Job Information
Beth Israel Lahey Health RN Clinical Nurse Specialist – Behavioral Health & Crisis Response in Boston, Massachusetts
When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job, you’re making a difference in people’s lives.
RN Clinical Nurse Specialist – Behavioral Health & Crisis Response
Master’s Degree in Nursing Required | Registered Nurse (RN)
About the Role
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) is seeking an experienced Registered Nurse (RN) with a Master’s degree in Nursing to serve as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) providing system-wide behavioral health leadership and crisis response across two hospital campuses.
This highly visible role blends direct clinical leadership, behavioral health crisis intervention, violence prevention, and nursing professional development in both inpatient and outpatient settings. The ideal candidate is a clinically strong RN who thrives in complex, fast-paced environments and is passionate about advancing behavioral health nursing practice, staff safety, and patient outcomes.
Job Description:
Key Responsibilities
Behavioral Health Leadership & Crisis Response
Responds to behavioral health emergencies across two hospital campuses, coordinating immediate crisis interventions with nursing, psychiatry, public safety, and interdisciplinary teams
Provides expert consultation on complex behavioral health cases, including high-risk patients and safety concerns
Develops and implements individualized safety plans, behavioral precautions, and crisis mitigation strategies
Supports staff during high-stress, traumatic, or critical incidents
Clinical Consultation & Patient Safety
Conducts daily rounding on high-risk patients
Collaborates closely with psychiatry, medical, and nursing teams
Assists with disposition planning, including Emergency Department versus inpatient unit considerations
Provides consultation related to complex case management, eating disorder protocols, and substance use disorders
Violence Prevention & Systems Leadership
Actively participates in organizational violence prevention initiatives
Serves on interdisciplinary committees focused on behavioral management, safety, and threat assessment
Contributes to the development and revision of behavioral health–related policies, procedures, and guidelines
Education & Professional Practice Development
Provides educational and programmatic support for Nursing, including orientation, competency development, nurse-sensitive indicators, and patient experience metrics
Identifies and designs continuing education opportunities to enhance clinical practice and support continuous improvement
Delivers staff education through orientations, grand rounds, and interdisciplinary trainings focused on behavioral health management, safety, and violence prevention
Supports the Nurse Leadership Council and mentors nursing staff in evidence-based practice and professional development
Professional Advancement & Scholarship
Collaborates with nursing and interdisciplinary colleagues on research, quality improvement, and scholarly initiatives
Represents BIDMC locally and nationally through professional contributions
Essential Qualifications (Required)
? Minimum qualifications are required and cannot be substituted
Master’s Degree in Nursing – REQUIRED
Current Registered Nurse (RN) license – REQUIRED
American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
3–5 years of related nursing experience
Experience with computerized systems, including web-based applications and Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access)
Preferred Qualifications
Five years of nursing experience, including at least two years in a specialty area
Current Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) certification
Current Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) license to practice in Massachusetts
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification
Why BIDMC?
BIDMC’s Nursing Mission is to care with compassion, advance the art and science of nursing, and advocate for the health of patients, families, and communities. This role offers a unique opportunity for an advanced-practice RN leader to make a system-level impact on behavioral health care, safety, and nursing excellence.
Pay Range:
$83,845.00 USD - $216,674.00 USD
The pay range listed for this position is the annual base salary range the organization reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for this position at this time. Actual compensation is determined based on several factors, that may include seniority, education, training, relevant experience, relevant certifications, geography of work location, job responsibilities, or other applicable factors permissible by law.
As a health care organization, we have a responsibility to do everything in our power to care for and protect our patients, our colleagues and our communities. Beth Israel Lahey Health requires that all staff be vaccinated against influenza (flu) as a condition of employment.
More than 35,000 people working together. Nurses, doctors, technicians, therapists, researchers, teachers and more, making a difference in patients' lives. Your skill and compassion can make us even stronger.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled