APRN-Psych Community Health Bridgeport

Optimus Health Care • Bridgeport, CT

2d

About The Position

Optimus Health Care is seeking an experienced Psychiatric Advanced Practice Registered Nurse to join its Behavioral Health team. The role provides psychiatric care to medically complex adult and adolescent patients in outpatient and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) settings. The position is Monday through Friday, including one late evening per week on Tuesdays, with no weekend or call responsibilities.

The Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner provides psychiatric and mental health services within a health care system. Work includes assessing patients’ personal, medical, and substance-use histories; diagnosing mental health conditions; counseling; prescribing medication; and ordering and interpreting diagnostic studies. The practitioner establishes and manages treatment plans tailored to the mental health needs of a diverse patient population.

The role includes comprehensive assessment, care planning, implementation, and evaluation of interventions; medication and treatment management within approved protocols; and thorough documentation of patient care, progress notes, and treatment plans. Care must reflect patients’ cultural backgrounds, ages, and developmental needs. Optimus provides quality assurance through physician supervision and consultation, ongoing chart review and audits, and regularly scheduled case consultation.

Optimus describes its environment as fast-paced and patient-centered, supported by a caring, multilingual staff. The posting lists health and welfare benefits, competitive compensation, and NHSC Student Loan Repayment for eligible employees. Benefits are subject to plan terms and eligibility.

Requirements

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
• Successful completion of an approved Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner program.
• One to three years of experience in an outpatient setting.
• Knowledge of professional nursing theory, practice, and medical care sufficient to provide and evaluate patient care.
• Knowledge of organizational policies, regulations, and procedures for administering patient care.
• Knowledge of medical equipment and instruments used to administer care.
• Knowledge of common safety hazards and precautions for establishing a safe work environment.
• Skill in applying and modifying professional nursing principles, methods, and techniques to provide ongoing patient care.
• Skill in taking medical histories, assessing medical conditions, and interpreting findings.
• Skill in preparing and maintaining records, writing reports, and responding to correspondence using current electronic media.
• Skill in developing and maintaining quality control and assurance standards.
• Ability to react calmly and effectively in emergency situations.
• Ability to interpret, adapt, and apply guidelines and procedures.
• Ability to communicate clearly.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with telepsychiatry; prior telepsychiatry experience is a plus.
• Bilingual Spanish skills preferred.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive assessments, including personal, medical, and substance-use assessments, and make diagnoses.
• Provide counseling and psychiatric/mental health services.
• Prescribe medications and order and interpret diagnostic studies.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate individualized plans of care, revising interventions as necessary.
• Initiate, monitor, and adjust medications and treatments according to approved protocols and patient response.
• Follow organizational policies and procedures for medication prescription and administration, documentation, and patient education.
• Document relevant patient care in progress notes and treatment plans using the specified, problem-oriented format.
• Provide culturally sensitive, individualized care that accounts for patients’ ages and developmental needs.
• Use the established formulary before using non-formulary therapeutic regimens.
• Follow psychiatric care standards and organizational policies and procedures.
• Assume accountability for individual professional judgments and actions.
• Participate in physician consultation, chart review, audits, and case discussions as part of quality assurance.
• Follow applicable safety, infection-control, risk-management, emergency, disaster, fire, seclusion, and restraint procedures.

Benefits

• Excellent health and welfare benefit options.
• Competitive compensation.
• NHSC Student Loan Repayment, if eligible.
• Eligible employees may receive medical, dental, and vision coverage, retirement benefits, paid time off, paid holidays, and other employer-sponsored benefits, subject to plan terms and eligibility.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level