Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Part-Time

Description

This is a professional, part-time, fully remote position in which the incumbent provides psychiatric patient care to students within the University community via a secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform. The incumbent works collaboratively with the staff medical director, medical providers and, student health counselors to provide patient assessment and diagnosis, formulate treatment plans, prescribe medications, order laboratory tests, interpret test results, provide patient education, prepare and maintain medical records, and refer patients for inpatient care in accordance with statutes, regulations, and protocols governing the profession and telehealth practice. All patient care, documentation, and communication must comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and, where student education records are implicated, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The incumbent works remotely under the supervision of the Medical Director and the Director of Student Health Services.

Examples of Duties

• Provides patient assessment, diagnosis, and treatment plans via live, interactive telehealth video visits, in accordance with statutes, regulations, and protocols regulating the profession and the delivery of telepsychiatric care.

• Collaborates remotely with the staff medical director, nursing staff, technical personnel, and counselors at the University Counseling Center and outside local counselors to coordinate continuity of care.

• Provides psychiatric health services, education, counseling, and emotional support to students through secure virtual visits.

• Refers patients for in-person evaluation, urgent/emergency care, or inpatient care when a student's presentation, safety risk, or clinical need exceeds what can be appropriately managed via telehealth, in collaboration with the staff psychiatrist.

• Issues medication prescriptions via telehealth in accordance with treatment guidelines and applicable telepsychiatry and controlled-substance prescribing regulations (e.g., Ryan Haight Act requirements for controlled substances).

• Orders laboratory tests, interprets results, and explains findings to patients remotely, coordinating local specimen collection as needed.

• Provides patient education regarding medications, risks, benefits, and reasonable outcome expectations during virtual visits.

• Communicates with patients through secure, HIPAA-compliant messaging or telehealth platforms and engages in follow-up as necessary.

• Documents all encounters in the electronic health record in a timely, accurate manner, maintaining the security, confidentiality, and integrity of protected health information (PHI) and, where applicable, FERPA-protected education records.

• Maintains a private, secure remote workspace and complies with all HIPAA, FERPA, and University data-security policies governing telehealth practice, including use of approved, encrypted platforms and devices.

• Verifies student location at the start of each telehealth encounter and practices within the scope of licensure and telehealth regulations applicable to the state in which the student is located.

• Maintains reliable, secure internet access and is reachable during scheduled remote working hours and in the event of a student crisis, following the established emergency and escalation protocol for remote clinicians.

• May also provide primary medical care services as indicated, in accordance with statutes, regulations, and protocols regulating the profession.

• Performs similar or related duties as assigned or required.

Typical Qualifications

Education:

Master of Science in Nursing, with a Psychiatric/Mental Health emphasis, from an accredited college or university.

Experience:

Three (3) years of experience related to the duties described above; prior experience providing behavioral health services via telehealth is preferred.

Licensure:

Must be licensed as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) by the Alabama Board of Nursing, and must maintain any additional state licensure required to legally provide telehealth services to students located in other states, as applicable.

Other Requirements:

Must satisfactorily complete HIPAA and FERPA training and any required telehealth or remote-work compliance training prior to seeing patients and on a recurring basis thereafter. Must have a private, secure workspace suitable for confidential telehealth encounters, reliable high-speed internet access, and the ability to be reached after hours and in the event of a student crisis.

Physical Requirements:

These physical requirements are not exhaustive, and additional job-related physical requirements may be added by individual agencies on an as-needed basis. Corrective devices may be used to meet physical requirements. Must have reliable internet access and the ability to be reached after hours and in the event of a student crisis.

Supplemental Information

• Thorough knowledge of psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner scope of practice, assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, and psychopharmacology.

• Working knowledge of HIPAA privacy and security requirements and FERPA requirements as they apply to student health and education records.

• Skill in delivering clinically effective psychiatric care through telehealth/telepsychiatry platforms, including establishing rapport, conducting mental status exams, and assessing risk remotely.

• Ability to use electronic health record (EHR) systems and secure, encrypted telehealth and messaging platforms proficiently and in compliance with University data-security standards.

• Ability to recognize telehealth limitations and determine when in-person evaluation, escalation, or emergency intervention is required.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with students, families (as appropriate and permitted under FERPA/HIPAA), and interdisciplinary team members in a remote setting.

• Ability to work independently, manage time effectively, and maintain productivity and availability while working remotely.

• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality of sensitive patient and student information at all times.

• Knowledge of applicable multi-state telehealth practice and prescribing regulations, including requirements for prescribing controlled substances via telehealth.