TITLE: Nurse, Behavioral Interventionist

SUPERSEDES: 03/25, 06/25 (Behavioral Interventionist)

FLSA: Non-Exempt

JOB CODE: 8753

ISSUED: 03/2025

REVISED: 06/2025

BASIC FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITY

The Nurse, Behavioral Interventionist, is responsible for providing direct patient care, as well as direct support to patients and assisting in the development and implementation of programs and protocols that promote patient safety, improve behavioral health outcomes, and support a positive and safe hospital healthcare environment. This role will work collaboratively with clinical and non-clinical staff to identify and mitigate risks, manage behavioral health issues, and enhance overall patient care quality.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Collaborates with behavioral response program team members and stakeholders across the health system to develop, evaluate, and continuously improve behavioral response programs, including early identification of at-risk patients.

Responds to behavioral emergency activations, performs rapid scene safety assessments, and leads interdisciplinary efforts to de-escalate behavioral crises in alignment with therapeutic goals and best practices for behavioral health interventions.

Provides trauma-informed psychiatric care to patients experiencing mental health or substance use crises, supporting safe, structured, and therapeutic environments.

Assesses patients by reviewing admission records and integrating behavioral risk factors into care planning and clinical workflows.

Delivers direct nursing care including crisis de-escalation, medication administration, and behavioral interventions, while maintaining accurate documentation of assessments, interventions, and outcomes.

Coordinates the development and implementation of individualized behavioral and safety plans in collaboration with healthcare teams and within regulatory standards.

Attends daily behavioral health rounding, monitoring patients' mood, behavior, and orientation, and identifying changes that require intervention or escalation.

Monitors the progression of high-risk patients from admission to discharge and supports staff with care planning, discharge coordination, and aftercare education.

Provides bedside education to staff and patients regarding behavioral care plans, safety protocols, and coping strategies.

8753h-Nurse,BehavioralInterventionist05/30/2025

Collaborates with physicians, nursing staff, Care Coordination, and payers to support high-quality care and efficient transitions, including coordination of transfers to behavioral health units.

Assists in protocol development for managing patients at risk of harm to self or others and provides training to behavioral response team members and unit staff on appropriate responses.

Supports behavioral response training by educating staff on trauma-informed care, medical crisis management, safety protocols, de-escalation techniques, and documentation standards.

Assists with medication education, monitoring, and chart audits, including review of safety plans, restraint usage, and opportunities for staff support and quality improvement.

Provides testimony in legal settings regarding a patient's mental and physical condition when necessary for care planning or discharge decisions.

Participates in quality assurance activities, incident debriefings, and assigned committees or workgroups.

May complete unit/department-specific duties as outlined in department documents.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Advanced skill using de-escalation techniques and ability to teach approved de-escalation techniques utilizing approved criteria and curriculum.

Ability to remain resilient and effective in challenging or adverse situations. Ability to provide empathetic care to all clients.

Ability to participate in manual holds, restraint application, and other physical moves as taught by a certified behavioral management program.

Ability to develop and refine processes to enhance service quality and ensure exceptional care delivery.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Direction is received from the Coordinator, Behavioral Health Interventions.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

Functional supervision is exercised over nursing and support staff.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Missouri Board of Nursing RN or Nurse Licensure Compact multi-state RN. When primary state of residency changes, compact state RNs must apply under new state of residency within thirty (30) days.

8753h-Nurse,BehavioralInterventionist05/30/2025

Two (2) years of nursing experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Two (2) years of experience with patients needing behavioral health interventions.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met with or without reasonable accommodation. The performance of these physical demands is an essential function of the job. This position is very active and requires ambulating, reaching, and moving objects weighing up to and over 20 lbs.

This role also routinely comes into contact with patients who may have contagious illnesses. This position is in a health care facility open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Rotating shifts as well as holiday and work during inclement weather will be required.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job; however, completion of these duties is a measure of successful performance. Employees of this job classification are subject to performance reviews. Basic function, responsibilities and characteristics duties may change at any time with or without notice.

SAFETY SENSITIVE STATUS

This position is considered safety sensitive.

This document is a general description of typical job duties, responsibilities and qualifications of employees holding the associated job title. Additional duties, specific qualifications and work emphasis may vary between individual positions.

8753h-Nurse,BehavioralInterventionist05/30/2025