CLASS SPECIFICATION

PSYCHIATRIC NURSE CLINICAL SPECIALIST

DEFINITION OF CLASS:

This is specialized professional community psychiatric/mental health nursing work providing direct psychiatric/mental health nursing services to individuals, families and groups in clinics, health centers, community and State hospitals, schools, homeless shelters, outdoor settings, and other community locations. Clients served are of all ages from diverse cultural backgrounds. Contacts are with clients, their families, staff nurses, interdisciplinary team members, Health Department/County Government/school personnel, and public and private health-related and social service agencies to consult, teach, exchange information, resolve problems and coordinate care. Public Service/Assistance is provided through intensive interaction with clients in the provision of long-term psychiatric counseling therapy and psychiatric nursing services.

An employee in this class serves as the nurse specialist on an inter-disciplinary mental health treatment team that provides a therapy and case management oriented program for its out-patient clients, and clients treated in a community-based hospital. Working under the administrative and clinical direction of a Therapeutic Program Manager, and with clinical consultation and medical direction from a Psychiatrist, an employee in this class performs work in accordance with guidelines including but not limited to the Maryland Nurse Practice Act; the Maryland State Board of Examiners of Nurses Clinical Nurse Specialist Standards of Practice; established Departmental policies and procedures; and accepted mental health practices, with latitude for independent judgment and action. A supervisor provides technical assistance only in situations or cases without precedent. Available guidelines are general and not directly applicable to all situations, requiring the employee to use judgment in interpreting the guides for the situation-at-hand, and adopt different approaches or methods. Through participation on the interdisciplinary team, an employee contributes to the modification or change in client treatment plans. Complexity of the work is derived from the assessment of unusual circumstances, the utilization of a variety of approaches, and the analysis and interpretation of considerable information which may be contradictory and/or incomplete. The employee's work has an effect on the well-being of clients and an impact on the success of the mental health program. Work, which is usually performed in a clinic or office setting, occasionally involves exposure to blood and human waste when administering medications via intramuscular injection and handling urine samples. Some risk is involved requiring safety precautions due to regular exposure to clients with tuberculosis, hepatitis, and HIV/AIDS and/or aggressive and unpredictable client behavior. Work involves standing and walking and some lifting, carrying or moving of objects weighing up to fifty pounds or using equivalent forces.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES: (Illustrative Only)

Provides direct psychotherapy (individual, group, family and crisis intervention) to clients with severe and persistent emotional and/or psychiatric problems.
Maintains complete and up-to-date client records; collects and analyzes data and prepares appropriate reports.
Participates as an interdisciplinary team member to plan, implement and evaluate client treatment; to assess community needs and requests for service; and to evaluate overall program effectiveness.
Performs intake services for clients applying for treatment including physical and mental assessment and screening for appropriateness of referral.
Collaborates with public and private health and social service agencies involved in cases to provide case management and ensure coordination of services.
Acts as consultant/liaison within the department, to the community, to other County Government personnel, and to State and local hospital staff.
Administers and monitors medications prescribed by consulting Psychiatrist, assesses effects of same, and seeks Psychiatrist's consultation as needed; performs CPR and administers First Aid.
Contributes to orientation and in-service training for nursing staff, students/interns and volunteers; provides CPR/First Aid training as needed; and oversees the work of graduate psychiatric nursing students.
Performs related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience: Three (3) years of full-time equivalent post Registered nurse licensure experience as a nurse, two (2) years of which must have been in psychiatric/mental health nursing, one (1) year of which must have been in a community health setting.
Education: None beyond that required to obtain Maryland State certification as an advanced practice registered nurse/psychiatric mental health (APRN/PMH).
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Considerable knowledge of psychiatric/community mental health nursing and public health theories, principles, practices, current literature and new developments to provide psychiatric counseling therapy/community health nursing care and case management services to individuals, families and the community.
Considerable knowledge of personality development theories for evaluating behavior and reaction patterns of patients.
Considerable knowledge of group interactions and theories of group therapy.
Considerable knowledge of selected pharmaceuticals, their desired effects, side effects and complications which may arise from their use.
Considerable knowledge of applicable Federal, State and County laws and regulations.
Considerable knowledge of available community resources for referral.
Considerable knowledge of the basic functions of other professions represented on the interdisciplinary team.
Skill in applying technical nursing procedures.
Skill in operating medical and nursing equipment.
Ability to apply the theories, principles and techniques of psychotherapy in providing individual, group, and family therapy, and crisis intervention.
Ability to develop rapport and cooperative relationships with clients in order to assist them in motivating themselves and redirecting their behavior.
Ability to establish and maintain effective collaborative working relationships with team members, and staff members of outside agencies and hospitals.
Ability to prepare and maintain complete client records.
Ability to analyze and interpret data and prepare comprehensive reports.
Ability to conduct physical and mental assessments and choose, initiate, and modify selected therapies.
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
Ability to attend meetings or perform other assignments at locations outside the office.

LICENSE:

Possession of a current "Advanced Practice Registered Nurse/Psychiatric Mental Health" (APRN/PMH) certification issued by the Maryland State Board of Nursing.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD:

The probationary period must be 6 months for a full-time or part time employee appointed to a merit system position, and 6 months for a promoted employee, during which time performance will be carefully evaluated. Continuation in this class will be contingent upon successful completion of the probationary period.

MEDICAL PROTOCOL: Limited Core Exam

Class Established: July 1975
Revised: November 1985
May 1993 (M)
April, 2002(M)
March, 2004