Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatry

For more than 55 years, Family Health Centers of San Diego’s (FHCSD) mission has been to provide caring, affordable, high-quality health care and supportive services to everyone, with a special commitment to uninsured, low-income and medically underserved persons.

FHCSD is one of the top 10 largest federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in the country. We operate more than 90 sites across San Diego County, including 29 primary care clinics, 23 behavioral health facilities, 10 physical rehabilitation clinics, nine dental clinics, five vision clinics, four outpatient substance use treatment programs, three mobile medical units, two mobile counseling centers, two urgent care centers, and a pharmacy.

Our staff provides care to over 227,000 patients each year, of whom 91% are low-income and 29% are uninsured. FHCSD provides care to all. Services include, but are not limited to adult care, chronic disease management, pediatrics, comprehensive women’s care including obstetrics, dental, vision, case management, physical rehabilitation, speech therapy for children, vaccinations, infectious diseases, behavioral health, substance use counseling and a host of specialty services including cardiology, podiatry, endocrinology, dermatology, among others. FHCSD also offers supportive services to those who are unsheltered and in need of intensive case management.  

The breadth of our clinic locations, services and programs has grown over the last five decades, making us the largest community clinic provider of health care to the uninsured in the county and one of the top 10 largest community clinic organizations in the nation. We are also the largest health care safety-net provider, largest school-based health care provider and the largest mental health provider in the San Diego region.

General Job Description:

Under the direction of the Assistant Medical Director of Psychiatry, the Adult Nurse Practitioner offers and provides direct patient care as appropriate through individual psychiatric and medical care. Provides high quality, evidence-based patient care through the utilization of education preparation and specialized clinical expertise. Care is provided utilizing knowledge of the patient's age, gender, culture, special populations, and learning capabilities. Works in collaboration with the mental health treatment team on patient care, clinical and administrative issues. Communicates needs, issues, and concerns as necessary to the supervising psychiatrist.

Job Roles

• Core functions include diagnosing and treating acute and chronic health/mental health care problems, performing adult care check-ups and/or follow-up as indicated per treatment plan, prescribing medication when indicated, creating and updating treatment plans, acting as the Mental Health Treatment Coordinator when appropriate, and teaching health promotion and disease prevention to patients and/or family members.
• Performs general evaluation for mental and medical health status, including but not limited to, completing full intake mental health evaluations, ordering of diagnostic procedures/labs/medical supplies, formulating plans of care, prescribing medication, making appropriate consults to specialty areas and ensuring that immunizations and PPD's are current as required or needed. 
• Maintains satisfactory peer reviews: able to assess medical information including pathophysiology, patient presentation, differential diagnosis, etc, in order to facilitate health promotion and disease prevention.
• Completes all required documentation accurately, timely and thoroughly in accordance with department standards and to comply with electronic medical record requirements, including medication reconciliation, finalizing notes, clearing out personal pool, and participating in clinic pool.
• Meets clinic site and organization needs in a reliable and flexible manner; prioritizes work and makes an effort to adhere to schedule.
• Participates in administrative duties, including lab reports, charts, and medication refills reviewed and managed appropriately.
• Participate in Clinical Outcomes Program and work towards meeting organizational targets for all metrics.
• Maintain FHCSD behavioral standards, including (but not limited to), effective listening and communication skills and respectful interactions with colleagues and patients.
• Assesses and intervenes for urgent and/or emergent mental health problems. 
• Provides nurse practitioner support and consultation to other outpatient clinics in area of expertise when available and appropriate.
• Seeks physician consultation during scheduled supervision meetings or as needed when managing a medical or mental health condition that is not resolving as anticipated, feels adjustments in medication/therapy have not brought about the expected improvements, or any time the nurse practitioner seeks additional expertise on providing appropriate treatment for a specific condition. 
• Electronic progress notes will be in problem-oriented format and sufficiently detailed to obtain a clear picture of the patient's current health status. In addition, all patient contacts and visits with physician involvement must include the name of the physician in the progress notes.
• Performs duties relying, as needed, on standardized procedures that allow for the collaborating physician to be available to the NP by phone or in person
• Performs other duties as assigned. 

Education/Certifications/Licenses/Registrations

• Ability and means to travel as needed in a timely manner within San Diego County. DRIVER REQUIREMENTS: Requires an active Class C California driver's license, proof of liability insurance at $100,000, on vehicle used. No more than 2 points in past 12 months; No suspensions in last 2 years for moving violations; No DUI, reckless or felony Driving within 5 years. No license revocation in 7 years.
• Current American Heart Association healthcare provider CPR (BLS), or Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Advanced Trauma Life Support, or Advance Resuscitation Training.
• Current Nurse Practitioner Certification and Nurse Practitioner Furnishing Permit required.
• Current State License and national certification required from one of the following National certifying bodies: 1. The American Academy of Nurse Practitioner 2. Nurse Credentialing Center 3. National Certification Corporation for Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing Specialties 4. National Certification Board of Pediatrics Nurse Practitioners & Nurses 5. Oncology Nurse Certification Corporation & Critical Care Certification Corp.
• DEA license
• Master's degree required.

Experience/Specialized skills (including Language)

• 2 years of experience working in an outpatient mental health setting.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) capabilities desired. Cultural and linguistic sensitivity to populations served required.
• Must possess a demonstrated commitment to community medicine and to serve homeless and medically underserved families.
• Basic computer literacy ability to comply with department needs and expectations (i.e., electronic medical record documentation).
• Ability to work effectively with patients from diverse social, cultural and economic groups.
• Knowledge of, and ability to take a detailed medical history, to conduct a physical examination, to follow observation procedures, to order and perform diagnostic and therapeutic tasks, and to exercise a degree of judgment in integrating and interpreting findings on the basis of general medical knowledge.
• Knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, and concepts of disease.
• Knowledge of patient care activities, the clinic environment, and how the services and functions interact.

Physical Requirements/Working Environment

Lifting 0 - 10 lbs: FREQUENTLY (3 - 6 HRS)

Lifting 11 - 25 lbs: NEVER

Lifting 25 - 50 lbs: NEVER

Lifting 51 - 75 lbs: NEVER

Lifting over 75 lbs: NEVER

Bending (neck): FREQUENTLY (3 - 6 HRS)

Bending (waist): OCCASIONALLY (1 - 3 HRS)

Climbing (ladder): NEVER

Climbing (stairs): RARELY (0-1 HRS)

Driving: To drive from one clinic or another, or in the community: FREQUENTLY (3 - 6 HRS) 

Exposure to blood borne pathogens and biohazards: YES

Exposure risk to aerosol-transmitted diseases-YES

Exposure to dust, gas, fumes, or chemicals: Office and medical supplies.

Fine manipulation: OCCASIONALLY (1 - 3 HRS)

Repetitive use of hand: OCCASIONALLY (1 - 3 HRS)

Kneeling: RARELY (0-1 HRS)

Power Grasping: RARELY (0-1 HRS)

Pushing 0 - 10 lbs: NEVER

Pushing 11 - 25 lbs: NEVER

Pushing 25 - 50 lbs: NEVER

Pushing 51 - 75 lbs: NEVER

Pushing over 75 lbs: NEVER

Pulling 0 - 10 lbs: NEVER

Pulling 11 - 25 lbs: NEVER

Pulling 25 - 50 lbs: NEVER

Pulling 51 - 75 lbs: NEVER

Pulling over 75 lbs: NEVER

Carrying 0 - 10 lbs: FREQUENTLY (3 - 6 HRS)

Carrying 11 - 25 lbs: NEVER

Carrying 25 - 50 lbs: NEVER

Carrying 51 - 75 lbs: NEVER

Carrying 75 lbs: NEVER

Reaching (above shoulder level): RARELY (0-1 HRS)

Reaching (below shoulder level): OCCASIONALLY (1 - 3 HRS)

Simple Grasping: OCCASIONALLY (1 - 3 HRS)

Sitting: FREQUENTLY (3 - 6 HRS)

Standing: FREQUENTLY (3 - 6 HRS)

Twisting: RARELY (0-1 HRS)

Use of Personal Protective Equipment: Face Shield, goggles, masks, gloves, lab coats, and safety needles.

Walking: FREQUENTLY (3 - 6 HRS)

Working around equipment and machinery: Office equipment

Exposure to blood borne pathogens and biohazards: YES

We are excited to share that the salary range for this position is:

$155,000 - $185,000

Information on our extensive benefits package can be found here: FHCSD Wellness – Employee Hub (gobenefits.net)

FHCSD provides Equal Employment Opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training.