UnitedHealth Group logo
UnitedHealth Group
Knoxville, Tennessee

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner - PMHNP

Nurse PractitionerFull-Time Physician-Supervised State

Listed compensation

$110k-$164k

Confirm guaranteed pay, incentives and eligibility with the employer.

Employment & setting
Full-Time
Call expectations
Not specified
Weekends
Not specified
Posted 3m ago · Verified live

Job description

Bearden of TN, part of the Optum family of businesses, is seeking a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) to join our team in Knoxville, TN. As a member of the Optum Behavioral Care team, you’ll be an integral part of our vision to make healthcare better for everyone.

As a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, you will treat a wide variety of mental health conditions that reflect the needs of our diverse patient population. We offer a variety of solutions that meet the unique needs of our workforce and the patients they serve. From clinical operations such as credentialing to business operations such as contracting, we provide organizational support that allows our providers to focus on what matters - providing care.

Primary Responsibilities

Provide psychiatric services, consisting primarily of outpatient psychiatric evaluations and medication management, in a variety of clinical settings during scheduled hours Prescribe, recommend, or discontinue drugs and treatments to treat mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders in accordance with the Collaborative Practice Agreement and the state’s Nurse Practice Act Collaborate with counselors, social workers, or other treatment team members to coordinate client care Maintain accurate and up-to-date electronic medical records and clinical documentation, ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements Participate in our patient growth strategy by providing a profile for online directories and other marketing efforts

We are committed to your well-being and growth, offering a comprehensive package of perks and benefits with varying eligibility based on role, including:
Competitive salary & eligibility for quarterly incentive bonuses
Flexible work models & paid time off when you need it
Health and well-being benefits like health insurance, 401k matching, and other family support and wellness resources
Professional development with CME reimbursement and dedicated learning time to advance your career

You’ll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications

Clear, active and unrestricted Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) license in the state of practice Board certified as a PMHNP-BC by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Active DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) registration 2+ years of clinical experience in psychiatric/mental health nursing in an outpatient setting Experience providing psychotherapy to children and adolescents

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working with patients in different age groups Experience working with computers for professional communication and medical documentation - Excel, Outlook, Athena RMS (or other EHRs)

Explore opportunities at Optum Behavioral Care. We’re revolutionizing behavioral health care delivery for individuals, clinicians and the entire health care system. Together, we are bringing high-end medical service, compassionate care and industry leading solutions to our most vulnerable patient populations. Our holistic approach addresses the physical, mental and social needs of our patients wherever they may be - helping patients access and navigate care anytime and anywhere. We’re connecting care to create a seamless health journey for patients across care settings. Join our team, it’s your chance to improve the lives of millions while Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

Compensation for this specialty generally ranges from $109,500 - $164,000. Total cash compensation includes base pay and bonus and is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience and may increase over time based on productivity and performance in the role. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable. In addition to your salary, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). No matter where or when you begin a career with us, you’ll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone–of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income–deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes — an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.

Key Responsibilities

The Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner will perform outpatient psychiatric evaluations and medication management for a diverse patient population. They will also collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to coordinate care and maintain accurate clinical documentation.

Requirements

Candidates must hold an active PMHNP license, board certification, and DEA registration. A minimum of 2 years of clinical experience in an outpatient psychiatric setting is required.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Certifications

DEA License

Key Skills

Patient care coordinationMental health assessmentTreatment planningChild and adolescent psychiatry

Psychiatry — Nurse Practitioner Career Context

UnitedHealth Group ranks #6 of 15 employers hiring Nurse Practitioner on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay, and holds silver-tier status on the Top Employers work-life index, composite score 77/100, 1,088 active listings.

Of the 50 active Psychiatry listings this role was benchmarked against, 28% are remote, 56% have no call, 60% require no weekends.

Psychiatry pay on WeekdayDoc is up 7.6% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for Tennessee is 91.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$137k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $149k in an average-cost state. 58.6% of Tennessee clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Location & Logistics

Tennessee has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$137k midpoint, that is roughly $5k–$10k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.

Top Nurse Practitioner Jobs

27 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution27 jobs · 19 employers

4
<$125k
11
$125k-150k
9
$150k-175k
2
$175k-200k
1
$220k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks25 jobs · 19 employers

401k / retirement match
92% this job
CME allowance
52% this job
Sign-on bonus
40% this job
Loan repayment
16%
Relocation assistance
16%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

LifeStance Health · Frankfort, Kentucky

$200k-$220k
#2

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

LifeStance Health · New Rochelle, New York

$140k-$191k
#3

Nurse Practitioner

$87k-$187k
#4

Outpatient PMHNP – Child & Adolescent

$174k
+ 25 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

4.8/ 10
Listing-based score

A signal to investigate—not a guarantee about the workplace.

UnitedHealth Group logo

About UnitedHealth Group

Hospitals and Health Care
Eden Prairie , Minnesota
10,000+ employees

Benefits & Perks

Competitive salary & eligibility for quarterly incentive bonuses
Flexible work models & paid time off
Health insurance
401k matching
Family support and wellness resources
CME reimbursement and dedicated learning time
Collaborative Practice Agreement Required