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GENERAL SUMMARY OF POSITION: 

Reporting to the Chief of Medicine or Medical Staff Physician, the Clinical Nurse Specialist utilizes the medical model to meet a variety of health care needs. The Clinical Nurse Specialist works with a variety of professionals in a mental health inpatient environment and provides basic medical services supervised by a licensed physician.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide direct patient care including psychiatric assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and follow- up care of adult patients on assigned units under the supervision of the collaborating psychiatrist.
• Develop and lead patient psycho-educational groups. Provide education and consultation to unit nursing staff regarding current evidence-based practices in psychiatric nursing, person-centered care and recovery
• Prescribe appropriate psychiatric/medical medications
• Provide on-going medication monitoring for efficacy and side effects from psychiatric medications performing AIMS testing as required by facility protocol
• Assess patient's capacity for making informed treatment decisions
• Provide education and consultation to nursing staff regarding evidence-based practices that enhance patient-center care and the recovery process.
• Work collaborative with community care clinicians to assess patients' needs, provide continuity of care as patients prepare for transition and discharge into the community, and develop appropriate discharge aftercare plans.
• Participate fully in all site-based performance improvement activities in accordance with job responsibilities
• Perform or schedule laboratory and diagnostic procedures to determine health status as assigned by the physician
• Obtain histories and perform physical examinations to determine normal and abnormal adult health status
• Communicate findings in a comprehensive and organized fashion verbally and in writing
• Identify patient health problems and prescribes treatment based on diagnosis
• Make appropriate, timely referrals and initiates treatments based on policies and procedures, and physician direction
• Document health problems and plan of care
• Implement medical care in a knowledgeable, safe and cost-effective manner, utilizing therapeutic regimens approved by the physician and in accordance with established regulations, policies, and procedures
• Evaluates and documents patient progress and response to medical interventions
• Make referrals as necessary to the physician or other health team members
• Work within the framework of a current written Collaborative Agreement with an assigned supervising physician
• Serve as a resource to other professionals or non-professional personnel providing instructions
• Perform other duties as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• MSN or Nurse Practitioner Certificate
• Hold a current Nurse Practitioner license in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
• Must have or be able to obtain Federal  DEA Registration
• Must have or be able to obtain Mass. Controlled Substance Certificate