Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

About Us:

Headquartered in Washington, DC, Tiye Consulting, LLC provides services to the federal, state, and local government, as well as, the private sector. Tiye Consulting brings expertise in technical writing, training, management, software development, and staffing. We offer fast, reliable, immediate, productive and experienced resources from multiple disciplines to reduce risk and ensure customer satisfaction.

About the Role:

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner are responsible for assessing the mental health status of patients by studying their relevant medical history, performing comprehensive psychiatric evaluations, and identifying risk factors that might affect a patients mental health. They make diagnoses of their patients mental illness based on their assessment, and then determine what will be the most effective plan of care. By utilizing their knowledge of psychotherapy modalities and psychopharmacology, and in collaboration with doctors and other professionals, these advanced-practice nurses put their patients on a regimen of therapy and prescription medication to improve their mental health.

Responsibilities:

Evaluating, assessing, and diagnosis psychiatric conditions of individuals admitted to and residing at the Potomac Center and SETT either on admission or by referral from Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) after admission.

i. Receives, reviews, organizes, and summarizes all information that accompanies the individual.

ii. On admission, documents Mental Status Exam and relevant team discussion as soon after admission as practicable

iii. Documents admission contact contemporaneously

iv. Completes template to provide comprehensive, succinct overview of individuals life history, analysis of factors resulting in current admission, assessment of need for psychiatric diagnosis, current psychiatric medications, review of previous medication interventions, assessment of medication effectiveness, assessment of side effects, interplay of somatic illness possibly impacting illegal behaviors

v. Provides diagnostic conclusions and generally discusses how psychiatric illness has compromised community success

vi. Places comprehensive evaluation/assessment on chart within twenty-one (21) days of admission to the facility

Prescribing and managing psychotropic medication to address identified target behaviors signaling psychiatric illness with the goal of optimizing individuals quality of life and opportunities for community integration

i. Sees individuals receiving psychotropic medications in regular follow up occurring at least every ninety (90) days

ii. Works with interdisciplinary team to analyze data collection on these specific individuals with identified behavioral challenges suspected of indicating psychiatric illness

iii. Integrates this information into psychiatric treatment decision making

iv. Documents consideration of data, team discussion, and clinical conclusions contemporaneously

v. Completes available template to document contact

vi. Works with nurses to ensure that all medical monitoring is completed consistent with community standard of care

Ensuring no interruption of necessary psychotropic medications on admission and on an ongoing basis by giving orders (verbal or written) based on available information and clinical judgement

i. Prescribes and facilitates continued administration of medication for individuals in collaboration with medical team by keeping orders current as well as compliance with Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR)

ii. Maintains a schedule of routine reviews to meet the needs of the treated individuals and address the concerns of the IDT

iii. Assists in making sure that medication changes are communicated to the IDT.

Troubleshooting issues that impact the successful implementation of the psychiatric treatment

Educating patients and families, when appropriate, as to the nature of the clinical condition being treated and to possible benefits and risks of the treatment and/or medications recommended; records informed consent procedure in the medical records as per Potomac Center/SETT policies

Documenting the medical record according to Potomac Center/SETT policies and as directed by professional standards

Participating in Clinical Staff meetings and other facility committees, and contributes to the Potomac Center/SETT Performance Improvement Program through both unit based and Center based activities

Responding to calls from members of the Interdisciplinary Team about any concerns regarding side effects, expiring orders, laboratory results, incidents, and the need for emergency clinical interventions; directs post-incident review of these events

Maintaining own professional license as a Psychiatric Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner in the state of Maryland

All clinical activities are to be documented in the medical record as required by Potomac Center/SETT policies

Making decisions and recommendations

i. Uses professional expertise and clinical skills to determine appropriate psychiatric diagnosis and subsequent treatment

ii. Evaluates effectiveness of treatment and adjusts care as indicated

iii. Assesses diagnostic data such as laboratory and radiology studies

iv. Determines how to best prioritize workload

v. In conjunction with other team members, formulates and implements an individualized treatment plan and aftercare needs

Manages and develops the delivery of psychiatric services efficiently and effectively

i. Assessment and Diagnosis of patient's psychiatric condition to determine care needs and care to be provided. This task is accomplished through the collection and analysis of data about the patient

ii. Completes a psychiatric evaluation (regular reviews and DISCUS) of all assigned patients by the date due and annually, complying with facility policy and protocol governing assessments and documentation

Prescribes and manages medication for patients to improve their mental health status, utilizing appropriate drug utilization guidelines for the facility

i. Initiates, adjust and/or discontinues the administration of psychiatric medications in a manner consistent with the accepted standards of good medical practice, and consistent with the provider's delineated clinical privileges, at all times

ii. Prescribes medications in accordance with the drug utilization evaluation protocols as approved by the Statewide Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee, in all cases

iii. Monitors carefully and documents the patient's response to the medications prescribed; reports all significant adverse drug reactions and adjust or discontinue medications as required in an efficient, safe, and timely manner

iv. Provides patient/family education

Directs psychiatric treatment planning to assure that each patient has a plan of care that is individually designed, consistent with identified needs and reflective of a multi-disciplinary approach. An individualized plan of care is essential in facilitating a timely discharge or transition to the most appropriate and least restrictive setting

i. Provides psychiatric care and treatment at the least intensive level of care consistent with the patient's clinical and safety needs, as defined by the Facility. (Certain assigned patients may be court ordered for evaluation or treatment, and medical necessity criteria may not be met in these cases.)

ii. Documents in the medical record treatment planning, treatment interventions, and patient progress, in a manner consistent with the facility's policies pertaining to documentation requirements

iii. Attends meetings with the treatment team in order to design, implement and assess individual patient treatment plans

Provides medically necessary and appropriate psychotherapeutic services, consistent with the accepted standards of good medical practice, and consistent with the provider's delineated clinical privileges

Participates in unit-based and center-wide performance improvement activities to promote patient care delivery of the highest quality. Accomplishes this task by engaging in performance improvement projects, special projects and medical staff committees as assigned

i. Completes all mandatory in services and personal health screening [PPD, etc.] in accordance with policy

ii. Completes all training in a timely fashion as directed

iii. Provides ongoing support, counseling and or direction to team members in the performance of duties

iv. Continually provides feedback to relevant persons on the team's performance and any other pertinent information

v. Participates in the assessment and maintenance of the compliance with the Office of Health Care Quality (OHCQ) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to the Management of Human Resources, Management of Information, and Provision of Care, Treatment and Services Chapter

Candidate Requirements:

Establishes medical/psychiatric diagnosis and prescribes drugs for common short-term or chronic stable health and mental health problems for a patient population

Prescribes psychotropic medications and other medications

Orders and plans therapy according to established protocol

Conducts individual, group, and family counseling

Orders chemical restraints, when indicated

Assesses and manages minor physical and psychological problems

Orders, performs and interprets laboratory tests

Provides guidance and instruction in health maintenance and disease prevention in conjunction with physicians, pharmacists, and supporting nursing personnel

Plans and conducts clinics for continuing care of patients

Coordinates community and facility services, determines appropriate community referrals and assists in making appointments and referrals needed by patients and family

Refers patients to other health care providers

Encourages and assists patients to understand present health status, to develop self-care measures, to improve deficiencies and to maintain maximum health care status

May provide advice, training and guidance to lower-level staff

Performs other related duties