Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Location: Monmouth, Oquawka, Stronghurst, IL 

Position Overview

The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) provides outpatient psychiatric evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and medication management for children, adolescents, and adults within the provider’s education, certification, demonstrated competence, and EVCHS-approved clinical privileges. The PMHNP collaborates with medical, behavioral health, substance use, and support staff to deliver accessible, coordinated, evidence-based care consistent with EVCHS’s mission and the needs of its patients.

Reporting and Clinical Accountability

Administrative supervisor: __________________________________________

The designated administrative supervisor oversees scheduling, attendance, performance, and operational expectations. The Clinical Director oversees clinical standards and quality activities within their authority. The Director of Quality supports quality assurance, risk management, and compliance. These functions do not replace any legally required physician collaboration or prescribing consultation.

Maintain a written collaborative agreement and delegated prescriptive authority when required by Illinois law. If authorized to practice under Illinois full practice authority, maintain documentation of that status and comply with any remaining consultation or prescribing requirements. Seek consultation or referral when patient needs exceed the provider’s competence or approved privileges.

Essential Clinical Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive psychiatric assessments, including relevant medical and psychiatric history, mental status, substance use, psychosocial factors, and diagnostic evaluation; establish and update diagnoses and individualized treatment plans.
• Provide evidence-based psychiatric treatment and therapeutic counseling appropriate to the encounter. Explain treatment options, benefits, risks, alternatives, and follow-up recommendations; obtain and document informed consent and assent when applicable.
• Prescribe, adjust, and discontinue medications within applicable federal and Illinois law, authorized prescribing authority, EVCHS privileges, and any required collaborative agreement. Monitor response, adverse effects, interactions, adherence, and potential misuse.
• Order clinically appropriate laboratory and diagnostic testing; review results, communicate findings and recommendations, and document timely follow-up. Coordinate evaluation of medical conditions affecting psychiatric care.
• Assess suicide risk, self-harm, violence risk, abuse or neglect, and other urgent safety concerns. Document clinical findings, safety planning, and escalation; arrange emergency evaluation, transfer, or a higher level of care when indicated.
• Provide understandable patient and caregiver education on diagnoses, medications, warning signs, and when and how to obtain urgent help. Involve family members, guardians, or other supports only as permitted by consent, confidentiality law, and clinical circumstances.

Care Coordination and Access

• Coordinate care with EVCHS medical, counseling, and substance use providers and outside specialists. Make appropriate referrals, track completion with the care team, review consultation findings, and address unresolved care needs.
• Manage refills, patient messages, prior authorization of clinical information, and follow-up appointments with assigned support staff. Respond to routine messages within one business day during assigned working hours; handle urgent concerns according to EVCHS triage procedures.
• Provide documented handoffs and coverage arrangements for pending results, medication needs, and high-risk patients during absences or transitions. Participate in assigned emergency and after-hours coverage arrangements under EVCHS policy and the employment agreement.
• Provide approved in-person and telehealth services. For telehealth, verify patient identity and location, applicable licensure and prescribing authority, consent requirements, privacy, and an emergency response plan for the patient’s location.
• Provide respectful, culturally responsive care; use qualified interpretation and accessibility resources when needed. Help patients address barriers to care and coordinate with staff responsible for insurance enrollment, financial assistance, transportation, and other resources.

Documentation and Confidentiality

• Complete accurate, legible, and timely EHR documentation of assessments, diagnoses, treatment plans, consent, medications, orders, risk assessments, care coordination, and follow-up within EVCHS-established deadlines. Document services and codes that accurately support billing and payer requirements.
• Protect patient information under HIPAA, the Illinois Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act, and 42 CFR Part 2 when applicable. Follow lawful consent, disclosure, and record access requirements, including protections for minors and substance use treatment records.
• Apply Illinois requirements for minor consent and parental or guardian involvement according to the service provided; do not assume consent for counseling also authorizes medication treatment.
• Prepare authorized reports and clinical summaries when required. Route records requests, subpoenas, and other legal requests through designated EVCHS staff before disclosure; preserve records according to retention policies and any legal hold.

Quality Risk Management and Professional Accountability

• Participate in peer review, clinical quality improvement, and corrective actions. Submit at least 10% of patient records for quarterly clinical review under EVCHS policy; complete any additional or more frequent review and consultation required by law or the applicable collaborative agreement.
• Promptly report adverse events, near misses, safety concerns, and patient complaints through EVCHS procedures. Cooperate with risk assessments, investigations, and implementation of corrective actions.
• Complete annual assigned risk management training and other required clinical, infection prevention, privacy, compliance, and emergency preparedness training. Maintain required continuing education and professional competence.
• Follow applicable mandated reporting requirements for suspected abuse or neglect and legally required threats or safety disclosures. Comply with controlled substance safeguards, Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program requirements, and electronic prescribing requirements, including applicable exceptions.
• Perform services only within EVCHS-approved assignments, privileges, and applicable HRSA scope of project requirements. Obtain approval before adding services, locations, or outside clinical activities that could affect scope, privileges, or liability coverage.
• Immediately notify the designated supervisor and credentialing staff of restrictions, expiration, disciplinary actions, exclusion, or other changes affecting licensure, certification, prescribing authority, privileges, or ability to practice safely. Promptly forward malpractice allegations, claims, or legal papers to designated EVCHS staff and cooperate with the claims management process.

Required Qualifications

• Graduate degree in nursing from an accredited program preparing psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners and completion of education meeting Illinois APRN licensure requirements.
• Current ANCC Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification appropriate to the assigned patient population.
• Current, unrestricted Illinois RN and APRN licensure, including full practice authority authorization when applicable. Maintain other jurisdictional licenses when required for approved services.
• Current DEA registration and appropriate Illinois controlled substance license for assigned prescribing duties, with required delegation or consultation arrangements in place.
• Current basic life support certification or documented training meeting EVCHS credentialing requirements.
• At least one year of direct patient care experience with individuals receiving treatment for psychiatric disorders. Three or more years of experience practicing as a psychiatric provider and experience with telehealth or community health settings are preferred.
• Eligibility to participate in applicable federal and state health care programs; no exclusion, suspension, or debarment that prohibits assigned duties.

Credentialing and Privileging

Obtain EVCHS credentialing approval and clinical privileges before providing the corresponding clinical services; maintain them through recurring review and renewal. Provide requested education, training, references, work history, claims history, and other verification information. Cooperate with primary source verification, National Practitioner Data Bank queries, competence and fitness assessments, and occupational health requirements. Assist EVCHS credentialing staff with applicable payer enrollment. Any prelicensure orientation or shadowing must be separately authorized and must not include duties requiring licensure or privileges that have not been granted.

Knowledge, Skills, and Professional Expectations

Demonstrate sound clinical judgment, effective communication, organized caseload management, independent EHR use, and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. Support EVCHS’s mission and values through professional conduct, respectful patient service, reliable attendance, timely communication, and adherence to the Code of Conduct and applicable policies. Provide clinical education and guidance to support staff within their authorized roles; formal personnel supervision applies only when specifically assigned.

Work Location, Schedule, and Physical Requirements

Work at assigned EVCHS sites and other approved locations as service needs require. Schedule, employment status, and assigned coverage are established in the employment agreement or approved schedule. Remote work requires prior authorization and compliance with EVCHS telehealth and information security policies.

Work involves patient encounters, telephone or video communication, computer documentation, sitting, standing, walking within clinical areas, and handling routine clinical materials. The provider must be able to assess patients, communicate clinical information, use the EHR, and respond to emergencies with available staff and equipment, with or without reasonable accommodation. Travel between assigned sites may be required; driving is required only if specifically assigned as an essential duty. The clinical environment may involve exposure to infectious illness, emotional distress, and behavioral emergencies; follow infection prevention and workplace safety procedures.