Nurse Practitioner - Behavioral Health Services

Position Overview

The Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner works in collaboration with physicians to deliver mental health care services to adult patients.

He / She performs psychiatric consultations, physical and psychiatric evaluations, and medication management. The Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner delivers mental health care services to a population of patients within their scope of certification and education.

The Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner works in the inpatient and / or outpatient setting with Singing River Health System. He / She may be expected to work in any SRHS location affiliation or association, and assume other duties as assigned within the expectation of the department.

DISCLAIMER : This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts, requirements or working conditions associated with the job.

While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned.

Education

Requires successful completion of an accredited Nurse Practitioner Program, with a Master’s degree in Nursing.

License

Mississippi State Licensure as Nurse Practitioner required.

Certification

Must maintain current Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Must complete BCLS certification by the end of position orientation; must maintain current BCLS certification.

Experience

A minimum of two (2) years’ experience as a Registered Nurse in an acute care or psychiatric hospital required. Previous experience as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner in an inpatient and outpatient setting preferred.

Physical Demands

Stands, turns, bends, stoops, lifts, climbs and uses many physical motions in performing day-to-day activities. Must be able to stand for extended periods of time and do a great deal of walking without experiencing undue fatigue.

May be exposed to communicable disease or radiation.

Work involves being able to perceive the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels, with or without correction. Must demonstrate the ability to communicate, speak, and enunciate to express / exchange ideas and detailed information in person and on the telephone.

Work requires a minimum standard of visual acuity, with or without correction, with the ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus, shift gaze from viewing a computer monitor to forms that are closer to compare data at close vision.

Must be capable of handling high-pressure situations and potentially aggressive patients.

Mental Demands

Keen mental faculties / assessment and decision making skills in the management of acute and chronically ill patients. Communication / speaking / enunciation skills to receive and give information in person and by telephone.

Emotional stability conducive to dealing with a high stress level associated with care of patients / family, fast paced physical activity, rapidly changing patient conditions, emotional demands of patients and their families, and demands of maintaining effective working relationships with peers, managers, physicians, and other health care workers.

Must be sensitive to and communicate effectively with diverse patients.

Special Demands

Must possess superior customer service skills and professional etiquette. Must possess proficient knowledge and ability to use a computer (must be keyboard proficient) and other office technology (, telephone, fax, etc.

Must have working knowledge of MS Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Must have a valid driver license as job may require traveling throughout the SRHS service area using his / her own transportation.

Must have a comprehensive knowledge of advanced nursing and primary care principles, methods and procedures; a thorough knowledge of medical theories, practices and protocols relative to the scope of practice;

a thorough knowledge of subject areas such as growth and development, pathophysiology, psychosocial assessment, pharmacology, nutrition, disease management, and the principles of health maintenance.