Clinical Lead, Phyician assistant/Nurse Practitioner

MAJOR DUTIES/ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The Women's Unit Clinical Lead - PA/NP at Unity at DC Jail is a pivotal leadership position responsible for overseeing and delivering comprehensive healthcare services to incarcerated women. This role ensures the provision of high-quality, patient-centered care while managing clinical operations within the women's unit including pregnant patients. The Clinical Lead will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop and implement treatment plans tailored to the unique needs of the population, emphasizing both physical and mental health. Additionally, this position involves mentoring and guiding clinical staff to maintain compliance with healthcare standards and promote continuous improvement. Ultimately, the role aims to enhance health outcomes and support the well-being of women in a correctional setting through effective clinical leadership and compassionate care delivery.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Current and unrestricted Physician Assistant (PA) or Nurse Practitioner (NP) license in the relevant jurisdiction.
• Certification from an accredited PA or NP program with national certification (e.g., NCCPA for PAs or ANCC/AANP for NPs).
• Minimum of 5 years of clinical experience, preferably including experience in correctional, primary care, or women's health settings.
• Strong knowledge of clinical protocols, pharmacology, and healthcare regulations applicable to correctional facilities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in leadership or supervisory roles within clinical settings.
• Specialized training or certification in women's health, mental health, or correctional healthcare.
• Experience in ER/ urgent care, infirmary, basic suturing and orthopedic treatments.
• Experience in dietary and public health nutrition preferred to generate medically tailored nutrition programs specifically for pregnant women & develop nutrition education materials for pregnant women
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams in complex healthcare environments.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed care and culturally competent practices.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as point of contact for all healthcare delivery for women's unit and Lead and coordinate the clinical team within the women's unit, ensuring adherence to established protocols and standards of care.
• Directly oversee Women's Health Services at the Department of Corrections to ensure Well-Woman Exams, chronic care, and other health services for women are conducted according to standard of care and Unity Healthcare/DOC policies
• Periodic well-woman exams and PAP smear screenings.
• Coordinate Obstetric care for pregnant patients at DOC and off-site hospitals, special diet orders, transition to breast-pumping, etc...
• Sick calls related to women's health issues and coordinate chronic care clinic
• Assist with women's chronic care visit for routine/low acuity diagnoses
• Specialized women's health programing
• Coordinate with Women's program units to offer fitness classes, yoga, nutrition programs, etc...
• Assist with gender-affirming care for transgender patients in chronic care clinic
• Serve as liaison for concerns or grievances related to women's health
• Review and assist in developing DOC policies around women's health
• Coordinate and facilitate psychiatric and substance use disorders treatments for female inmates
• Conduct health checks and chart reviews of female inmates, as appropriate
• Oversee coordination with other ancillary health staff (nutritionists, nurses, specialists) to provide health services for female inmates.
• Review and develop Unity/DOC policies around health services for female and trans inmates
• Collaborate with correctional staff, social workers, and external healthcare providers to facilitate comprehensive care.
• Monitor and evaluate clinical outcomes, implement quality improvement initiatives, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Skills:

The Clinical Lead utilizes advanced clinical skills daily to assess and manage complex patient cases within the correctional environment, ensuring appropriate and timely interventions. Leadership and communication skills are essential for coordinating multidisciplinary teams, facilitating collaboration between healthcare and security staff, and mentoring clinical personnel. Problem-solving and critical thinking skills are applied to adapt clinical protocols to the unique challenges of the jail setting while maintaining compliance with regulatory standards. Proficiency with electronic health records supports accurate documentation and data-driven quality improvement efforts. Additionally, interpersonal skills foster a respectful and therapeutic environment, promoting patient trust and adherence to treatment plans.