State of Maryland

A Registered Nurse Charge Psychiatric is the lead level of work responsible for nursing care in a ward, cottage or unit on an assigned shift at a State facility.  A Registered Nurse Charge Psychiatric provides nursing care in a psychiatric setting. Employees in this classification assign, review and approve the work of and train Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, and the non-licensed nursing or support staff assigned to the work area for a shift.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a higher-level Nurse.  Employees may be assigned to day, evening, night or rotating shifts which may include holidays and weekends.  Employees may be subject to call-in and overtime based on staffing needs.  The work is usually performed in a residential or inpatient treatment facility providing twenty-four hour care.  Employees are required to observe infection control precautions in order to prevent contamination and spread of disease.  The work may require lifting and positioning nonambulatory patients and lifting wheelchairs and other heavy equipment.  The work may require long periods of standing, walking, bending and reaching.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Registered Nurse Charge is differentiated from the Registered Nurse in that the Registered Nurse Charge is in charge of nursing care for a designated work area on a particular shift and leads assigned staff which includes Registered Nurses while the Registered Nurse performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.  The Registered Nurse Charge is differentiated from the Registered Nurse Supervisor in that the Registered Nurse Supervisor is responsible for the twenty-four hour supervision of a unit or is a shift supervisor for several wards.

Leads subordinate licensed or non-licensed nursing personnel and support staff caring for patients in a designated area on an assigned shift;

Assigns and evaluates nursing care provided in an assigned area according to nursing services guidelines;

Interprets and implements nursing, personnel and facility/agency policies;

Participates in evaluation of the overall nursing program in a unit;

Participates in interdisciplinary planning for the total therapeutic program;

Performs quality assurance monitoring of the health care provided in one or more programs;

Monitors use of services for appropriateness in assigned program(s);

Investigates complaints regarding patient care and possible health law violations;

Conducts unit meetings with registered nurses and paraprofessional staff to effectively address the patient needs;

Provides direct nursing care as needed;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the principles, practices, and theory of the registered nursing process;

Skill in observing and measuring the effects of nursing intervention;

Skill in providing accurate nursing documentation and record keeping;

Skill in assessing physical, emotional and social needs of patients;

Skill in developing a plan of care for the patient;

Ability to lead other Nurses;

Ability to assess the use of health care services;

Ability to evaluate quality of nursing care delivery in specific health care settings;

Ability to coordinate and explain program policies and procedures to nursing administrative personnel, professional health care providers and the public;

Ability to explain long-term and short-term goals of nursing care to team members, patients and families;

Ability to communicate effectively with patients and health department personnel as well as other community health, welfare and educational agencies;

Ability to establish effective working relationships with community health, welfare and educational agencies, patients and their families, and the general public.

Education:   Determined by the Maryland State Board of Nursing under the licensing requirements for Registered Nurses.

Experience: Two years of experience as a Registered Nurse, one year of which must have been in the Psychiatric option.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor’s degree in nursing or a related field from an accredited college or university for the one year of general experience.

2. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Master’s degree in nursing or a health-related field from an accredited college or university for the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Nursing classifications or Nursing and Hospital Administration specialty codes in the Nursing field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

1. Candidates for positions in this classification must possess a current license as a Registered Nurse from the Maryland State Board of Nursing, 4140 Patterson Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21215 or possess a current multi-state license in party states that candidates have declared as primary states of residence.

2. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of an automobile. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

3. Employees in this classification may be required to successfully complete cardiopulmonary resuscitation training and maintain current certification.

1. Employees in this classification are subject to call-in and, therefore, will be required to provide the facility with a phone number at which they can be reached.

2. Employees in this classification are subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with Code of Maryland Regulations 17.04.09, Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State Departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using departments or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions.  Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated as Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit E, Health Care Professionals classes. As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial, and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining. Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime, as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.