Per Diem Nurse Practitioner

Description

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Staff Primary Care Nurse Practitioner’s/ Physician Assistant's primary responsibility is to provide consistently effective primary care clinical services to program clients. This includes the direct provision of medical and pharmacy services; consulting with the Urgent Care Clinic on complex cases involving both medical and psychiatric concerns; establishing and maintaining effective relations with clients, client families and support people, and with the general community; connecting clients with outpatient primary care resources, and facilitating appointments; and maintaining a comfortable, safe, non-institutional ambiance in the program. Services must be provided in a manner that is safe and helpful for clients, staff and the general community, and that evidences a non-institutional character that is congruent with Social Rehabilitation values and principles.

The Staff Primary Care Nurse Practitioner/ Physician Assistant is responsible for the direct physical clinical assessment of all newly admitted clients, the on-going monitoring and care of all clients being treated at Dore Residence, and the proper referral of clients to outpatient services upon discharge from the Residence.

The Staff Primary Care Nurse Practitioner/ Physician Assistant must demonstrate the on-going capacity work as an interdisciplinary team member in order to effectively respond to the needs of a diverse client population in psychological distress.

Under the direction of the Program Director and the medical supervision of the Primary Care Consultant, ensures that services are provided in a manner consistent with prevailing standards of medical care, with applicable Federal, State, City and County laws and regulations, and with Progress Foundation policies and procedures.

Direct services include screening, full history taking and physical evaluation and documentation, in situations where treatment if appropriate, and referral for the full spectrum of non-emergent and occasionally emergent ambulatory primary care conditions presented at the Residence. This will also include arranging a safe and timely transfer of clients to other needed treatment services.

LEADERSHIP

• Provide services within the Residence that are congruent with Social Rehabilitation values, and promote SR values and philosophy within the Behavioral Health treatment community. (clinical)
• Attend staff meetings and other program meetings as needed, as well as special clinical and administrative meetings both inside and outside of Progress Foundation as required to promote the Agency goal of diverting clients and providers from the unnecessary use of institutional services. (clinical)
• Respond to program events, both routine and emergent, in a professional, thorough and timely manner, remaining in compliance with agency policy and regulatory requirements. (programmatic)
• Maintain an overall Agency focus and actively participate in Agency and program activities. (administrative)
• Serve as a positive role model for employee relations, professional functioning and conduct, and for adherence to the principles of Social Rehabilitation. (clinical)
• Maintain independent knowledge, skills, and abilities through continuing education and use of supervision and consultation. Maintain a valid California nursing license.

BASIC JOB SKILLS

• Provide direct services to clients of the program, including initial medical and psychosocial assessments, and medication evaluations and prescriptions.
• Provide and/or order medications as indicated by the client’s clinical conditions. Maintain required documentation in a timely and accurate manner and in accord with Progress Foundation policies and sound medical practice. (clinical)
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned by the Program Director. (administrative)

SYSTEM RELATIONSHIP

• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with all designated client referral sources and other related primary care, behavioral health and social services. This includes, as determined or approved by the Program Director, special clinical care or case conference meetings. (clinical)
• Maintain favorable relations with neighbors of the program facility, the Urgent Care Clinic, and the general community. Report to the Program Director all non-service contacts with neighbors or local residents, including businesses, whether positive or negative in nature. (clinical)

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

• Ensure that all medication, charts and other client records are secure and confidential as determined by Progress Foundation and San Francisco Community Behavioral Health Services policies and procedures, and applicable laws and regulations. (programmatic)
• Prescribe and monitor the effects of medications, and adhere to program medication practices and procedures. (programmatic)
• Comply with all applicable San Francisco Division of Community Behavioral Health Services regulations and Cal Department of Mental Health (Title 9) requirements that affect the program. (administrative)
• Comply with all applicable federal, state and local governmental laws and regulations, as well as all agency policies and procedures, including the Progress Foundation Code of Ethics. Report to Progress Foundation Administration all incidents involving any program employee, regular or per diem that may constitute a violation of said laws, regulations, policies, and procedures. (administrative)
• Maintain compliance with Federal HIPAA regulations. (administrative)

WORK ENVIRONMENT/SAFETY

• Participate in maintaining the Dore Residence facility environment so that it remains safe, attractive, and comfortable and non-institutional in character. (programmatic)
• Be thoroughly familiar with and adhere to emergency procedures to be followed in case of human injury, illness or adverse reaction to medications. Be thoroughly familiar with the Residence emergency evacuation plan for fire, earthquake, power failure or other such disruption. (administrative)
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Qualifications

• MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
• All qualifications must be met consistently and continuously.
• Degree in nursing from an accredited school of nursing, and certification as an Adult Nurse Practitioner. Previous experience providing primary care nursing services in a psychiatric setting preferred.
• Current valid California licensure as a Registered Nurse. Must demonstrate ongoing clearance with the California State Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division, allowing for direct contact with clients in licensed programs.
• Must be able to communicate effectively with residential counselors and other service providers both orally and in writing.
• Must have the willingness and ability to actively, enthusiastically and effectively engage psychologically distressed clients and maintain a respectful and responsive attitude while providing primary care services. This includes being respectfully responsive to persons of differing ethnic, cultural, gender, socioeconomic, and sexual-orientation backgrounds.Demonstrated on-going emotional maturity, good judgment and effective teamwork.
• Able to work proficiently on computers and computer-based information systems.
• The physical demands and emotional strength described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Such accommodations may not be unduly costly, extensive or disruptive, and cannot substantially alter the nature or operations of the business or present an impediment to providing safe, effective and responsive primary care in the context of a residential mental health crisis program. This is a position that requires dealing with individuals experiencing an acute psychiatric crisis with concomitant physical illnesses as well as substance use and life situation challenges.
• The employee must be able: to walk rapidly, sit and stand repeatedly and use their hands to manage and reach objects, tools or controls. The employee must be able to quickly navigate several flights of stairs several times a day. The employee must be able to lift and/or move up to 20 pounds multiple times during each work shift. In addition, the employee must be able to assist individuals in exiting the facility in the case of an emergency and to perform CPR and standard Medical First Aid procedures to persons in prone positions at ground level.
• Good vision and hearing are required (corrective lenses and corrective hearing aids are acceptable). The employee must be able to write legibly, speak and read English fluent. Effectively managing one’s own emotional well-being and professional conduct is an essential and enduring element of the job responsibility.
• The Company will consider qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with state and local "Fair Chance" laws.
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