JOB SUMMARY 

1. Job Summary: The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) is responsible for providing psychotherapy and medication evaluation and management to a range of patients having mental illness under the supervision of the Psychiatrists of Behavioral Health Service through a collaborative model.  The PMHNP is responsible for assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating service activities. 

2. Education: Is a graduate from an NLN accredited school of nursing or equivalent; with completion of postgraduate masters or doctorate studies as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification for PMHNPs required.  

3. Credentials Required Include: Dependent Adult and Child Abuse (DACA) training, BLS, NCI, C3 De-escalation. 

4. License: An active license as a Registered Nurse within the State of Iowa and/or meeting the requirements of Multi-state licensure required. Federal and State DEA certification for the state of IA is required. 

5. Continuing Education: Must comply with State licensure requirements, ANCC certification requirements, and fulfill yearly requirements of the Spencer Hospital and Behavioral Health Services.

6. Compliance: The employee will comply with all Compliance Policies, all laws, rules, regulations, and standards of conduct relating to the position. The employee has a duty to report any suspected violations of the law or the standards of conduct to his/her immediate supervisor, Compliance Officer, or the Chief Executive Officer. 

7. Job Knowledge and Skills: 

a. Must possess proficiency in the English language to read, write, and speak to be able to communicate clearly with all stakeholders, including patients, families, staff and other healthcare professionals and successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities of this job. 

b. Possess a strong understanding of cultural diversity and its impact on mental health; ability to solve problems, monitor and examine patients.

c. Must possess strong computer skills, including working with word processing and data entering applications, as well as with medical software applications. 

d. This position requires problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, and the ability to multi-task. 

e. Commitment to the daily application of Spencer Hospital’s mission and vision to serve patients, their families and our community. Maintain confidentiality. 

f. Work effectively in a team environment, coordinating workflow with other team members and ensuring a productive and efficient environment. 

g. Comply with safety principles, laws, regulations and standards associated with, but not limited to CMS and OSHA. 

h. Provide educational support to team and system, as an inherent component of treatment.

8. Employment Variables: The individual must be able to work the hours specified at hiring and be flexible to adjustments based on census. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required to perform the essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions, so long as the accommodations do not cause undue hardship to the employer. 

9. Professional Affiliation: Encouraged to participate in professional memberships.

10. Job Relationships:

a. Source of workers: Internal and external customers.

b. Promotion from: No formal line of promotion.

c. Promotion to: Another nurse practitioner position.

d. Workers supervised: None.

e. Supervised by: Behavioral Health Services Medical Director and Department Director.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS 

1. Responsibility Statement: 

a. Collaborates with the psychiatrist to make joint rounds on in-patients, allowing the psychiatrist to instruct the practitioner on precise orders and clinical plan. Performs patient histories and physicals, risk factor assessment, ordering therapeutic and diagnostic tests: and attend to consultations.

b. Collaborate with the psychiatrist(s) and other PMHNP(s) to provide joint outpatient services on a rotating basis.

c. Reviews each in-patient with the psychiatrist and implements the determined plan of care based on discussion. Collaborates with the other health care providers to ensure a comprehensive care plan. 

d. Communicates the clinical plan and collaborates with nursing staff in carrying out plan. 

e. Completes medication reconciliation, medication management, and chart review. Develops a clinical plan and documents in progress notes.

f. Participates in a multidisciplinary team that provides primary care to the in-patients. 

g. Consult with psychiatrist on situations that are beyond the scope of practice of PMHNP.

h. Provide psychiatric patient consultation to the medical floors and emergency department.

i. Assist with psychiatric intake process and emergency department triage of possible admissions to the in-patient unit.

j. Acts as a liaison between the patient, family and health care team throughout hospitalization and post-discharge. 

k. Provides point of care education for the patient and family as a component of our seem-less delivery system. 

l. Documents psychiatric history and physical, progress notes, discharge summaries, and clinic notes for patients of behavioral health services. 

2. Responsibility Statement: 

a. Role model, consult, and educate nursing personnel to improve nursing practice and thus improve patient outcomes

b. Provide leadership in the development of evidence-based policies, procedures and protocols, and best practice model/guidelines for psychiatric patients. 

c. Promote a proactive role in system designs to support patient and staff safety.

d. Provide as needed input to improve and maintain superior medical service delivery.

e. Assists with the development and implementation of performance improvement processes of the behavioral health services.

f. Collaborate with medical ARNPs on hospital house-wide initiatives.

g. Provide specialized education and support as a consult peer or resource.

3. Responsibility Statement: Language of Caring.

a. Pursuit of quality and effective communication.

1. Must complete all 9 Language of Caring skill builder modules.

2. Must practice and develop caring communication as presented in the modules.

3. Must utilize these skills consistently with all internal and external customers (i.e. patients, medical staff, visitors, and staff).