Registered Nurse I/II/Mental Health
County of Ventura Ventura, California, United States
- Location: Ventura, California, United States
- Categories: Public Health
- Job Type:
- Posted: Oct 23, 2026
Job Description:
Registered Nurse I/II/Mental Health
Description
DescriptionUnder direction of a supervisor or a Senior Registered Nurse-Mental Health, initiates, coordinates, and performs a wide variety of professional activities in the delivery of direct and indirect mental health services to patients and to the community within the Behavioral Health out-patient clinics or on the Crisis Team. We offer clinic hours during the day and/or evening shifts for on-call and crisis services rotation.
What we offer:
- Educational/Bilingual Incentive: Incumbents may be eligible for an educational incentive of 2.5%, 3.5%, or 5% based on completion of an Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's degree that is not required for the classification. Incumbents may also be eligible for bilingual incentive depending upon operational need and certification of skill.
- Certification Pay: $0.813 per hour based on scheduled work week hours for each qualified certification up to a maximum of five (5) certifications. One of the five certifications may be paid at $2.00 per hour for a National Certification. List provided in the MOA, Exhibit 10 (please see attached list). CNA_Regular_Unit_Amendment_#5 (Download PDF reader)
- Evening Shift Differential - 7.5%
- Night Shift Differential - 15%
- Weekend Shift Differential - $2.00 per hour
- Continuous County Service Incentive Pay: 1% for 7 years, 1.25% for 12 years and 1.5% for 17 years
- Preceptor Pay - $2.50 per hour
- House Supervisor Pay - $4.00 per hour
- Charge Nurse Premium Pay - $1.50 per hour
- Float Nurse Premium Pay - $3.50 per hour
- In-House Registry Pay:
- Non-overtime is 1.75 straight time base hourly rate
- Overtime is 2 times base pay straight time base hourly rate
- Standby Premium Pay - ΒΌ of regular hourly wage or Federal minimum wage (whichever is greater)
- Flexible Credit Allowance: Biweekly contribution towards medical, dental, and/or vision insurance from authorized plans.
- Pension Plan: Participation in the County's defined benefit plan.
- To learn more about the benefits, please follow the link below:
APPROXIMATE SALARIES
Registered Nurse I: $46.83 - $49.22 Hourly
Registered Nurse II: $54.70 - $65.42 Hourly
Registered Nurse-Mental Health: 56.61 - $70.17
EDUCATIONAL/BILINGUAL INCENTIVE: Incumbents may be eligible for educational incentive of 2.5%, 3.5%, or 5% based on completion of an Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's degree that is not required for the classification. Incumbents may also be eligible for bilingual incentive depending upon operational need and certification of skill.
DEPARTMENT/AGENCY: Health Care Agency - Behavioral Health
Registered Nurse I and II are represented by the California Nurses' Association (CNA) and are eligible for overtime compensation. Salary placement will be determined according to the current California Nurses' Association (CNA) memorandum of agreement.
The eligible list established from this recruitment will be used to fill current and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed-term), Intermittent, and Extra-help vacancies. There is currently three (3) Regular vacancy at Ventura County Behavioral Health (VCBH).
NOTE: If appointed at the lower level, incumbents may be promoted to the higher level without further examination upon meeting the minimum requirements, demonstrating satisfactory performance, and in accordance with the business needs of the department.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:
OPENING DATE: 10/22/26
CLOSING DATE: This is a continuous recruitment and may close at any time; therefore, apply as soon as possible if you are interested in it. Your application must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date.
Examples Of Duties
Duties may include but are not limited to the following:
Registered Nurse I/II
- Uses the full scope of the Nurse Practice Act to assess, plan, organize, and provide nursing care to assigned patients;
- Follows prescribed doctors' orders concerning treatments and medications;
- Documents patient treatment and dispensing; makes patient observations; records and reports on all pertinent information, including changes in patient condition and general progress;
- Provides follow-through on judgment within the scope of accepted nursing practice;
- Assists doctors in examination and treatment;
- Provides unit organization and is responsible for completion of all delegated and indicated nursing duties by the end of the assigned shift;
- Assists in training, supervision and evaluation of new and ancillary personnel;
- Maintains current knowledge of nursing care developments and therapeutic measures; attends department in-services and staff development programs;
- Provides physician assistance and patient care as indicated and required'
- May participate in quality assurance/utilization reviews or other non-direct patient care nursing assignments;
- Utilizing nursing processes, plans and participates in providing daily patient care;
- Makes patients observations, records and reports all pertinent information; and
- Performs other related duties as required.
Registered Nurse Mental Health
- Implements nursing process (assessment, planning, implementation of care, evaluation of patient responses and revision of plan as needed);
- Provides individual counseling, leads or co-leads group counseling sessions, and conducts family conferences;
- Administers medications and monitors their use and side effects;
- May provide functional and clinical supervision to student nurses and other disciplines;
- Maintains all necessary records and patient charts; collects data for research and evaluation;
- Identifies community agencies and resources that can assist patients; serves as a liaison on patient's behalf;
- Provides crisis intervention including evaluation, counseling, and consultation with law enforcement agencies; may be designated to escort patients for involuntary admission under Section 5150 of the Welfare and Institutions Code; explains and enforces legal rights;
- Participates in the development or amendment of program policies and procedures; and
- Coordinates various tasks relative to the delivery of services in assigned program.
Typical Qualifications
These are entrance requirements to the examination process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.
EDUCATION, TRAINING and EXPERIENCE
Registered Nurse I
Requires no experience.
Registered Nurse II
Requires six (6) months of recent full-time acute care registered nursing experience in an acute hospital, and/or Outpatient Care or equivalent setting, or completion of the Ventura County Medical Center competency requirements* as evaluated and approved by the Chief Nursing Executive.
Registered Nurse-Mental Health
Requires one (1) year of full-time professional registered nursing experience providing direct patient care in a mental health setting.
* These competency requirements are in conformance with the California Board of Registered Nurses nursing requirements.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
- Graduation from an accredited School of Nursing
- Must possess and maintain a current, valid license as a Registered Nurse issued by the State of California or Registered Nurse licensure in another state with California licensure pending
- Must possess and maintain a current, valid Basic Life Support (BLS/CPR) certification by first day of employment
- Successful completion of the Health Care Agency medication calculation test within three (3) months of employment is mandatory for assignments within the Health Care Agency
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Registered Nurse I/II
Thorough knowledge of:
- the theory, techniques, and practices of professional nursing
- medical terminology and hospital routine and equipment
- medicines and narcotics
Working ability to:
- plan and organize nursing care
- train and supervise non-professional staff
- establish and maintain the confidence of patients and staff
- maintain confidentiality of patient/client information
- work effectively in different healthcare and/or hospital departments or shifts as required
- establish and maintain effective interpersonal relations with other staff members, patients, and their families
- communicate effectively both orally and in writing
Working knowledge of:
- mental and medical nursing theories and practices
- theory of human growth and development
- current mental health treatment approaches
- community resources and their interrelationships
- mental health laws as related to patient care
- social and political factors influencing mental health care delivery
Working ability to:
- participate in comprehensive planning in consultation with a multidisciplinary team
- make independent decisions on behalf of patients
- provide effective functional supervision and leadership
- maintain confidentiality of patient/client information
- establish and maintain the confidence of and working relationships with professional staff, patients and families, and other related entities
- communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
Recruitment Process
FINAL FILING DATE: This is a continuous recruitment and may close at any time; therefore, apply as soon as possible if you are interested. Your application must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources in Ventura, California, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date.
To apply on-line, please refer to our web site at www.ventura.org/jobs . If you prefer to fill out a paper application form, please call (805) 654-5129 for application materials and submit them to County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.
Note to Applicants: It is essential that you complete all sections of your application and supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and accurately to demonstrate your qualifications. A resume and/or other related documents may be attached to supplement the information in your application and supplemental questionnaire; however, it/they may not be submitted in lieu of the application.
NOTE : If presently permanently employed in another "merit" or "civil service" public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a "merit" or "civil service" style examination, then appointment by "Lateral Transfer" may be possible. If interested, please click here (Download PDF reader) for additional information.
SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE - qualifying: All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this exam at the time of filing. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the exam process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in the application being removed from consideration.
APPLICATION EVALUATION - Pass/Fail: An application evaluation will be conducted to determine whether or not each applicant possesses the required licensure and certification for this recruitment. Those candidates who do will be placed on the eligible list.Applicants successfully completing the examination process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of six (6) months.
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A thorough pre-employment, post offer background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information, and driving record may be required for this position.
For further information about this recruitment, please contact Nathan Wood by e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (805) 677-5232.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.
YOUR BENEFITS AS A COUNTY OF VENTURA EMPLOYEE
California Nurses Association
(CNA)
To learn more about Benefits, Retirement, and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), see links below.
- Benefits website or you may call (805) 654-2570.
- Retirement FAQ's
- Memorandum of Agreement
Closing Date/Time: Continuous