Clinic Operations Mid-Level Provider / Nurse Practitioner - Denver.
About the role
The position is open only to Colorado state residents. Most State of Colorado employees are eligible for a great benefit package. Please see the Supplemental Information section below for details.
Description Of Job Purpose
Deliver health care to detained, pre-trial, and committed youth. Primary care is provided by licensed independent practitioners/Mid Level Providers with responsibility for a continuum of health care from initial assessment through development and maintenance of health care including physical, psychiatric, and dental maintenance.
Primary Job Duties
Provide clinical and operational leadership across multiple facilities within the Division. Ensure consistent clinical practice standards and supports the effective implementation of medical and care protocols to promote safe, high-quality patient care across all assigned programs.
Translate clinical expectations into practical workflows, ensuring policies, procedures, and evidence-based practices are consistently followed. Ensure health screenings, health appraisals, histories and physicals, and SOAP notes reflect accurate assessments, appropriate treatments, and timely referrals.
Manage complex cases and consults, which includes determining the need for specialist referrals, collaborating with the DYS Medical Operations Coordinator and Director of Medical Operations on challenging cases, and ensuring all youth receive timely, appropriate, and evidence-based care.
Serve as a key liaison between Medical Leads, the DYS Medical Operations Coordinator, and the Director of Medical Operations. Support alignment between clinical care delivery and operational oversight. Communicate pertinent health information to facility staff, families, supervisors, and administration to ensure continuity of care, regulatory readiness, and optimal health outcomes for all youth.
Supervise medical clinic staff's assessment and diagnostic skills, review documentation in the electronic health record, ensure safe and legally compliant medication administration, facilitate resolution of interpersonal conflicts, investigate complaints, and problem-solve internal and external issues raised by staff, youth, families, or other stakeholders. Support the Medical Lead with scheduling clinic staff to meet operational needs, facilitate staff meetings, and orient and train new staff, including students and interns.
Collect and report monthly statistical data for Behavioral Health and Medical Services, and critical incidents related to medical for the facility. Collaborate with facility administrators and supervisors in writing and revising medical policies and procedures. Complete medical logs pertinent to the medical department.
Direct and monitor quality assurance and clinical compliance initiatives across medical clinics to ensure adherence to DYS standards, regulatory requirements, and accreditation guidelines. Review clinical documentation, respond to audits, identify deficiencies, and develop corrective action plans. Supervise clinical staff to ensure adherence to treatment protocols, monitor documentation quality, evaluate care plans for effectiveness, and recommend adjustments to support continuous quality improvement.
Plan, recommend, and implement operational and clinical improvements. Perform physical exams, order appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic tests, interpret results, formulate treatment plans, document thoroughly, and communicate information to appropriate DYS personnel. Provide health education and training to both juveniles and staff regarding the health care needs of high-risk adolescents in a secure correctional facility.
Responsibilities And Supervision Of Staff
Supervise staff's assessment and diagnostic skills, review documentation in the electronic health record, ensure safe and legally compliant medication administration, facilitate resolution of interpersonal conflicts, investigate complaints, and problem-solve internal and external issues raised by staff, youth, families, or other stakeholders. Support the Medical Lead with scheduling clinic staff to meet operational needs, facilitate staff meetings, and orient and train new staff, including students and interns.
Support the Medical Lead with scheduling clinic staff to meet operational needs, facilitate staff meetings, and orient and train new staff, including students and interns.
Data And Reporting
Collects and reports monthly statistical data for Behavioral Health and Medical Services, and critical incidents related to medical for the facility. Reviews policies and procedures on a regular basis and collaborates with facility administrators and supervisors in writing and/or revising facility medical implementing procedures. Completes the medical logs pertinent to the medical department.
Clinical Duties
Perform physical exams, order appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic tests, interpret results, formulate treatment plans using established protocol, and document thoroughly. Detect and prevent the spread of communicable infectious disease by interviewing youth through the completion of health assessments, sick calls, and obtaining a complete history.
Consult the DYS Medical Director for necessary referrals to other physicians and specialists for medical, dental, and specialty problems beyond the scope of the agency clinic. Consult with the DYS Medical Director regarding variance from established protocols or when protocols are unavailable.
Provide health education and training to both juveniles and staff regarding the health care needs of high-risk adolescents in a secure correctional facility. Document history, exam, diagnosis, treatment in medical records. Provide written guidelines for staff including emergency care. Communicate information to staff, supervisors, and administration, including food service for allergy or other medical purposes.
Evaluate mental status, mental health conditions of youth through interview and observation. Use established protocol for prescribing medication and treatment for diagnosed illness. Prepare and administer medication without error.
Diagnose medical problems including emergency medical situations by performing physical exams, obtaining lab tests, ordering diagnostic tests, interpreting results, formulating treatment plans, including education. Initiate and monitor effectiveness of plans and adjust them as indicated. Communicate information to the appropriate DYS personnel.
Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions Of Employment & Appeal Rights
You are required to work at your assigned work location during your scheduled work times. Work arrangements are subject to change at any time.
Education/Licensure/Certification/Experience: Current, valid licensure as an Advanced Practice Nurse from the Colorado Board of Nursing; or current, valid licensure as a Physician Assistant from the Colorado Medical Board and Prescriptive authority ("RXN status") (Per DORA).
Substitutions: None
Preferred Qualifications: Two or more years experience in adolescent health care, assessing, diagnosing, and treating acute and chronic illness, documenting in an electronic medical record, relevant years of State service experience, highly desirable competencies in detecting and preventing the spread of communicable infectious disease, diagnosing medical problems, using established protocols for prescribing medication and treating diagnosed illnesses, evaluating mental status and mental health conditions of youth, and communicating effectively.
Conditions Of Employment: Be a minimum of 21 years of age, with no felony convictions or history of domestic violence. Full background checks, including CBI name check, fingerprint check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, reference checks, professional license verification (licensure requirements), drug screen, PREA (Division of Youth Services), trails check (direct contact with children), CAPS (direct contact with adults – Mental Health Institutes, Regional Centers, Veterans Community Living Centers). This position requires State of Colorado residency at the time of application (unless otherwise identified in the posting), and residency within the state throughout the duration of employment in this position. Motor Vehicle Check (MVR check required) - may be required to drive a state-owned vehicle, either in an on-going capacity while performing normal day-to-day job duties OR on occasion for training/meetings/client visits/etc. Must possess a valid, non-restricted Colorado Driver’s License. Current, valid licensure as an Advanced Practice Nurse from the Colorado Board of Nursing; or current, valid licensure as a Physician Assistant from the Colorado Medical Board with prescriptive authority (RXN status per DORA). Shift Work: 24/7 facility, may require evenings and weekend coverage. Travel: May require floating to other DYS facilities to help with coverage, travel to meetings and training.