Electroconvulsive Therapy Nurse (HCPC)

What we do here changes the world. UTHealth Houston is Texas’ resource for healthcare education, innovation, scientific discovery, and excellence in patient care. That’s where you come in.

The Electroconvulsive Therapy Nurse for HCPC provides specialized nursing care for patients undergoing Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), coordinating all pre-treatment assessments, medical clearances, and patient education. Responsible for preoperative preparation, postoperative recovery care, medication administration, airway and vital sign monitoring, and ensuring patient safety throughout the treatment process. Maintains regulatory compliance, accurate clinical documentation, clinic operations, equipment readiness, quality improvement activities, and collaborates with physicians and multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality patient care. May provide guidance to clinic staff and respond to emergency situations as needed.

Once you join us you won't want to leave. It’s because we reward our team for the excellent service they provide. Our total rewards package includes the benefits you’d expect from a top healthcare organization (benefits, insurance, etc.), plus:  

• 100% paid medical premiums for our full-time employees  
• Generous time off (holidays, preventative leave day, both vacation and sick time – all of which equates to around 37-38 days per year) 
• The longer you stay, the more vacation you’ll accrue! 
• Longevity Pay (Monthly payments after two years of service) 
• Build your future with our awesome retirement/pension plan! 

We take care of our employees! As a world-renowned institution, our employees’ wellbeing is important to us. We offer work/life services such as... 

• Free financial and legal counseling 
• Free mental health counseling services 
• Gym membership discounts and access to wellness programs 
• Other employee discounts including entertainment, car rentals, cell phones, etc. 
• Resources for child and elder care 
• Plus many more! 

Position Summary:

A Registered Nurse (RN) responsible in the pre-treatment planning and assessment of patients who will undergo electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) procedure which include preoperative preparation and postoperative care.

Position Key Accountabilities:

• Ensures the efficient operation of the clinic by following up on scheduled patients and planning for coordination of staff, physicians and facilities. Coordinates all pre-procedure activities including consults with the psychiatrist, medical clearance and admissions procedures, EKG, blood works, and special tests for patients.
• Makes referrals to other agencies or health care professionals for other services where indicated. May assist with scheduling and insurance verifications as needed. Coordinates communication between the ECT Clinic and other related departments (e.g. pharmacy, business office, etc.).
• Assists the psychiatrist or anesthesiologist in the delivery of quality patient care, including education and emotional support through explanation of the ECT procedure and other treatment modalities.
• Performs preoperative preparation and postoperative care, including IV infusion, prepares patient for the procedure, provides safe and effective care during the recovery period from the anesthesia while at the PACU area by ensuring that the patients airway is maintained and necessary measures such as positioning, suctioning, or insertion of oral/nasal airways will be carried out to maintain patients airway as needed; monitors vital signs and records as per guidelines; assesses patient using the Aldrete Score standards. Administers medications as ordered by the physician.
• Supervises the upkeep of patient charts including medical records with reports from referring clinicians, lab work, test results, etc. as well as ensures patient education, treatment plans, assessments, procedures, and recovery notes are documented in a thorough, complete, timely and consistent manner with adherence to legal guidelines.
• Organizes ECT Clinic before and after all treatments, ensuring that the equipment and machines used during ECT and recovery are cleaned per policy/guidelines and in working order; ensures that the environment is clean and safe and free of hazards which includes conducting daily environmental rounds. Maintains, tracks, and orders supplies and equipment as needed. Ensures that the ECT machine is functioning and maintenance is performed and recorded at least every year or according to machine guidelines.
• Audits the medical records on a regular basis; completes and submits the monthly and quarterly regulatory reports as required and ad hoc reports to the Director of Performance Improvement and the Nurse Manager; conducts reviews of clinic activity, care processes, etc. to ensure that they comply with defined policies and procedures (e.g., patient safety, patient satisfaction, core measures, and infection control)
• May provide direction to other clinic personnel to ensure that the proper procedures are followed, including the delivery of proper and safe patient care. Makes decisions based on experience and training as to whether emergency situation exists and responds to emergency situations. May administer CPR and/or other first aid measures.
• Develops and revises policies, procedures and protocols relating to ECT or any therapies related to mood disorders as needed. Stays abreast of changes in the nursing field by attending classes and seminars and as well as by reading professional journals and papers.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Certification/Skills:

• Uses typical office and clinic equipment.
• Registered Nurse (RN) State Licensure or Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) by Texas Board of Nursing (BON) required
• Certified Sedation Registered Nurse (CSRN) by American Association of Moderate Sedation Nurses (AAMSN) preferred
• Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) by American Red Cross or American Heart Association (AHA) required
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) by American Heart Association (AHA) required

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from an accredited nursing school with one year nursing experience required Associate's Degree in Nursing from an accredited nursing school with three years nursing experience required Nursing Diploma (3 year program) and two years nursing experience required Will accept ADN with two years experience at HCPC as a Staff Nurse I required

Minimum Experience:

Years of experience varies based on education level required

Physical Requirements:

Exerts up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 20 pounds frequently and/or up to 10 pounds constantly to move objects.

Security Sensitive:

This position is a security-sensitive position pursuant to Texas Education Code §51.215 and Texas Government Code §411.094. To the extent that a position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Texas Business and Commerce Code §117.001(2), the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired for and to continue to be employed in that position. Personnel in such positions, and similarly situated state contractors, will be routinely reviewed to determine whether things such as criminal history or continuous connections to the government or political apparatus of a foreign adversary might prevent the applicant, employee, or contractor from being able to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure. A foreign adversary is a nation listed in 15 C.F.R. §791.4.

Residency Requirement:

Employees must permanently reside and work in the State of Texas.