Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Job Title: Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (Mid Level Provider)

Business: Heartland Alliance Health

Program/Department: FQHC/Psychiatry

Reports To: Medical Director

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Summary: The Mid-Level Provider (adult, family, psych nurse, pediatric nurse practitioner and nurse midwife) provides quality psychiatric and mental health care services to special populations, emphasizing the promotion of health and the prevention of disease. The role of the Mid Level Provider is a response to society's demand for accountable, accessible and affordable health care. The Mid Level Provider is a registered professional nurse prepared at the Masters level as an advanced practitioner who manages actual and potential health problems, which include common diseases and human responses to disease. The mid level provider practices independently and interdependently by collaborating with physicians, community health nurses and other health care providers. Individual accountabilities and work volume will be established through the development of annual Success Objectives, within the framework outlined below.

Essential Functions:

Duties & Responsibilities

• Facilitates entry of the client into the mental health care system by assessing the mental health care needs, including eliciting comprehensive health histories, performing psychiatric assessments, ordering and/or performing pertinent diagnostic tests, analyzing collected data to determine client health status and formulating a problem list and treatment plan
• Provides coordinated and continuous mental health care to clients by mutual goal setting and planning delivery of care
• Prescribes a variety of treatment modalities to meet the mental health and illness needs of clients
• Provides health teaching and counseling that promotes a therapeutic and caring relationship.
• Manages and evaluates the plan of care process and outcome and then modifies the plan as needed.
• Collaborates with other multi-disciplinary professionals and community agencies to provide high quality care and coordinates services in conjunction with other team members to meet clients psychiatric and mental health care needs and to ensure the continuity of care
• Participates in quality assurance activities through protocol development and collaborative peer review by: assisting in joint practice protocol development and identifying indicators for quality care; developing joint practice protocols and identifying appropriate evaluative criteria, evaluating clinical standards of care based on the quality assurance process; implements recommended changes and/or improvements to guarantee quality of care based on the evaluation process.
• Assumes the responsibility for professional development and contributes to the professional growth of others by: developing in depth knowledge of daily program operations, policies and procedures; acting as a preceptor in the orientation of new health care personnel, interns and volunteers; serving as a consultant in specialized populations to other health care providers and community agencies
• Incorporates and disseminates research findings as a basis for practice and to improve health care outcomes.
• Identifies clinical questions to be researched
• Assumes the responsibility for maintaining competence in clinical practice by: engaging in a mentor relationship with mid level providers and physicians to gain clinical expertise; developing and maintaining a client case load as clinical competence is achieved to enhance continuity of care and meet Agency productivity standards; participating in appropriate educational activities in order to maintain and increase competence
• Provides cost effective care that meets Agency productivity requirements by practicing collaboratively with the community health nurses to prevent the duplication of services.
• Practices within the legal and ethical guidelines established by the Nurse Practitioner Act, the Code for Nurses, the Social Policy Statement and Specialty Standards of Practice
• Documents comprehensive, accurate and continual data on client records and program reports in a timely fashion
• Prepares the appropriate program reports to fulfill funding requirements
• Adheres to professional standards as outlined by governmental bodies, American Nurses Associations (ANA), Nurses Association of College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (NAACOG), the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM), private funding sources, Agency plans/policies and unit guidelines. Participates in periodic evaluative reviews and/or in house and external staff training to ensure that he/she understands and continues to adhere to such standards. Initiates requests for assistance or guidance from Supervisor to address new issues or complex concepts affecting adherence to professional standards.
• Other duties may be assigned.

Education and Experience:

• Master's degree or higher in nursing from an accredited institution with a nurse practitioner or psychiatric specialty.
• Additional documented clinical experience, education or certification in a related field may be required. Documented experience in protocol development, evaluation and implementation of clinical standards of care based on the quality of assurance process may be required. Documented experience as a preceptor for new personnel may be required. Documented experience as a consultant on special populations to health care providers and community agencies may be required.

Certifications/Licenses:

• Active Illinois Registered Nurse licensure,
• Documentation of certification in specialty area and one to three years of nursing experience

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities (K/S/A):

• Ability to interact with and care for individuals living with serious and persistent mental illnesses including but not limited to schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, ADHD. Experience preferred
• Ability to interact with and care for individuals with substance use disorders including medication assisted treatments. Experience preferred
• Ability to prescribe psychotropic medications including oral and long acting injectable preparations. Experience preferred
• Access to regular, dependable and timely transportation
• Ability and comfortability working with people of varying socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Excellent communication skills. Strong networker, convener, relationship builder and communicator with experience collaborating with diverse work teams and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential and sensitive information possessing skills to handle situations in a professional and diplomatic manner.
• A high degree of collaboration and emotional intelligence, self-motivation, and analytical ability.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Outlook/Exchange; Windows operating systems; and other software routinely used by Heartland Alliance. Ability to learn new electronic health records software platforms for purposes of clinical care.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Ability to work independently and remain self-motivated at times of minimal direct supervision.
• Strategic thought partnership and consultancy skills.

Work Arrangement:

This role will involve psychiatric appointments with individuals in clinical settings. Clinical settings include the three locations of HAH in Uptown, West Loop and Englewood. Additional responsibilities can include Shelter-Based Care locations sites as arranged with the Outreach Coordinator. It is expected this person would be able to meet for "in person" meetings and arrive in a timely manner.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• To meet both the needs of our participants and contractual obligations, employees are required to be flexible in regards to scheduling and work location.
• Program sites are located throughout the Chicago area, including the North and South sides of Chicago, as well as the suburbs. Employees may be required to report to any one of our locations on a temporary or permanent basis.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job,

• The employee is regularly required to talk and hear.
• The employee is regularly required to sit, stand and walk.
• The employee is regularly required to use hands to key, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

Heartland Alliance makes all hiring and employment decisions, and operates all programs, services, and functions without regard to race, receipt of an order of protection, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, amnesty, physical or mental disability, protected veterans status, genetic information, sexual orientation, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, use of FMLA, VESSA, military, and family military rights, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV infection, in accord with the organization's AIDS Policy Statement of September 1987.