Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Provides psychiatric services to patients by diagnosing and treating their mental illness. Work is performed under broad supervision and is guided by policies and procedures, ethical standard of care professional practices, quality assurance principals, public and private payor guidelines, and state and federal licensure and accreditation regulations/guidelines within a collegial professional team approach.

Duties and Responsibilities

Conducts psychiatric assessments by obtaining history, reviewing documentation, interviewing and observing patients and relevant other people.

Determines diagnoses and provides treatment to patients in the form of prescription medications, brief psychotherapy, and coordinating care with other providers such as nurses, therapists and case managers. Educates patients on their condition via conversation and possibly printed materials. Obtains informed consent for psychotropic medications.

• Performs mental status and other relevant medical examinations.
• Prepares, maintains and provides required medical and administrative documentation such as clinical notes and reports and letters/forms for patients in a timely manner.
• Facilitates obtaining prior authorizations for medication and services.
• Provide appropriate treatment services in cross coverage for other providers on a temporary basis even for cases not directly treated or evaluated in person.
• Refer cases of higher complexity to be managed by a psychiatrist on the Medical Staff.

May Be Called Upon To

• Provide consultation, education, and training services to individuals and agencies.
• Provide crisis intervention/emergency services in concert with other staff.

Assist the Clinical Services Director and Medical Director in establishing agency policy and procedures for the delivery of medical services.

Advise agency leadership with regard to developments in the field affecting its administration and delivery of medical related services.

• Assist in the coordination of the activities of medical services with other programs within the agency.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• This position requires extensive knowledge of:
• The principles, standards, practices, and techniques related to Psychiatry.
• The safe and effective prescribing of psychiatric medication.
• The principles, practices, and techniques related to individual therapy, counseling practices, and risk assessment for the mentally ill.
• The laws and legal procedures relating to hospital admission; voluntary and involuntary.
• Community resources, hospitalization and crisis intervention options, treatment providers, and other agencies in service to the mentally ill population.
• The successful clinician in this position possesses the ability to:
• Establish and maintain rapport with the individual served and their support system; family, authorized representative, etc.
• Function calmly in stressful, possibly crisis situa­tions.
• Communicate effectively, orally and in writ­ing.
• Assess risk and prioritize service demands.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with other staff and with private and public community partners.
• Prepare and maintain professional patient medical records in a timely manner.

Perform a variety of computer skills including navigating the desktop and internet, opening and closing programs and files, typing, copy/paste, managing passwords, printing, managing e-mail, video conferencing programs and basic Microsoft Office applications such as Word and Outlook as well as use of Adobe/PDF documents;

• Learn specific electronic health record and prescribing programs use by this agency.
• Professionally receive supervision, direction, and feedback from supervising staff.
• Work within a large government administered organization and be responsive to the needs of agency, community, and state in balance with the needs of the individuals served.
• Confidently provide testimony in both oral and written formats if required by court.
• Help to train, supervise, and evaluate other clinical professionals in seeking/maintaining licensure.

Typical Education, Training and Work Experience

• REQUIRED
• Master's Degree in Nursing or Doctor of Nursing Practice focused on psychiatric nursing
• PREFERRED
• Some professional clinical experience in community mental health providing care to the mentally ill

Licensure and Certifications

• REQUIRED
• National Board exam certification as Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (ANCC or AANPCB)
• Certification and licensure as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse through Virginia Board of Nursing
• Current DEA registration
• Valid VA driver's license

Environmental and Physical Exposure

Work involves some exposure to disagreeable environmental conditions such including the requirement to intensely interacting with challenging and potentially violent individuals having unsanitary behaviors, poor hygiene and/or contagious illness.