Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Job Information

LOCATION OF (1) POSITION TO BE FILLED: DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES, WESTERN MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTE, HARDEMAN COUNTY

Qualifications

Summary

Responsibilities

• May conduct forensic evaluations to assist in determining patients' competency to stand trial.,
• Analyzes and interprets patients' histories, symptoms, physical and psychosocial findings, and/or diagnostic information to determine diagnosis and plan of care for patients with psychiatric disorders, medical organic brain disorders, or substance abuse problems.
• Evaluates patient's progress based on observations, patient/family communications, re-examination, and review of progress notes to determine any needed changes in plan of care.

• Analyzes/interprets findings from physical/psychological examination, laboratory reports, and other diagnostic testing (e.g., psychological tests, blood counts, electrocardiograms, radiographs or other laboratory or diagnostic test results).

• Monitors health status, efficacy of care, safety issues, and responses to treatments to ensure patients' progress.

• Performs physical/mental status examinations to gather information needed to determine treatment and care needs.
• Orders or obtains appropriate diagnostic tests to obtain any information needed to determine patient treatment and care needs.
• Talks with patients or others to determine the reason for hospitalization, or the patient's chief complaints.
• Reviews patient history from medical records including lab results, prior medications, past medical and family history, and prior hospitalizations.

• Prescribes psychotropic and other medication dosages, routes, and frequencies based on patients' diagnoses and condition and in accordance with accepted protocols and regulatory authorities.
• Monitors patients for adverse drug reactions and side effects.
• Responds to medical/psychiatric emergencies by performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, basic life support, or other needed emergency care.
• Completes the Ambulatory Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) evaluation by completing checklist and using a 5-point rating scale for recording scores for movement in face, lips, jaw, tongue, upper extremities, lower extremities, and trunk.
• Orders, implements, and modifies or discontinues the seclusion, restraint, and special precautions or observations of patients.
• Prescribes psychotherapy for patients based on diagnosis and in accordance with Best Practices Guidelines and Nurse Practitioner protocols.
• Teaches families about patients' diagnosis, treatment, expected outcomes, and follow-up care.
• Provides psychosocial counseling to help patients with depression, anxiety, and other conditions.
• Orders diets, privileges, therapeutic furloughs, and other activities and treatments based on patients' diagnoses/condition, and in accordance with accepted protocols.

• Completes patients' discharge orders and associated paperwork, including discharge and aftercare plan.
• Prepares discharge notes, incorporating the physical findings, laboratory reports, and the patient's course in the hospital, as well as the instructions given to the patient regarding diet, medication, physical activity, and follow-up care.
• Documents psychiatric evaluations/assessments, treatment plans, progress notes, and miscellaneous chart notes by legibly writing patient information consistent with standard of care and which meets utilization review criteria and other applicable standards/requirements.

• Devises evidence-based treatment strategies to meet needs of patients.
• Develops treatment plans based on scientific rationale, standards of care, and professional practice guidelines.

• Discusses psychiatric diagnosis, medication/treatment, and follow-up care with patients to ensure their cooperation, understanding, and continuing treatment.

• Discusses issues in dispute with the parties involved (e.g., family members, patients, co-workers) to facilitate a resolution or negotiate a compromise solution.

• Assumes leadership of patient treatment teams as necessary to coordinate patient care.

• Collaborates with consulting physician about patients' plan of care.
• Communicates with supervisor or co-workers about patient care, condition and treatments.
• Communicates with supervisor or co-workers about policies, procedures, and operations.

• Attends mandatory training and meetings per hospital and/or agency requirements.
• Obtains continuing education units to satisfy licensure and certifications requirements and to ensure optimal patient care.

• Explains information to patient and/or family members or guardians about psychiatric and medical conditions and plan of care, prescribed medications and side effects, diet, exercise/activity, discharge planning, and follow-up care.
• Explains information about a patient's psychiatric and medical condition to other treatment providers involved in that patient's care.

• Reviews patient charts for protocol, standards of care, and compliance with agency and outside accrediting/licensing organizations' guidelines.

• On a daily basis, reviews lists of patients in assigned unit to organize and prioritize the patients' plans of care and associated work activities.

• Securely maintains medical records in accordance with agency directives and state and federal law.

• Establishes and maintains relationships necessary to deliver quality patient care across the spectrum of care.

• Provides verbal or written responses to requests for information, including consumer complaints and requests for data or other documentation.
• Makes referrals to and collaborates with specialty care personnel as appropriate.
• Educates and collaborates with the public on health care concerns.

• Participates in treatment review committees (TRC) to provide recommendations for treatment of patients who are not competent to provide consent.
• Participates in staff meetings to provide professional opinion for process improvement.
• Provides consultation and advice to colleagues across the spectrum of care.

• Provides guidance and instruction to other hospital staff to maintain best practices.
• Acts as a preceptor to students in medical, nursing, pharmacy or NURSE PRACTITIONER programs by serving as a role model and providing support, counseling, coaching, and feedback to aid in the student's socialization and transition to new professional role.
• Conducts orientation for new advanced practice nursing staff.

• Uses office productivity software, such as word processing, spreadsheet, or email programs, to process information, create documents, and communicate with others.

Competencies

• Timely Decision Making
• Approachability
• Ethics and Values
• Decision Quality
• Total Work Systems
• Command Skills
• Conflict Management
• Composure
• Strategic Agility
• Intellectual Horsepower
• Organizing
• Process Management
• Action Oriented
• Understanding Others
• Self Development

• Advanced knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
• Advanced knowledge of psychotropic and other medications, such as drug classifications, dosing, interactions, abbreviations, drug regimens, calculations, brand and generic equivalencies, and formulary status
• Advanced knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, including counseling and guidance
• Intermediate knowledge of psychiatric and medical conditions impacted by diet (e.g., obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal disorders), food and medication interactions; impact of psychotropic medications, and other conditions (e.g., dysphagia, renal diseases, multisystem organ failure, cancer, hepatic disease) which may require preventive health-care measures specific to the mental health population.
• Advanced knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; evidence-based practices, and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Basic knowledge of emergency preparedness and response procedures for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions
• Advanced knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services, including customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction
• Basic knowledge of computer systems such as word processing, email systems, and other production software applications
• Advanced knowledge of laws, legal codes, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, and agency rules relevant to the mental health population
• Intermediate knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins
• Intermediate knowledge of organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment
• Intermediate knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo, including uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Advanced knowledge of principles and methods for teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects
• Advanced knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture

• Advanced skill in monitoring/assessing patients' mental health status to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Advanced skill in understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Advanced skill in being aware of the reactions and behaviors of the mental health population understanding why they react/behave as they do.
• Skill in identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Advanced skill in giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Advanced skill in using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Advanced skill in communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Intermediate skill in persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
• Advanced skill in talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Intermediate skill in adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
• Intermediate skill in evaluating processes for quality, performance, and/or compliance requirements.
• Advanced skill in considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Intermediate skill in managing one's own time and the time of others.
• Advanced skill in understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Basic skill in using mathematics to solve problems.
• Advanced skill in using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
• Intermediate skill in teaching others how to do something.
• Intermediate skill in bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

• Advanced ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources)
• Ability to respond timely to an alarm or other emergency situation requiring immediate action.
• Ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
• Ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events)
• Ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations)
• Advanced ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong (does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem)
• Advanced ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Ability to speak clearly so others can understand.
• Ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
• Advanced ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
• Ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
• Ability to see details at close range (within a few feet)

Tools & Equipment

• Various medical equipment and devices
• Computer
• Printers, copiers, and other office equipment

TN Driver Standards

State of Tennessee positions that may involve driving responsibilities require candidates to meet the following minimum driver qualifications:

• A valid driver's license
• For the past five years, the candidate's driver record must not have record of the following violations: driving under the influence (DUI), reckless driving, license suspension for moving violations, more than 4 moving violations.

Please include your Driver's License Information under the Licenses and Certifications section of your application.

**Agencies may allow an exception based on other factors.