Nurse Practitioner ~ Psychiatric Consult Liaison

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

At UMass Memorial Health, everyone is a caregiver – regardless of their title or responsibilities. Exceptional patient care, academic excellence and leading-edge research make UMass Memorial the premier health system of Central Massachusetts, and a place where we can help you build the career you deserve. We are more than 20,000 employees, working together as one health system in a relentless pursuit of healing for our patients, community and each other.

And everyone, in their own unique way, plays an important part, every day.

The Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, in consultation with the designated supervising psychiatrist, is primarily responsible for providing evaluation, brief treatment and medication prescription to the young adulthood through advanced age, and at any point along a physical continuum of the designated population. The need for psychiatric services may be generated by a primary mental health problem or secondary to co-existing health care problems.

Major Responsibilities:

• Provides diagnostic and assessment services. Secures a health history from patient and/or family, records findings, and evaluates them. Performs a complete in-depth physical examination. Orders/performs pertinent diagnostic tests based on age and history.
• Analyzes data collected to determine health status and identify differential diagnoses based on history, physical exam, and clinical findings.
• Partners with physicians regarding proposed plan of care. Formulates this plan of care with the patient.
• Manages therapeutic regime as outlined by established protocols for patients with acute illnesses. Reassesses and modifies plan as necessary to achieve medical and health goals. Confers with physician for clinical direction as outlined by protocols.
• Documents patient care outcomes to determine effectiveness of plan of care. Communicates outcomes with physician.
• Signed delineation of privileges at hire between NP and collaborating physician. Must renew delineation of privileges each credentialing cycle including:
• Scope of departmental practice
• Treatment of emergencies
• Physician consultation
• Writing orders/prescription
• Prescribes medications from Schedules II-VI. The form of prescription may be written or verbal via telephone order. Written prescriptions may be initiated by the nurse practitioner after obtaining proper registration numbers from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Drug Enforcement Agency.
• Provides patient education. Acts as coordinator for admitting and discharging assigned patients. Works collaboratively with other health agencies and families of patients in the transition from admission to discharge. Confers with other health care providers including consultations and referrals to prepare a comprehensive patient care plan.
• Within established protocols, under the supervision of the physician, nurse practitioners will assist with procedures in the operating room and with endoscopic procedures.
• Enhances professional growth and development through participation in educational programs, current literature, in-service meeting and workshops.
• Participates in department driven practices including on call scheduling, rotating weekends, etc.

Position

Qualifications:

• License/Certification/
  
  Education:
  
  Required:
• Master's or doctoral degree.
• Graduate of approved Nurse Practitioner program with certification.
• Current Massachusetts license.
• Experience/
  
  Skills:
  
  Preferred:
• 3-5 years of experience.
• Unless certification, licensure or registration is required, an equivalent combination of education and experience which provides proficiency in the areas of responsibility listed in this description may be substituted for the above requirements.
• Department-specific competencies and their measurements will be developed and maintained in the individual departments. The competencies will be maintained and attached to the departmental job description. Responsible managers will review competencies with position incumbents.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

As an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, UMass Memorial Health recognizes the power of a diverse community and encourages applications from individuals with varied experiences, perspectives and backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity and expression, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at talent acquisition. We will make every effort to respond to your request for disability assistance as soon as possible.