Nurse Practioner

The Nurse Practitioner position is a full-time, grant-funded position with flexible hours arranged and scheduled by the Chief Operating Officer. Primary responsibilities include evaluation and monitoring of consumers in Social Setting Detoxification, Modified Medical Detoxification, verification of medication, screening and referral of consumers presenting with general medical complaints. The nurse practitioner will provide oversight and guidance to other nursing staff as needed. All nursing practices must be within the guidelines of Gibson Center for Behavioral Changes’ service provisions.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

• Facilitate new consumer consultation and health history review.

• Perform physical examinations and screenings of consumers who are receiving services through Gibson Center for Behavioral Change in compliance with the Department of Mental health and all state regulatory guidelines.

• Perform labs, review and interpret test results.

• Prescribe medications following the facility’s guidelines, formulary and relevant to state regulations.

• Provide medication management as appropriate on a scheduled basis.

• Coordinate/arrange referrals for consumers needing medical care that requires further evaluation from a specialist outside of the nurse practitioner’s scope of practice. e.g. Cardiologist, Endocrinologist etc.

• Provide oversight for the Social Setting and Modified Medical Detox and review all protocol orders needed for consumers experiencing withdrawal.

• Adhere to the Department of Mental Health contract and Agency Policies and Procedures regarding compliance relating to medications.

• Educate consumers on their specific medication needs as it relates to the disease process for which they require medication. Educate consumers on medication side effects, contraindications that may exist, and how to properly manage medication needs following discharge.

• Educate staff, informally and through in-services, on medication procedures; general medication issues; potential side effects and proper verification of medications.

• Provide knowledge-based guidance with other facility programs in which a nurse may need assistance beyond the RN and LPN’s scope of practice. e.g. SOR, Disease Management, MAT, and individuals with Co-Occurring needs.

• Ensure the consumer’s health status and medication needs are addressed and assessed on a scheduled basis that meets the facilities, DMH, and state regulatory guidelines.

• Record accurate observations concerning status and progress of consumers who have been identified as requiring follow up-for medical issues beyond the customary medical screening.

• Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings/staffing that focus on a holistic, individualized plan of care for the consumer participating in substance use treatment at Gibson Center for Behavioral Change.

• Assists with the coordination of care for each consumer by consulting with other healthcare professionals, behavior health care professionals, and clinical staff.

• Confer and provide consultation with health care professionals, behavioral health care professionals, and other community agencies in order to coordinate the highest level of care possible for each consumer.

• Assist staff with medical/clinical functions as needed.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISED BY:

Chief Operating Officer

POSITIONS SUPERVISED:

None

QUALIFICATIONS:

Must have a Master’s Degree in nursing with one year experience and licensed in the State of Missouri. Must have two years experience in the field of substance use and mental health treatment with knowledge of chemical withdrawals as well as co-occurring disorders.