Our Mission
To empower individuals with behavioral health conditions, substance use disorders, and/or developmental disabilities to achieve the lives of their choosing in the community.
Title: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (or FNP)
Supervisor: VP of Clinical Excellence and Medical Director (clinical), Program Director (administrative)
Summary of Job Duties
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs), or Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) with prior supervised experience in psychiatry, will work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team. Their practice will be overseen by a collaborative (supervising) psychiatrist, who, along with a designated substitute physician (where applicable), will be available for consultation.
The Nurse Practitioner is expected to demonstrate advanced medical and nursing knowledge, clinical and technical competence, sound clinical judgment, professional communication skills, and adherence to timely and compliant documentation standards in the company provided EHR. They are also responsible for their ongoing professional development, including maintaining required certifications, license renewals, and malpractice coverage.
Specific Responsibilities
- NPs will deliver comprehensive medication management services and timely, compliant documentation for all members. Responsibilities include preparing for and conducting scheduled individual sessions, completing medication reconciliation during each session, administering routine required assessments (e.g., AIMS), recording vital signs, managing member diagnoses with updates as needed, perform mental status exams, and coordinating care with external providers in a timely and accurate manner. NPs will review and approve all prescriptions from other prescribers and may prescribe and approve necessary over the counter medications.
- NPs are expected to be physically present at the program site on agreed upon scheduled days, during times that overlap when members are in the program so that sessions will be held face to face. It is expected that NPs will participate in the Big Teams meetings in their program.
- NPs maintain availability after normal business hours (evenings/weekends) and on days they are not present in their program for needed consultation to the program. This includes ensuring that all admission documentation is completed within the 48-hour deadline for new admissions.
- NPs are expected to engage in timely communication with supervisors (VP Clinical Excellence and Medical Director), program staff, regional director, senior leadership, and HR.
- NPs keep pace with program operations and changes in member status by routinely reading all shift exchange notes, program emails, mini team meeting minutes and program chats via Teams.
- NPs oversee Medication Room operations and reconciliation of medications for assigned program(s).
- Using the EHR, NPs will use an alternative note signing process to route some of their documentation each week to their supervising physician based on the designated percentage required for compliance in their state.
- NPs perform and document required Wellness Assessment every 6 months for all members.
- Utilizing the wellness assessment, NPs oversee physical health needs and interface with PCP and other external medical providers to promote member well-being. This includes monitoring vital signs (weight, height, BMI, pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate), physical symptoms, medication response and adverse effects, and work collaboratively with community partners to promote diversion from unnecessary ED usage. NPs complete timely COC (coordination of care) notes to fully document these collaborations with other medical providers in the community and/or after reviewing pertinent medical records from outside appointments.
- NPs order necessary lab work for safe medication management services. In addition, NPs will oversee routine wellness labs required of the programs.
- NPs oversee timely medication refills of regular and PRN medications, including the necessary completion of Prior Authorization forms.
- NPs use the Self-Administration of Medication Assessment Form in the EHR to assess a member’s ongoing readiness to hold medications, including when a member loses this privilege for clinically determined reasons (e.g., after a drug relapse).
- NPs request paid time off or unpaid leave from their program coverage in advance by submitting a completed comprehensive coverage plan form to their supervisor. Any leave longer than one calendar week must receive prior approval from Senior Leadership.
- NPs participate in a minimum of one monthly 30-minute supervision session with the VP Clinical Excellence and one monthly 30-minute supervision session with the Supervising Physician.
- NPs facilitate a weekly medication/wellness information group in addition to providing medication education during scheduled individual sessions as part of program compliance.
- NPs work closely with the psychotherapy clinicians to provide clinical thought leadership and to ensure the Treatment and Transition Plan facilitates members achieving their Blue Sky and LWL goals. Together, NPs and the psychotherapy clinicians model the appropriate professional and compassionate tone and clinical approach for all staff in supporting members’ recovery journeys. NPs adhere to PT/ PCS’s core values and model appropriate evidence-based clinical decision-making using radical acceptance, person-centered, and community-based approaches.
- NPs participate in meetings with MCO’s as needed to support continuity of care and meet continued stay requirements.
- Other duties as assigned.
Physical Requirements
This position requires the ability to perform physically demanding tasks, including standing, walking, sitting for extended periods of time, and bending.
Qualifications
- Must have a master's degree in nursing with certification from American Nurses Association Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) as a Psychiatric Clinical Specialist, PMHNP-BC, or FNP-C.
- Must possess a certificate of fitness to prescribe, eligible DEA issued by the State Board of Nursing.
- The Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, PMHNP-BC, or FNP-C will maintain licensure as outlined by the State Board of Nursing.
- Must maintain malpractice coverage as outlined in the employment contract.
- Must possess a valid, non-commercial driver's license with a clean driving record.
- Maintain ongoing CPR certification.
