Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Overview

Our Mental Health ARNP works under supervision of the Staff Psychiatrist or Director of Psychiatric Services and in accordance with established The Company policy and procedure as well as within the State guidelines. Maintains any documentation required by state or facility guidelines to demonstrate compliance with supervision requirements. Provides psychiatric consultation, diagnostic and treatment services to the identified patient population, including medication management and crisis intervention services.

Qualifications

Education:

• Degree in Advanced Practice Nursing in a course of study from an accredited college or university that allows for prescriptive privileges upon obtaining appropriate licensure.

Experience:

• Clinical experience preferred
• Psychiatric experience preferred

Licenses/Certifications:

• Must be currently licensed by the appropriate state licensing board to practice as an Advanced Practice Nurse.
• Certification as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner in the state of practice desired.
• Must maintain CPR certification, and any other certifications (such as First Aid) required by contract.

Responsibilities

• Provides required documentation of services to the Staff Psychiatrist or Health Services Administrator in order to monitor compliance with facility contract.
• Notifies Mental Health Coordinator, Mental Health Director, or Health Services Administrator of requested schedule changes in scheduled coverage.
• Assists in arrangement for coverage of psychiatric services if unavailable for extended period of time.
• Maintains and shows proof of current State licensure and provides duplicate for personnel file.
• Maintains continuing education requirements for continued medical practice in the State.
• Responds to a code or health emergency within standard guidelines.
• Participates in psychiatric on-call schedule if on-call services are required in The Company contract with facility.
• Reports to assigned facility at designated hour to examine referred patients.
• Conducts on-site psychiatric medication review clinics and referral clinics as established by Staff Psychiatrist and Mental Health Coordinator or Mental Health Director, and completes documentation on a daily basis.
• Provides psychiatric coverage for Mental Health Crisis Admissions/Suicide Watches on a daily basis and records encounters in the patient’s progress notes.
• Ensures progress note and treatment plan documentation is in specified format, problem oriented, corresponds to the therapeutic order and is legible.
• Ensures all documentation is dated, timed, legible, problem oriented and signed.
• Adheres to the established formulary for therapeutic regimens before using non-formulary procedure.
• Makes pertinent observations and draws logical conclusions, which validate need for non-formulary drug, which is recorded on non-formulary form and submitted to the Corporate Medical Director or Director of Psychiatric Services for approval.
• Utilize available in-house resource personnel for treatment of resolution of identified problems before using off-site referral, if possible.
• Provides emergency treatment on-site and responds appropriately in urgent or emergency situations.
• Maintains current certification of cardiopulmonary resuscitation on file.
• Supports standards of psychiatric care through adherence to existing policies and procedures for: admission to the infirmary transfer to emergency room utilization review process for specialty consultant referrals.
• Assumes responsibility and accountability for his/her individual judgments and actions.
• Reports any doubts or questions regarding the lack of appropriate referrals, nursing or medical intervention necessary for the realization of established patient goals to the Director of Psychiatric Services for disposition.
• Uses Standard Precautions when providing and invasive procedures for diagnostic or routine studies.
• Prescribes a planned regimen of total patient care, which is adequate, problem-oriented and appropriate to the needs of the patient.
• Keeps patient information confidential and respects patient’s rights to privacy, in accordance with accepted confidentiality practices for incarcerated individuals.
• Provides input into facility mandatory committees such as Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Quality Improvement, Patient Care Management, Medical Audit Committee, State Psychiatric Meetings/Conference calls, Mental Health Treatment Team, as requested by Staff Psychiatrist, Mental Health Coordinator, Mental Health Director, Health Services Administrator or designee.
• Abides by the security regulations of the institution.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain security clearance.
• Must be able to apply principles of critical thinking to a variety of practical and emergent situations and accurately follow standardized procedures that may call for deviations.
• Must be able to apply sound judgment beyond a specific set of instructions and apply knowledge to different factual situations.
• Must be alert at all times; pay close attention to details.
• Must be able to work under stress on a regular or continuous basis.
• Post orders, if applicable, per site contract.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Wellpath is an EOE/Minorities/Females/Vet/Disability Employer