Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

About the role

In coordination with the physician, the Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at Polk County, Bartow, FL is responsible for providing medical services to inmates of the Department of Corrections consistent with community standards of care.

Skills

• Advanced clinical assessment skills, including psychiatric evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment planning
• Strong knowledge of psychopharmacology and ability to safely prescribe and manage medications within scope of licensure
• Ability to deliver patient-centered mental health care in accordance with community standards and correctional healthcare regulations
• Excellent clinical judgment and decision-making skills in both routine and high-acuity situations
• Proficiency in ordering, interpreting, and acting upon diagnostic tests and clinical data
• Strong documentation skills, including accurate and timely electronic health record (EHR) entries
• Effective communication and collaboration skills when working with physicians, nurses, mental health professionals, and custody staff
• Ability to educate patients on diagnoses, treatment plans, medications, and ongoing care
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, secure environment
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and adherence to ethical and legal standards, including HIPAA and PREA compliance
• Commitment to ongoing professional development and evidence-based practice

Responsibilities

• Performs and documents patient evaluation, including taking the patient’s history and conducting a physical examination
• Orders and interprets diagnostic tests
• Writes orders for medical medications and treatments, under guidelines of licensure
• May perform invasive procedures as necessary
• Dictates discharge summaries and transfer orders
• Maintains and follows patient care protocols
• Works with members of the healthcare team in educating the patients of their medical care
• Continually updates clinical knowledge and skills through consultation, formal and informal education and review of literature for the benefit of themselves as well as for the healthcare team
• All other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in nursing from an accredited Nurse Practitioner program with a psychiatric/mental health focus
• Current and unrestricted Nurse Practitioner or Advanced Practice Nurse license in the applicable state
• National certification as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
• Experience providing direct patient care as a Nurse Practitioner
• Current prescriptive authority, including DEA registration as required
• Previous experience in correctional healthcare, behavioral health, or a comparable clinical setting preferred
• Current BLS (Basic Life Support) certification; ACLS preferred if required by facility
• Ability to meet all credentialing, background, and security clearance requirements for a correctional facility

Requirements

Functional Demands

• Ability to pass all required health and other screening tests
• May be required to work nights, weekends, and holidays
• On-call duty may be required (available to work on short notice