Healthcare Professional Placements (HP2) is seeking compassionate, dependable, and experienced Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) to provide nursing services to children and adolescents receiving behavioral and mental health services.
The LPN will work as part of an interdisciplinary treatment team and provide direct nursing care, medication administration, health monitoring, documentation, and clinical support in a structured behavioral health environment.
This position is ideal for an LPN who has a genuine interest in working with youth and understands the importance of combining strong clinical skills with patience, consistency, empathy, professional boundaries, and trauma-informed care.
Primary Responsibilities
- Provide direct nursing care to children and adolescents in accordance with established treatment plans, nursing standards, facility policies, and the LPN scope of practice.
- Administer prescribed medications accurately and safely and document medication administration in accordance with established procedures.
- Monitor youth for medication effectiveness, adverse reactions, behavioral changes, physical health concerns, and changes in mental or emotional status.
- Obtain and document vital signs, health histories, symptoms, medications, allergies, and other relevant clinical information.
- Assist with nursing assessments, admissions, discharges, transfers, and ongoing health monitoring within the LPN scope of practice.
- Communicate changes in a patient's physical, behavioral, emotional, or mental health condition promptly to the RN, provider, or appropriate clinical team member.
- Support individualized treatment and behavioral health plans established by the interdisciplinary care team.
- Provide age-appropriate health education to youth regarding medications, personal wellness, hygiene, nutrition, healthy behaviors, and other health-related topics.
- Maintain accurate, complete, timely, and confidential nursing documentation.
- Participate in shift reports and communicate relevant clinical information to incoming staff and other members of the treatment team.
- Collaborate with physicians, registered nurses, behavioral health professionals, therapists, counselors, case managers, direct-care staff, and other professionals involved in the youth's care.
Youth Behavioral Health Responsibilities
- Establish appropriate and therapeutic relationships with children and adolescents while maintaining professional boundaries.
- Utilize trauma-informed and patient-centered approaches when interacting with youth.
- Recognize signs of emotional distress, behavioral escalation, self-harm risk, medication reactions, or other clinical concerns and follow established escalation procedures.
- Assist with behavioral de-escalation and crisis intervention in accordance with organizational policies and training.
- Maintain awareness of each youth's treatment plan, identified risks, medical needs, and required precautions.
- Support a safe, structured, respectful, and therapeutic environment.
- Reinforce appropriate coping strategies, healthy behaviors, and treatment objectives established by the clinical team.
- Maintain heightened awareness of safety concerns common within youth behavioral health environments, including self-harm, elopement, aggression, medication safety, and other identified risks.
- Follow established protocols regarding suicide precautions, observation requirements, emergency response, infection prevention, and patient safety.
- Recognize and appropriately report suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or other reportable concerns in accordance with applicable law, organizational policy, and mandatory reporting requirements.
Medication Management & Clinical Support
- Administer oral, injectable, topical, and other medications permitted within the LPN's scope of practice and organizational policies.
- Follow medication administration rights and established medication safety protocols.
- Maintain medication security and ensure access is restricted to authorized personnel.
- Monitor and document patient response to medications.
- Identify and report potential adverse reactions, medication errors, contraindications, or other medication-related concerns.
- Assist with medication inventory, documentation, storage, and accountability as assigned.
- Coordinate with the supervising RN and prescribing providers regarding medication-related concerns.
Documentation & Compliance
- Complete all nursing documentation accurately and within required timeframes.
- Maintain patient confidentiality and comply with HIPAA and applicable privacy requirements.
- Document medication administration, clinical observations, interventions, patient responses, and relevant communications.
- Follow applicable nursing standards, organizational policies, regulatory requirements, and infection-control procedures.
- Participate in quality improvement and patient safety activities as required.
Required Qualifications
- Current and unrestricted Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) license in the applicable state.
- Graduate of an accredited Practical Nursing program.
- Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
- Strong medication administration and clinical documentation skills.
- Ability and willingness to work directly with children and adolescents receiving mental and behavioral health services.
- Ability to recognize changes in patient condition and appropriately escalate clinical or behavioral concerns.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary treatment team.
- Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries while developing positive therapeutic relationships with youth.
- Successful completion of all HP2 and assignment-specific credentialing requirements, including applicable background checks, drug screening, license verification, health requirements, and other required clearances.
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous experience in pediatric, adolescent, psychiatric, mental health, or behavioral health nursing.
- Experience working with children or adolescents in residential, inpatient, outpatient, psychiatric, behavioral health, or community-based treatment settings.
- Experience administering medications to pediatric or adolescent populations.
- Experience supporting individuals with behavioral challenges, developmental needs, emotional disturbances, or mental health conditions.
- Training or certification in crisis prevention, behavioral intervention, trauma-informed care, or de-escalation techniques.
- Experience working within a multidisciplinary behavioral health treatment team.
Knowledge, Skills & Competencies
Successful candidates should demonstrate:
- Compassion and patience when working with children and adolescents
- Strong clinical observation and nursing judgment
- Medication administration proficiency
- Behavioral health awareness
- Trauma-informed care practices
- Crisis recognition and de-escalation skills
- Strong documentation and attention to detail
- Professional communication
- Emotional maturity and composure
- Appropriate professional boundaries
- Reliability and accountability
- Cultural sensitivity
- Team-oriented approach to patient care
- Commitment to youth safety and well-being