Psychiatric Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (40 Hour) Office/On-site #260910-5913FL-001

Position Highlights

• Full-time (40 hours/week), Monday – Friday
• First shift, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Location: 401 W. Thames St, Norwich, CT
• This position provides services in the community in addition to office appointments.

What We Can Offer You

• Visit our new State Employee Benefits Overview page!
• Professional growth and development opportunities.
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees.

What You'll Be Doing

• Conduct comprehensive assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of mental illnesses, including depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and substance use disorders.
• Provide clinical services within the Options Outpatient Program, serving approximately 300 patients.
• Deliver treatment and support within the Community Support Program, serving approximately 200 patients.
• Ensure patient access to medication management, a critical component for individuals with chronic and severe mental illness and substance use disorders.
• Support patient stability in the community by providing timely and effective medication management to help prevent the need for inpatient care.
• Offer services both in the office and in community settings to meet patients’ needs and promote continuity of care.

About the Agency and Facilities

The State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), is a health care agency whose mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic, comprehensive, effective, and efficient services and supports that foster dignity, respect, and self-sufficiency in those we serve.

The Southeastern Mental Health Authority is a community mental health agency whose primary goal is to provide high quality behavioral health services to those in our community with mental health and substance use disorders who are 18 years or older and reside in New London County and its surrounding towns. Services, which include case management, outpatient behavioral health, crisis intervention, respite care, and forensic services, are recovery oriented and offered in a trauma informed and culturally sensitive manner. We support individuals to identify and achieve their own goals in recovery, fostering independence, dignity, and ability. As a State Operated Local Mental Health Authority, SMHA is responsible for administering all DMHAS contract funded behavioral health services in Southeastern Connecticut. The Options Outpatient Program provides clinical treatment to 300 patients, and the Community Support Program provides clinical treatment to 200 patients.

Purpose of Job Class (Nature of Work)

In the Departments of Children and Families, Correction and Mental Health and Addiction Services in a community or inpatient setting this class is accountable for providing consultation, program development and interdisciplinary cooperation with health care disciplines as well as providing ongoing psychotherapy.

Guidelines for Job Class Use

Both the Advanced Nurse Practitioner (APRN) and the Psychiatric Advanced Practice Registered Nurse classes are responsible for assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of mental illness such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, substance use disorders, etc. The distinction between this class and the APRN is the level of autonomy in decision making and providing a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services. The focus of this class is on the therapeutic milieu (assuring supports allow for positive outcomes for patients) and ongoing application of psychotherapy services (individual, group and family).

Examples of Duties

• Assesses, plans and evaluates nursing process using a high level of expertise and clinical independence.
• Provides health care to clients and/or individuals using increasingly complex methods of interaction such as group and family therapy.
• Evaluates effectiveness of clinical care provided to clients and/or individuals.
• Prescribes medication.
• Consults with and/or leads members of interdisciplinary teams and community representatives to assess, plan, implement and evaluate health services.
• Provides leadership in delivery of quality care.
• Assists in establishment of criteria for monitoring of standards of direct client and/or individual care.
• Serves as professional role model for staff by demonstrating clinical expertise.
• Provides clinical supervision of staff members for purpose of advancing knowledge in individual client and/or individual relationships, direct care problems, group processes and family therapy.
• Conveys new and existing knowledge in fields of health to nursing personnel, interdisciplinary team members and community groups.
• Protects human and civil rights of clients and/or individuals and staff.
• Initiates and supports research projects which are carried out in accordance with departmental guidelines.
• Leads or co-leads psychotherapy or family therapy groups.
• Teaches and supervises staff in provision of group therapy.
• Provides clinical consultation regarding crisis intervention and mechanisms to prevent crisis situations.
• May identify problem areas related to nursing care and assist in collection of data.
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skill and Ability

• Considerable knowledge of principles and practices of psychiatric nursing, treatment modalities and concepts of programs for individuals with mental health and/or substance use disorders; advanced nursing principles and treatments; dynamics of behavior at individual, family and group levels.
• Knowledge of pharmacology as it relates to advanced nursing practice; research methodology.
• Considerable interpersonal skills; oral and written communication skills; clinical assessment and evaluation skills.
• Ability to examine, diagnose, assess and treat patients; interpret diagnostic tests; prescribe appropriate medications and other treatments; provide clinical instruction; utilize computer software; administrative ability.

Minimum Qualifications – General Experience

A Master's degree in psychiatric and/or mental health nursing AND two (2) years of experience as a professional nurse working with individuals with mental health and/or substance use disorders.

Minimum Qualifications – Substitutions Allowed

A Master's or higher degree in nursing outside the psychiatric and mental health field with a minimum of twenty-four (24) graduate or postgraduate level academic hours in psychiatric and mental health theory and supervised clinical training in two psychotherapeutic treatment modalities may be substituted for the Master's degree requirement of the General Experience. A Bachelor’s or higher degree in nursing and cer

Please Note

A comprehensive medical examination, including a drug screening, will be required of all applicants upon a conditional offer of employment. All state employees must adhere to Connecticut's Policy for a Drug Free Workplace.