Licensed Practical Nurse - Full Time - PN: 20041482 & 20041481

Licensed Practical Nurse

Behavioral Health

Who we are:

At the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH), we strive to exemplify The Heart of Hope for individuals and families affected by mental health and substance use disorders.

We proudly employ over 2,800 dedicated employees across our six inpatient behavioral health hospitals, Ohio Pharmacy Services, Ohio's prison systems, and the central office located in the James A. Rhodes State Office Tower in Columbus, OH.

DBH Values:

• Service-Oriented (Person Centered, Solution Oriented, Customer Service Focused)
• Collaborative (Approachable, Reasonable, Transparent)
• Value Driven
• Innovative (Yes Before No)
• Strong Sense of Urgency

Our team of highly qualified professionals advances a critical system of behavioral healthcare in Ohio that helps people be well, get well, and stay well. Join our collaborative, service-oriented environment, where you will be respected and valued.

The Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) is proud to be an Ohio Recovery Friendly Workplace, committed to supporting the health and well-being of all employees, including those in recovery. We foster an inclusive, stigma-free environment where individuals impacted by mental health and substance use challenges are valued, supported, and empowered to thrive. Our workplace culture promotes wellness, second-chance hiring, and recovery-informed policies that reflect our mission to serve Ohioans with compassion and respect, both in the community and within our own team.

What you’ll do at DBH:

This position focuses on supporting adults in a residential setting to develop essential independent living and social skills. The staff member will work directly with assigned consumers, implementing personal and behavior plans and helping with skills such as hygiene, medication management, food preparation, budgeting, and social interactions. The role involves maintaining a safe and supportive environment, de-escalating crises, modeling professional behavior, and transporting consumers to appointments as necessary. Staff will work closely with team members to develop individualized service plans, document progress, and maintain the facility’s cleanliness, contributing to a structured and supportive community. Additional duties include:

• Administers oxygen; applies sterile dressing; adheres to infection control practices; inserts catheters; reinserts gastrostomy tubes, suctions, irrigates wounds; collects specimens; assists physicians with physical exams, treatments &/or laboratory tests; assists in emergencies by administering first-aid, performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation; restrains patients as necessary; administers controlled drugs [e.g., narcotics, minor tranquilizers] & non-controlled medication in oral, rectal, topical or injectable form [i.e., intramuscular & subcutaneous injections only] & provides medication instructions to patients).
• Maintains medication accountability records (e.g., charts patient records, prepares & counts medication, maintains medication stock & medical equipment & supplies); observes, documents & reports patient conditions (e.g., medication reactions, treatment responses, patient behavior & progress) & prepares &/or maintains related reports & records (e.g., unusual incident reports, patient records, medication reports, seclusion/restraint logs, treatment plan).
• Provides general nursing, direct care &/or programming assistance (e.g., takes patient vital signs; assists with personal grooming & hygiene, bathing, or daily living activities; administers topical ointments & solutions, eye, ear &/or nose drops; responds to patient codes; escorts patients & assists with recreational activities & scheduled appointments; provides one to one &/or group intervention & patient therapeutic education as stated in the treatment plan).
• Provides assistance (i.e., provides work direction, orientation & training) to lower-level direct care staff (e.g., therapeutic program workers, psychiatric attendants) in providing general unskilled nursing care (e.g., dressing, bathing, feeding) to patients; precepts & provides direction to new LPN staff as assigned; attends & participates in various meetings (e.g., staff conferences, committees, interdisciplinary team meetings, in-service training programs, meetings) as required.
• Orders medication & medical supplies; cleans nursing station & medication room/medication cart (e.g., cleans, sterilizes & restocks cart; defrosts & cleans medication refrigerator) & performs clerical tasks (e.g., answers phone, files); ensures security of ward unit. 

This is an hourly position covered by the OCSEA/AFSCME bargaining unit (Chapter 560), with a pay range of 10 on the OCSEA Pay Range Schedule. Normal working hours are 1st shift (6:30am to 3:00pm), 2nd shift (2:30pm to 11:00pm), and 3rd shift (10:45pm to 6:45am) and may work weekends and holidays as needed. This position is located within Appalachian Behavioral Healthcare Campus at 100 Hospital Drive, Athens, Ohio 45701.

Unless required by any applicable union contract and/or requirements of the Ohio Revised Code, the selected candidate will begin at Step 1 of the pay range schedule listed above, with an opportunity for pay increase after six months of satisfactory performance and then a yearly raise thereafter.

Additional Salary / Appointment Information:

• Must be able to complete a 4 week full time orientation (Will include 1st, 2nd, 3rd shifts, and weekends)
• May work weekends and holidays; may be exposed to communicable diseases and unpredictable patient behavior
• Training and development required to remain in the classification after employment

At DBH we strive to attract and sustain a diverse workforce by recruiting, hiring, developing and retaining high-performing employees who work collaboratively to balance efforts toward providing prevention and recovery supports and fostering inclusion that inspires innovation, encourages respect and promotes unlimited success.

To learn more about our agency, please visit our website at www.dbh.ohio.gov/

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

• Medical Coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)

*Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

Position Qualifications 

License to practice nursing as a licensed practical nurse issued by Ohio Board of Nursing pursuant to Section 4723 Ohio Revised Code & proof of completion of an approved course in medication administration.

Note: Licensed Practical Nurses who administer dialysis treatment must possess Certification in IV Therapy pursuant to Section 4723.17 Ohio Revised Code.

*Applications of those who meet the minimum qualifications will be further evaluated against the following criteria: 

All eligible applications shall be reviewed considering the following criteria: qualifications, experience, education, active disciplinary record, and work record

Job Skills: Nursing
Technical Skills: Mental Health, Behavioral Health, Basic Medical Procedures, Communications, Nursing, Professional, Therapy/Therapeutical Services, Medical Charting
Professional Skills: Critical Thinking, Cultural Awareness, Building Trust, Emotional Intelligence, Confidentiality

Required Educational Transcripts

Official transcripts are required for all post-secondary education, coursework, or degrees listed on the application. Applicants must submit an official transcript before receiving a formal employment offer. Failure to provide transcripts within five (5) business days of the request will result in disqualification from further consideration. Transcripts printed from the institution’s website will not be accepted. DBH reserves the right to evaluate the academic validity of the degree-granting institution.

Application Procedures
To be considered for this position, you must apply online through this posting website (careers.ohio.gov). We no longer accept paper applications. When completing your online Ohio Civil Service Application, be sure to clearly describe how you meet the minimum qualifications outlined on this job posting. We will not give credit for your qualifications, experience, education, and training in the job selection process if there is no evidence provided on your application. In addition, “see resume” is not a substitution for completing supplemental questions. Answers to the supplemental questions must be fully supported by the work experience/education sections of your application. You may check the status of your application by signing into your profile on this website (careers.ohio.gov). We will communicate with you through the email you provided in your profile and job application. Be sure to check your email regularly.

Background Check Notice
The final candidate selected for this position will be required to undergo a criminal background check. Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position. An individual assessment of an applicant’s prior criminal convictions will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration.

Rule 5122-7-21, “Background check on applicants,” outlines disqualifying offenses that will preclude an applicant from being employed by the Department of Behavioral Health.

If you require a reasonable accommodation for the application process, assessment &/or interview, please contact Andrew Seifert, EEO/ADA Administrator at andrew.seifert@dbh.ohio.gov or 614-466-8884.

All final applicants tentatively selected for this class will be required to submit to urinalysis to test for illegal drug use prior to appointments. An applicant with a positive test shall not be offered employment.

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note, this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), and as outlined in the posting.