Advanced Practice Nurse

Metrocare Services•Dallas, TX

About The Position

The Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) is a Texas-licensed registered professional nurse prepared for advanced nursing practice through an educational program acceptable to the relevant Texas nursing and medical boards. The APN provides nursing and medical services independently and/or in collaboration with other health care professionals, serving individuals, families, and groups across the life span. The role emphasizes health promotion and disease prevention, as well as diagnosing and managing acute and chronic diseases. Services include ordering, conducting, and interpreting diagnostic and laboratory tests; prescribing medications and treatments; and providing non-pharmacological therapies. At Metrocare, the APN provides psychiatric evaluations and clinical care for people experiencing serious mental illness, developmental disabilities, and co-occurring disorders. The position works under physician supervision and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to develop and update individual service plans, prescribe and monitor psychoactive medications, coordinate care with other providers, respond to emergencies, and maintain timely, complete clinical documentation. The role also requires adherence to applicable professional standards, laws, confidentiality requirements, and Metrocare procedures.

Requirements

Master’s degree from an accredited university.
At least 6 months of experience as an APN in the clinical area.
Current Registered Nurse license in the State of Texas.
Current CPR certification.
PMAB certification.
Current Texas driver license, or a current driver license in the employee’s state of residence; employees licensed in another state must obtain a Texas driver license within three months of employment.
Must have an acceptable driving record and be insurable by the Center’s liability carrier when operating a Center vehicle or driving a personal vehicle on Center business.
Liability insurance is required if operating a personal vehicle on Center property or for Center business.
Ability to work under physician supervision and within the parameters established for APNs by the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
Ability to formulate differential diagnoses based on history, physical examination, and clinical findings; identify individual, family, or community needs; select appropriate diagnostic tests and interventions; and reassess and modify plans of care.
Ability to use protocols, standing delegation orders, standing medical orders, practice guidelines, and other physician orders for medical care, including prescription drug orders mutually agreed upon and signed by the APN and physician.
Basic math skills, ability to work with reports and numbers, and ability to calculate moderately complex figures and amounts to accurately report activities and budgets.
Ability to apply common-sense understanding to simple instructions and standardized situations with occasional or no variables.
Ability to use a computer, printer, and software such as Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint, and to use the Internet for resources.
Effective verbal and written communication skills.
Analytical skills, professional acumen, business ethics, understanding of continuous improvement processes, problem-solving ability, respect for confidentiality, and excellent communication skills.
Excellent organizational skills, ability to prioritize workflow and meet deadlines, and ability to handle multiple tasks and special projects simultaneously.
Ability to work autonomously with minimal or no supervision while maintaining professionalism and confidentiality.
Conduct job responsibilities in accordance with ethical standards, state contracts, professional standards, and applicable state and federal laws.

Responsibilities

Respond to questions from patients and their families, providing information in language appropriate to their level of functioning to help them understand and manage mental illness symptoms.
Conduct and document psychiatric evaluations under physician supervision and in accordance with Metrocare procedures.
Respond flexibly to unscheduled evaluations for walk-in individuals who appear to be in crisis or need immediate assistance.
Participate actively in interdisciplinary team meetings to discuss evaluations and diagnostic formulations and help develop appropriate plans of service.
Participate in developing and updating individual service plans, including problems, goals, measurable objectives, intervention strategies, responsible staff, and time frames.
Use professional judgment to implement interventions, review cases with the team, and modify service plans as needs change.
Document the rationale for interventions and changes, explain them to individuals receiving services, and obtain informed consent according to procedures.
Prescribe and monitor psychoactive medications using professional judgment and implement and document medication-related practices in accordance with administrative procedures.
Ensure laboratory studies and physical examinations are ordered, completed, and reviewed as required, including before psychoactive medication initiation and at recommended intervals; document timely medication adjustments based on findings.
Provide and document medication education for each individual according to procedures.
Coordinate care with other community medical providers treating the individual.
Inform residential-service providers and home caregivers who assist with medication monitoring about medication changes, behavioral signs to observe and report, and reporting procedures.
Prescribe only formulary medications and doses within acceptable ranges in the PDR, unless an exception is approved by the Center Medical Director.
Respond to psychiatric and medical emergency care needs.
Maintain current knowledge of the Texas Mental Illness Code and procedures for involuntary hospitalization.
Work with staff to determine when admission to a more restrictive setting is indicated and complete documentation for an Order of Protective Custody when applicable.
Maintain individual service records sufficient to support insurance or third-party claims, document time for every service event, and protect confidential consumer information.
Schedule sufficient face-to-face time with consumers to meet productivity benchmarks assigned by DMS and document those interactions according to DMS quality standards.
Provide clinical care and document evaluations, treatment planning, and medication prescriptions in accordance with quality-of-care standards.
Perform other duties as assigned.