Psychiatric Nurse Associate (LPN)

Psychiatric Nurse Associate (LPN)

EMPLOYER INFORMATION:
Clifford Beers is a mental health clinic serving children and families. Our mission is to provide integrated services addressing mental, physical, and social determinants in order to improve health, resiliency and quality of life for children, families and communities.

PURPOSE:
The Psychiatric Nurse Associate will carry out responsibilities, which ensure high quality and coordinated patient care, which is consistent with the Clifford Beers mission. The clinic coordinator will report to the Director of Psychiatric/Nursing Services and the Medical Director. This position is responsible for coordinating patient care; medication refills across CBC (and affiliates as directed) admissions, and safeguarding the workflow of the daily clinic, ensuring patient needs are identified and addressed.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Oversees patient care scheduling, and ensures the Director of Nursing/Medical Director is aware of fluctuations related to patient needs or staffing levels.
• Maintain medical supplies for the clinic in accordance with established Clifford Beers policies.
• Communicate with patients, and or their guardians, and assist them in determining the urgency of care needed, referring to, or scheduling appointments with providers.
• Collaborates with the administrative team in goal setting and ongoing problem solving. Works closely in collaboration with other co-workers and prescribers.
• Facilitates effective communication among program staff, administration, patients, and families to ensure seamless service and quality of care.
• Identify needs for staff development and training.
• May assist Director/Medical Director in orientation and training of students, residents and psychiatry fellows at Clifford Beers in workflows and procedures/systems.
• Coordinates and completes patient referrals internally, as well as to outside agencies.
• Serves as a resource to Medical/Administrative staff & may assist in training new hires or interns.
• Maintain the pharmacy refill line and electronic refill queue, following med refill policies for Clifford Beers Community Care Center.
• Submits prior authorizations as needed for Clifford Beers and Mid Fairfield as directed; follows up with pharmacy and insurance companies in a timely manner to ensure no gaps in treatment.
• Facilitates appointment/clinic flow by taking clients back into appointments; takes vital signs and enters them into the electronic health record timely.
• Triages initial evaluation requests and submits for scheduling as needed.
• Orders labs as directed/requested by providers .
• Completes prior authorizations when needed.
• Manages Quest lab site and oversees laboratory results for all psychiatric providers; follows up with provider with abnormal results.
• Responds promptly to group email requests to assist with patient needs and quick rectification of issues.
• Submits administrative, school, and medication forms to DDS, DCF, SSI, SCG, schools, etc...
• Logs into queue and triages phone calls daily, assists families with problems and quickly remedies problems.
• Assessment of insurance, logistical, environmental, or clinical needs; identifies patients with barriers to referrals/transitions of care, and helps to address them.
• Ensure patient's rights are upheld.
• Maintains confidentiality by communicating patient/family/significant other information only to health care workers involved in the care of the patient in an appropriate manner.
• Demonstrates awareness of legal issues in all aspects of patient care and department function, and strives to manage situations in a reduced risk manner.
• Maintenance of accurate clinical/medical record keeping consistent with clinic policy.
• Develops, individualizes, and professionally modifies care, using a patient-centered approach.
• Reviews client and medication records and submits refills as appropriate per clinic policy.
• Distributes medication side effect letters for all new medications and transfer clients in accordance with regulations.
• Advocates for patient and family needs.

• Renews/oversees Psychiatric treatment plan renewal on a weekly basis for all provider caseloads

• Demonstrates ability to multitask, handle, and efficiently respond to a high volume of emails and phone calls; demonstrated ability to work independently.
• May provide psychoeducation to youth as needed when on-site.
• Scheduling follow up medication management appointments when needed.
• Obtaining releases of information and medical records when needed.
• Perform other duties as directed by the supervisor.

Psychiatric Nurse Associate (LPN)

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

LPN with one to two years related experience in behavioral health discipline a plus.--Will consider training new LPN graduate if the right candidate.
Bilingual Spanish-speaking preferred.
CT licensure required

COMPETENCIES:
Must demonstrate the following competencies:
• Diversity and Inclusion:
Foster an environment in which all members of the Clifford Beers community, from staff to partners and clients, are treated equitably and are able to contribute fully and meaningfully to the mission of Clifford Beers. Employees must make every effort to:
o Treat others with respect
o Practice cultural humility
o Elicit and welcome different points of view
• Integrity:
Act ethically with honesty and consistency regardless of the situation. Employees must make every effort to:
o Be accountable for his or her own actions
o Make decisions based on what is better for the families and employees
o Build and maintain trust among co-workers and our families
o Uphold honesty in all actions
• Excellence:
Commitment to deliver outstanding practices in both managing the organization, service delivery, and collaborating with partners. Employees must make every effort to:
o Utilize data and research to provide the highest quality of care
o Regularly participate in professional development to stay abreast of most recent and progressive practices
o Promote continuous quality assessment and improvement
• Communication:
The ability to express oneself clearly and professionally both in writing, conversations, and in nonverbal communication with others. Employees must make every effort to:

o Oral Communication
 Speak clearly and in an organized manner that can be easily understood
 Express ideas concisely and respectfully
 Summarize or paraphrase his/her understanding of what others have said to verify understanding and prevent miscommunication
 Hold herself or himself accountable for pitch, speed, tone and volume of voice while speaking
 Show understanding of professional and cultural implications of body posture, stance, gestures, proximity to listener, facial expressions and appearance

o Written Communication
 Write clear and concise sentences devoid of grammatical and spelling errors
 Tailor writing style to the audience of the message
 Write in a respectful and tactful manner

SKILLS:
• Excellent client and time management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team environment.
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task and handle and respond to a high volume of emails and phone calls.
• Must be able to accurately read a doctor's order and able to determine errors and issues with prescriptions.
• Must have a basic clinical skill set for assessment, including nursing knowledge of triaging, to determine when to contact a prescriber.
• Must have a firm command of nursing fundamentals such as patient assessment, vital sign measurement, care planning and exam, and treatment assistance.
• Must also possess a firm understanding of medical terminology and legal and ethical standards.
• Must be able to critically think and reason through a problem.
• Must be strongly motivated and able to accept supervision and coaching.
• Must have awareness/ability to learn side effect & patient education for psychiatric medications and management of mental health issues.
• Experience with outpatient mental health or psychiatric nursing a plus.
• Excellent leadership qualities and knowledge of management skills are necessary.
• Excellent communication, organizational and interpersonal skills are required.
• Demonstrated high level of oral and written report skills.
• Ability to relate professionally, positively, and work cooperatively with patients, families, colleagues, prescribers, and other employees at all levels.
• Excellent knowledge of information technology and its application to the healthcare environment.
• Proficiency in electronic medical records. Must be able to type well and ability to learn multiple technology systems.
• Ability to provide phone triage along with knowledge of referral process a plus.
• Identifies, develops, and maintains relationships with other agencies in the community, not limited to: DDS, VNAs, Yale, Cornell Scott, CareLogic, Hospital for Special Care, etc..

REQUIREMENTS:
• Valid Driver's License and reliable transportation
• Current LPN license needed
• Criminal Background check, including fingerprinting if/as required by DDS.
• Experience in Psychiatry/Mental Health a plus; experience working with clients with ASD and ID a plus.

TRAVEL:
• This role may require travel throughout the State of Connecticut

PHYSICAL ABILITIES:
• 20 % of the time is spent making repetitive motions
• 50 % of the time spent sitting
• 10 % walking, bending, standing, stooping, crouching or kneeling
• 20 % of the time is spent using hands to type, write, or use controls
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
• Indoors, Environmentally controlled
• Close Physical Proximity to coworkers

Salary : $50,000 - $55,000