GENERAL SUMMARY OF POSITION: 

Reporting to the Facility Medical Director, the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) provides comprehensive behavioral health care to adult patients in either an inpatient or outpatient setting. The patient population served consists of adults with chronic and persistent mental health conditions served by the state’s mental health authority. Patients have complex bio-psycho-social needs and may be forensically involved.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide direct, wholistic behavioral health care including psychiatric assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care of adult patients in accordance with generally accepted standards of psychiatric-mental health advanced practice nursing and within the scope of practice and licensure.
• Prescribe psychiatric/medical medications
• Provide on-going medication monitoring for efficacy and side effects from psychiatric medications performing AIMS testing as required by facility protocol
• Assess patient's capacity for making informed treatment decisions
• Work collaboratively with community care providers to assess patients' needs, ensure continuity of care as patients prepare for transition and discharge into the community, and develop appropriate discharge/aftercare plans.
• Participate in site-based performance improvement and ongoing Joint Commission compliance activities in accordance with job responsibilities
• Order laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures as clinically indicated
• Obtain histories and perform physical examinations
• Communicate findings in a comprehensive and organized fashion verbally and in writing
• Make appropriate, timely referrals and initiates treatments based on policies and procedures,
• Document health problems and plan of care in accordance with record keeping/electronic medical records standards
• Implement care in a knowledgeable, safe and cost-effective manner, utilizing therapeutic regimens approved by the physician and in accordance with established regulations, policies, and procedures
• Evaluates and documents patient progress and response to prescribed interventions
• Make referrals as necessary to the physician or other health team members
• Serve as a resource to other professionals or non-professional personnel providing instructions
• Perform other duties as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) with a concentration in psychiatric mental health nursing. Board certification by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Psychiatric -Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC)
• Current, unrestricted licensure as a psychiatric-mental health Nurse Practitioner in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
• Must have or be able to obtain Federal DEA Registration and be eligible to participate in both Medicare and Medicaid
• Must have or be able to obtain Massachusetts Controlled Substance Certificate

This position is 100% on-site/hospital-based at Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital located at 309 Belmont Street, Worcester, MA. 

The ideal applicant will have 2 years of prescriptive experience in child and adolescent psychiatry.

The Attending PMHNP will provide comprehensive psychiatric care to adolescents admitted to the Adolescent Continuing Care Unit (ACCU). This care includes:

• treatment planning for adolescents with complex mental health conditions at risk of or demonstrating self-harm or harm to others;
• individualized, strength-based, trauma-informed, and trauma-responsive psychiatric care;
• care that supports recovery and collaborates with the youth and their legally authorized representative(s)/families, as well as appropriate collateral care team members, to ensure treatment is active and moves the youth toward the least restrictive environment as soon as possible; and,
• psychopharmacology services that accord with current best practices for adolescents and are informed by evidence-based practices.