Brief Description

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, known as "The HARRIS CENTER," is seeking an experienced Advance Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) - Jail Forensics - Chronic Care to join our team.

The Advance Practice Nurse (APRN) is a registered nurse with a specialty in psychiatric mental health nursing including prescriptive authority and is licensed to practice nursing in the State of Texas. Performs psychiatric evaluations and treatment interventions for chronic care patients within the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) jail facility. Such care is delivered within the rules and regulations of the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners (BNE) and the Texas Medical Board (TMB). The APN acts independently and in collaboration with other health care professionals in the delivery of services. The APN’s services include but are not limited to assessment, diagnosis, examinations, ordering, conducting and interpreting diagnostic and lab test, prescription of psychiatric pharmacologic agents, and treatments and non-pharmacological therapies. The primary role will be working in the chronic care department.

The Physician Assistant (PA) is a licensed provider with training and certification in advanced medical practice including prescriptive authority, and diagnosis, preferably with a focus in mental health treatment. The focus of care is on health promotion and disease prevention. Such care is delivered within the rules and regulations of the Texas Medical Board (TMB). The PA is prepared to practice in an expanded role to provide mental health care and services to individuals, families or groups in a variety of settings. The PA acts independently and in collaboration with other health care professionals in the delivery of services. The PA’s services include but are not limited to assessment, diagnosis, examinations, ordering, conducting and interpreting diagnostic and lab tests, prescription of psychiatric pharmacologic agents, and treatments and non-pharmacological therapies.

Your Role In Action

APRN

• Utilizes a five step systematic process (nursing process) to deliver patient services. This process includes assessment, analysis, planning, implementation and evaluation.
• Demonstrates decision making that is clinically sound, systematic, timely, well researched and reflects awareness of impact including reporting to appropriate members of the management, supervisory and administrative staff and works independently with minimal supervision.
• Completes and documents comprehensive psychiatric assessments and evaluations for assigned patients.
• As a member of the multidisciplinary treatment team and in collaboration with the supervising psychiatrist participates in the development and implementation of plans of care.
• In collaboration with supervising psychiatrist provides medication services within established protocols that includes but is not limited to ordering diagnostic tests and tests interpretation, psychiatric medication prescription, and medication monitoring.
• Promotes positive health behaviors and self-care skills through education and counseling of patients.
• Informs, explains and educates patient/family, health care team and community as needed regarding medications, disease processes and health information at level fitting patient, family, team members’, and community comprehension.
• Demonstrates and promotes positive work relationships with staff, team members, supervisors, unit/program, division administration and other disciplines and/or agencies.
• Performs other related work as assigned, adapts to changing work requirements and complies with Agency policies and procedures.
  
  

PA

• Utilizes a five step systematic process (nursing process) to deliver patient services. This process includes assessment, analysis, planning, implementation and evaluation.
• Utilizes a systematic process to deliver patient services. This process includes but is not limited to assessment, analysis, planning, implementation of treatment and follow-up of the patient’s condition.
• Demonstrates decision making that is clinically sound, systematic, timely, well researched and reflects awareness of impact including reporting to appropriate members of the management, supervisory and administrative staff and works independently with minimal supervision.
• Completes and documents comprehensive psychiatric assessments and evaluations for assigned patients.
• As a member of the multidisciplinary treatment team and in collaboration with the supervising psychiatrist participates in the development and implementation of plans of care.
• In collaboration with the supervising psychiatrist, provides medication services within established protocol that includes but is not limited to ordering diagnostic tests and tests interpretation, psychiatric medication prescription, and medication monitoring.
• Promotes positive health behaviors and self-care skills through education and counseling of patients.
  
  

Education

What qualifications you will need:

APRN

• Master’s in Nursing with recognition by the BNE as an Advance Practice Nurse and a current licensed with prescriptive authority in the State of Texas.
  
  

PA

• Graduate of a Physician Assistant training program accredited by the American Medical Association’s Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation
• Licensure as a Physician Assistant in the State of Texas is required.
  
  

Experience

APRN

• Minimum of 5 years registered nursing experience (not including clinical hours required for education) and a minimum of at least 1 year as an Advance Practice Nurse with mental health/behavioral and/or developmental disability nursing experience.
  
  

Pa

• 1 year as a certified physician assistant in psychiatry (not including clinical hours required for education). 2 years of post-graduate practice experience preferably in the field of psychiatry in a correctional setting.
  
  

Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

APRN

• Texas Board of Nurse Examiners Nurse Practice Act and nursing care standards of practice.
• Practice Parameters as set forth by the BNE for APN’s with Prescriptive Authority.
• Applicable pharmacy rules and regulations.
• Prescription practices and monitoring related to psychopharmacology
  
  

PA

• Texas Medical Board (TMB) professional standards of practice.
• Practice Parameters as set forth by the TMB for PAs with Prescriptive Authority.
• Applicable pharmacy rules and regulations.
• Prescription practices and monitoring related to psychopharmacology.
• Health Status Assessments, Physical Examinations, Psychiatric Evaluations, Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scales (AIMS) and Psychosocial Behavioral Assessments.
• DSM 5 diagnostic criteria and formulation.
• Diagnostic test interpretation (labs, EKG’s, etc.)
• Crisis intervention techniques.
• Standard Precautions and infection control procedures for dealing with sharp instruments, needles, blood and body fluids.
• Good body mechanics to avoid injury.
• Basic principles of psychiatric/mental health care.
  
  

What We Have To Offer

The Harris Center not only offers a competitive salary but also a suite of excellent benefits designed to enrich your life both professionally and personally. Imagine a future with a robust retirement plan complemented by our generous company matching – a testament to our investment in your long-term financial well-being. Experience the unique advantage of our prior service credit, accelerating your journey towards a more substantial Paid Time Off accrual, empowering you to enjoy well-deserved breaks.

Enjoy Cell Phone Discounts, exclusive entertainment deals through Tickets at Work, and a free Headspace subscription for mental wellness. Additionally, our Employee Assistance Program supports your overall well-being.

Take advantage of significant financial relief through student loan forgiveness as a valued member of The Harris Center team. As a qualifying entity, our employees are eligible for various student loan forgiveness programs, designed to alleviate the financial burdens associated with higher education

What Else You Should Know

• This posting is associated with position #'s 9608 (APRN) & 10207(APRN or PA).
  
  

About Us

The HARRIS CENTER is the state-designated Local Mental Health Authority and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Authority serving Harris County, Texas. As the largest behavioral and developmental disability care center in Texas, The Harris Center provided care to over 96,000 people in fiscal year 2023!

As part of its mission to transform the lives of people with behavioral health and IDD needs in the third largest county in the United States, The HARRIS CENTER provides a full continuum of services at 86 different sites across Harris County. In addition, services are provided in more than 40 different languages as well as sign language in order to better serve what is one of the most multi-cultural communities in the nation.

By utilizing the unique expertise of its more than 2,500 employees, The Harris Center is committed to meeting the behavioral health and IDD needs of Harris County residents and giving them hope to live to their fullest potential.

Contributes to suicide care and prevention by embracing our values and applying a trauma-informed approach rooted in safety, trust, choice, collaboration, and empowerment.