Job Title: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Department: Behavioral Health

Supervisor: Behavioral Health Director

FLSA Status: Full-time or Part-time, Exempt

SUMMARY

Whitefoord is seeking an ANCC board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) to work with a mixed population, including children, adolescents, and adults two to three days per week. The Nurse Practitioner will work under a protocol agreement with the lead Psychiatrist but is expected to function as an independent care provider. She/he will carry an outpatient clinical workload along with assigned administrative and professional responsibilities; conduct psychiatric evaluations, prescribe psychotropic medications; and coordinate patient care between Behavioral Health and Primary Care. Initiates consults, referrals, psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy as indicated; and maintains effective and up to date documentation of patient encounters in the EHR. The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner provides professional psychiatric care in a manner consistent with Whitefoord’s philosophy of care and is responsible for helping people with serious persistent mental illness achieve their greatest level of self-sufficiency. Prefer candidates with excellent interpersonal and clinical skills for providing primary mental health care to adults, children, and adolescents.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assess patients using an initial psychiatric evaluation.
• Use evidence-based tools and other standards of care (e.g., Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), when appropriate.
• Create individualized service recovery plans for adults/youth participating in non-intensive outpatient services.
• Write progress notes, track outcomes, and develop reports.
• Prescribe, adjust, and/or titrate psychotropic medications.
• Order and review lab-work appropriately.
• Coordinate patient care with clinical team of providers to improve support systems resource and linkage to community referral sources.
• Empower patients with mental health and substance use disorders to make informed decisions about their care, including pain management alternatives, treatment options, and recovery through peer counselling, patient education, or other evidence-based strategies.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Diagnostic evaluations and assessments
• Pharmacotherapy
• Use evidence-based treatment approaches.
• Medical consultation to the primary care team
• Collaborate with other providers as needed (hospitals and clinics) to ensure continuity of care.
• Work in collaboration with other provider agencies to help break the cycle of institutional dependence and promote successful community living.
• Meet monthly with the Behavioral Health Director and give feedback on progress toward patient goals.
• Participation in monthly team meetings with other providers on shared cases to ensure coordination of services.
• Attend administrative meetings as required.
• Prepare monthly reports.

QUALIFICATIONS, EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Mid-level practitioner – Nurse Practitioner
• Licensed to practice as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in the state of GA.
• Patient focused with superior interpersonal and communication skills, written and verbal.
• Experience with children and adolescents, strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding of the clinical application of the principles of engagement, empowerment, rehabilitation, and recovery.
• Experience working with community-based programs/safety nets and resources designed to aid the State Medicaid population.
• Ability to work within a team environment and collaborate with other members of the Behavioral Health team.
• Computer literate and experience using EHR’s preferred.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Must possess above average command of speaking and writing skills.

REASONING ABILITY: Must be able to exercise sound judgment and concrete thinking when on the spot decision making is required. Ability to seek supervision for emergencies and unusual circumstances. Must be able to participate in regularly scheduled meetings.

A list of physical demands, equipment, & work environment demands can be reviewed in Human Resources. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.