Job Details
Job Location
Athens-Clarke - BH - Athens, GA
Position Type
Full Time
Job Shift
Day
Job Category
Nonprofit - Social Services
Description
Work Schedule:
Monday - Friday with 1-2 evenings (to 7:00PM) per week. Includes 1-2 Saturdays per month. Some travel within Advantage service area is required.
Position Summary:
Physician Extenders, in mental and behavioral health facilities, provide care to clients who may have acute or severe mental health conditions or disorders. While acting as an assistant to Physicians and following established standards and practices, the Physician Extender may at times supervise other nurses and healthcare professionals, provide peer reviews of documentation and authorizations, and trainings to healthcare students. They perform physical and bio-psychosocial assessments and examinations, diagnose mental/behavioral disorders, and interpret and evaluate diagnostic tests. In addition, Nurse Practitioners establish and educate clients on health care plans, diagnoses, and methods of treatment and recovery. They teach patients and their families how to manage their illness or injury, explaining post-treatment home care needs; diet, nutrition, and exercise programs; and self-administration of medication. Health care plans may include numerous activities, such as administering medication, including careful checking of dosages, and avoiding interactions.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Day-to-day duties of the Physician Extender may include:

• Provides initial psychiatric evaluation, ongoing assessments, or crisis assessments
• Provides patient education on diagnosis, medication, monitoring response to treatment and side effects of medications, informed consent, treatment adherence, and other topics as individualized for the patient
• Provides sufficient documentation in the medical record to reflect the diagnosis, treatment goals, interventions, and standards of the agency to meet requirements of state and federal funding entities.
• Documents and signs assessments, progress notes, and medication or lab orders within timeframes established by ABHS
• Signs needed orders for service (OFS) prior to initiation of services.
• Reviews individual service plan of clients and signs when service plan addresses the goals and treatment interventions appropriate for the client.
• Completes documentation, including orders, service plans, progress notes, etc., for every session/interaction collaboratively with clients according to Agency standards
• Prescribes appropriate medication and obtains baseline metabolic indices as indicated and in accordance with ABHS standards of care and all applicable professional, state and federal standards.
• Prescribes, monitors, modifies, and/or discontinues medications as indicated and documents medical necessity and these processes in the medical record of client.
• Orders medical assessments, consultations, referrals, medications and laboratory tests as indicated for patients.
• Attends monthly Medical Staff meetings or program meetings as indicated
• Participates in the Medical Staff peer review/documentation/utilization review processes and maintains agency-established targeted outcomes
• Responds to communications from Medical Services Office as needed and indicated in a timely manner
• Participates, as indicated, in medical education for healthcare students in training programs in Medicine, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Pharmacy, Nursing, Medical Assisting, and other healthcare professionals as determined by organizations clinical agreements
• Perform routine tests and take vital signs regularly as prescribed in each individual plan of care
• Administer injectable medication to patients as ordered and indicated in treatment plans
• Staffs complex cases with physicians for direction; consult with other staff members related to patient care
• Calls in prescriptions ordered by physicians as needed
• Respond to phone inquiries of patients and pharmacies
• Attend all required Agency meetings and trainings
• May be shadowed by peers on the job
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:
Candidate must have at least an active RN status in the state of Georgia AND Certification as an Advanced Practice Nurse/Nurse Practitioner in the State of Georgia; or certification as a Physician Assistant and CPR / BLS certification.
Preferred Qualifications:
Meet the minimum qualifications plus 2 years of post-graduate clinical experience in multidisciplinary mental health setting.
Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:
Active RN status and Certification as an Advanced Practice Nurse/Nurse Practitioner in the State of Georgia; and CPR / BLS certification or Certification as a Physician Assistant. Valid Georgia drivers license.