State of Maryland

A Community Health Nurse, Psychiatric is the full performance level of work in providing psychotherapeutic nursing services.  Employees in this classification are responsible for the evaluation, counseling, treatment and referral of community mental health patients.  Employees in this classification are not assigned direct supervisory responsibilities for Community Health Nurses but may provide advice and guidance to health care staff.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a psychiatrist or higher-level health care professional.  Employees are required to observe infection control precautions.  Employees may be required to physically restrain patients/clients displaying violent or aggressive behavior.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the classification specification.

A Community Health Nurse, Psychiatric is differentiated from the Community Health Nurse II in that the Community Health Nurse, Psychiatric provides psychotherapeutic services while the Community Health Nurse II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.    The Community Health Nurse, Psychiatric is differentiated from the Community Health Nurse Supervisor in that the Community Health Nurse Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Community Health Nurses.

Provides direct treatment services, such as patient evaluation, intensive psychotherapy, patient education and case management for individuals and families;

Observes the behavior and physical condition of patients in order to assess their mental health status;

Receives telephone and walk-in visits from residents of the community who are seeking psychiatric attention in order to counsel them as to the available resources;

Monitors health status of assigned patients and initiates physician referral for identified health problems;

Educates patients, their families and other caregivers about mental illness, treatment approaches and prescribed medications;

Coordinates follow-up nursing care with hospital and inpatient nurses for patients referred to or from inpatient facilities;

Refers patients, their families and caregivers to other service providers as needed;

Plans mental health nursing services for specific populations by evaluating needs and developing nursing intervention strategies;

Conducts group therapy sessions and consultations with individuals, their families and caregivers;

Counsels patients and families about preventive health care activities;

Provides injections to after-care patients as directed;

Obtains vital signs and specimens for laboratory testing and schedules patients for testing such as x-rays, EKG’s and EEG’s;

Provides crisis intervention, first aid and general nursing care as needed in emergency situations;

Conducts research for the purpose of identifying, expanding and applying theoretical concepts for the improvement of mental health nursing services;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the philosophies, principles and practices and methods of community health nursing and psychiatric nursing;

Knowledge of community programs and resources available for the assistance and treatment of the mentally ill;

Skill in assessing patients for possible mental illnesses;

Skill in conducting individual, group and family therapy sessions and individual psychotherapy;

Skill in administering injections, monitoring vital signs and providing general nursing care;

Ability to function as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.

Education:   A Master’s degree in psychiatric or mental health nursing or a mental health field from an accredited college or university.

Experience: Four years of experience as a Registered Nurse, including two years in the field of mental health. 

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute certification as a psychiatric or mental health nursing specialist by the American Nurse Association or other nursing bodies approved by the Maryland State Board of Examiners of Nurses for the required education.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Nursing classification or Nursing or Health Care Specialist specialty codes in the Nursing field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience and education.

1. Candidates for positions in this classification must possess a current license as a Registered Nurse from the Maryland State Board of Nursing, 4140 Patterson Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21215.

2. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies.  Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions.  Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated as Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit E, Health Care Professionals classes. As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial, and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining. Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.