Registered Nurse I-Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Fort Logan-Denver
State of Colorado
Posted: January 2, 2026 (13 days ago)
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State of Colorado
Colorado Department of Human Services
Location
Golden, Colorado, --
Salary
From $43.80
per hour
Type
Full Time
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This job involves providing nursing care to youth in a secure facility, including initial health assessments, administering treatments, and managing ongoing medical needs for detained or committed young people aged 10-21.
A good fit would be a licensed registered nurse who enjoys working with adolescents, has experience in clinical assessments and patient education, and can handle routine and emergency situations in a youth services environment.

This position is open only to Colorado state residents.
Delivers health care to detained and committed youth within the nurse’s scope of practice.
Primary care is provided by independent practitioners with responsibility for a continuum of care from the initial assessment through development and maintenance of health care including physical, psychiatric and dental maintenance.
Specific Job Duties:
Clinical Duties: Initial nursing assessments and triage of requests for health/medical care submitted by youth. Reviews the admission medical information obtained by security staff at intake.
Administers nursing care and provides the youth education for routine, urgent and emergent medical situations within scope of practice.
Obtains laboratory and other diagnostic procedures ordered by medical providers, review results and notify provider of results when indicated.
Initiate nursing/medical treatment plans for youth with special health care needs. Reviews and revises treatment plans as needed.
Completes health appraisals, physical exams, vision/hearing screenings, in-house laboratory diagnostic testing (e.g.
urine dipsticks, pregnancy tests, STI urine testing, PPD tests etc.), and immunizations per Division of Youth Services (DYS) policy.
Documents all encounters with youth in electronic medical records system and/or appropriate medical logs in an accurate and timely manner.
Maintains confidentiality of all patient information (oral and written) according to federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations.
Initiates consultations/referrals to mid-level provider and/or appropriate physician when indicated.
Responds to requests for emergent situations (Code Blue, Code Red) occurring on campus, administer CPR/First Aid and initiate a 911 call if indicated.
Delivers medications, medical supplies and evaluates youth who may be confined to specific buildings or rooms throughout the campus setting.
Other nursing duties as delegated/ordered by DYS physicians or mid-level providers.
Medication and Treatment: Responsible for the ordering and preparation of youth’s medications for administration within the facility.
Transcription and procurement of psychiatrist, physician, and/or mid-level provider medication orders.
Maintains accuracy of individual Medication Administration Records through reviewing and updating on a continuous basis.
Monitors those records for medication errors and reporting them to the Lead Medical or Mid-Level Provider in charge, including lack of documentation regarding administration of medications.
Educates youth and staff about medications, side effects, desired effects and importance of compliance with prescribed medications.
Investigates and documents interviews with youth refusing prescribed medications and initiates interventions.
Maintains inventory logs of medications arriving at the facility for youth, preparing them for administration by medical and QMAP staff and delivering them to youth.Transcribes, orders, prepares and administers medications including intramuscular medications per prescribed providers’ orders.
Updates Medication Administration Record (MAR). Monitors MARs for errors and reports errors to medical clinic supervisor and facility administration.
appropriate living units located throughout the campus. Assists in ordering and maintaining stock supplies, medications and equipment within the campus clinics.
Monitors inventory and restocks medications and supplies in campus clinics and living units.
Checks campus First Aid Kits, AED’s, pharmaceutical refrigerators and other equipment on a continuing basis to maintain adequate functioning of the medical department and provision of health care for youth.
Documents administration of youth medications and behavioral contacts in electronic medical record database.
Assess vaccine status and administers needed vaccines per CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and provider recommendation.
Follows Vaccine for Children’s Program protocols for immunization administration and safe storage and handling.
Mental Health: Evaluates resident’s mental status/mental health and behavioral health conditions through interview, health appraisal, and observation.
Performs nursing assessment of youths’ mental status through interview and observations, health screen, and health appraisal.
Provides basic mental health intervention and refer to psychiatrist or mental health resource for further evaluation, intervention or transfer to a mental health institution.
Provides basic nursing interventions/education during encounter with youth as indicated. Makes appropriate referrals and/or consultations with mental health providers or psychiatrist.
Conducts mental health referrals as necessary. Actively involves parents and legal guardians in the care and treatment of the mental health of their youth.
Health Education: Assesses and identifies the knowledge deficits regarding general health and hygiene topics presented by youth in routine and formal encounters.
Provides individual and group education regarding health promotion, disease and injury prevention to youth and staff on an ongoing basis.
Topics specific to this population include but are not limited to: healthy lifestyle i.e.
diet, exercise, sleep hygiene, stress management, proper hygiene practices, dental care, STI’s and safe sexual practices, contraceptive options, injury prevention using helmets and other protective sports gear and other issues identified by youth/staff.
Identifies gender-specific educational needs of youth. Provides ongoing education regarding medication administration, infection prevention and other health related topics specific to staff.
Other Duties as AssignedPreferred Qualifications:
Highly Desirable Competencies:
Knowledge of current medications, administration, their actions and use.
Ability to work in collaborative relationships with other professionals to achieve interdisciplinary goals set for the client.
Ability to assess and coordinate community health care services to meet the needs of clients and their families.
Ability to collect, record, and interpret data concisely and accurately.
Ability to self-regulate emotions when provoked or when working under conditions of stress
Conditions of Employment:
Full Background.
CDHS employees (all Direct contact with vulnerable persons): CBI name check and fingerprint check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference Checks, Professional License verification (licensure requirements), Drug Screen, PREA (Division of Youth Services), Trails check (direct contact with children), CAPS (direct contact with adults – Mental Health Institutes, Regional Centers, Veterans Community Living Centers).
The Diana Screen®, a sexual risk screening tool, is administered to all applicants to the Division of Youth Services (DYS) seeking positions of trust with children and teens to help ensure that ethical boundaries between children and adults are maintained.
At the DYS, the safety and protection of the youth who have been entrusted to us is our #1 priority.
The results of the Diana Screen will be provided to the Division of Youth Services and may be used as part of the Division's decision on whether a candidate is selected.
Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must (1) disclose that information on the application (2) provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position, (3) provide the employee number from the applicant’s prior State employment.
Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.
Appeal Rights:
If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.
An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative.
This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.
For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.
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