State of Connecticut Executive Branch

This is an advanced professional working level and distinguished from lower level nursing classes by its level of clinical independence and the requirement to prescribe medications.

This class is used in one of the following ways:

• Departments of Children and Families and Mental Health and Addiction Services: Provide medical and/or psychiatric consultation and collaboration to clinical, direct care and other staff members assigned to consumer care.
• Departments of Correction, Mental Health and Addiction Services and Veterans Affairs: Performs clinical assessments, evaluations, and diagnosis and medication management for consumers suffering from medical and/or mental health conditions.

Works under the limited supervision of a physician, administrator or other employee of higher grade.

Provide clinical supervision and leadership to members of the health care team.

• Provides comprehensive advanced nursing treatments and/or health care services to individuals including clinical assessments, treatments, diagnosing medical conditions, assessing emergencies, ordering, analyzing and interpreting results of diagnostic studies, prescribing medication and monitoring responses to medications and adjusting accordingly, making appropriate referrals to specialists; 
• Leading cardiac arrest codes and documenting medical and/or psychiatric care; 
• Performs specialized duties in providing medical and psychiatric care to a variety of individuals including hospitalized and ambulatory individuals with acute and chronic conditions; 
• Provides individual psychotherapy; 
• Educates individuals regarding diagnosis and treatment; 
• Assesses the effectiveness of health and/or psychiatric care services; 
• Consults with clinical staff regarding assessment methods and treatment plans; 
• Assists regional and/or central office staff in determining need for contractual health services; 
• Provides direction to staff on appropriate health record documentation; 
• Functions as liaison between agency and community health care providers; 
• Prepares reports on health services, problems and investigations; 
• Participates in quality assurance and other clinical committees as needed; 
• Assists families and other groups in understanding medical and/or psychiatric needs of clients serviced by agency; 
• Participates as a member of multi-disciplinary evaluation team; 
• May provide training to nursing and paraprofessional staff; 
• May complete home assessments for safety; 
• May participate in investigations of abuse and/or neglect; 
• May testify in court; 
• May direct agency clinic services; 
• Performs related duties as required.

• Considerable knowledge of
  • advanced nursing principles and treatments; 
  • relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations; 
• Knowledge of
  • psychiatric nursing principles and practices, treatment modalities and concepts of community programs; 
  • substance abuse issues as they relate to individuals overall health and/or psychiatric status and course of treatment; 
  • state, federal and local health care agencies and programs; 
  • pharmacology as it relates to advanced nursing practice; 
• Considerable
  • interpersonal skills; 
  • oral and written communication skills; 
  • clinical assessment and evaluation skills; 
• Ability to
  • examine, diagnose, assess and treat individuals requiring health care services; 
  • interpret diagnostic tests; 
  • prescribe appropriate medications and other treatments; 
  • utilize computer software; 
• Administrative ability.

A current license as an advanced practice registered nurse issued by the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

• Incumbents in this class must possess and maintain Connecticut Controlled Substance Registration for Practitioners issued by the State of Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection.
• Incumbents in this class must possess and maintain United States Drug Enforcement Administration Registration issued by the United States Federal Government.
• Incumbents in this class must possess and maintain eligibility for participation in federal health care programs as defined in 42 U.S. 1320a-7b(f).
• Incumbents in this class are required to possess and maintain relevant registration(s) and/or certification(s).
• Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator’s license.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

Incumbents in this class may be required to lift and restrain patients/offenders and may have some exposure to infectious and/or communicable diseases and disagreeable conditions.