Psych Nurse Practitioner New

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

Nexus Children’s Hospital – Houston, TX

About Nexus Children’s Hospital

Nexus Children’s Hospital is a specialty pediatric hospital serving children and adolescents with complex neurodevelopmental, neurobehavioral, psychiatric, and co-occurring medical conditions. Our patient population includes youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and severe behavioral dysregulation requiring inpatient stabilization and coordinated medical and psychiatric care.

We operate within a highly structured, interdisciplinary treatment model that integrates psychiatry, nursing, behavioral health, rehabilitation, and medical services. Our mission is to provide safe, evidence-based care that supports stabilization, functional improvement, and long-term outcomes for neurodiverse youth and their families.

Position Summary

The Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) provides advanced psychiatric and medical care to pediatric and adolescent patients with neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral disorders, many of whom present with complex psychiatric and medical comorbidities. Working under the direction of the Medical Director and in close collaboration with an interdisciplinary treatment team, the PMHNP is responsible for comprehensive assessment, diagnosis, medication management, treatment planning, and ongoing monitoring within an inpatient hospital setting.

This role is ideal for clinicians who are experienced in—or strongly interested in—working with medically and behaviorally complex neurodiverse populations in a structured, team-based environment.

Key ResponsibilitiesClinical Care

• Ensure services are provided in accordance with the Texas Nursing Practice Act, facility policies, and regulatory standards
• Obtain detailed patient histories and perform comprehensive physical, psychiatric, and neurological examinations
• Assess, diagnose, and manage acute and chronic medical and psychiatric conditions
• Perform emergency and life-saving procedures as required
• Order, interpret, and act upon laboratory and diagnostic test results
• Prescribe and administer medications in compliance with prescriptive authority, Texas regulations, and facility guidelines
• Document progress notes, treatment interventions, and patient status in the medical record accurately and timely
  
  

Collaboration & Care Coordination

• Collaborate with physicians and interdisciplinary team members to manage both acute and long-term patient needs
• Notify supervising or on-call physicians of unusual or emergent clinical situations requiring consultation
• Provide monitoring and ensure continuity of care between physician visits
• Submit individualized healthcare plans and treatment goals for periodic physician review and evaluation
• Recommend and coordinate referrals to institutional and community resources to support patient and family needs
  
  

Program & Team Participation

• Attend admissions meetings and weekly interdisciplinary treatment team meetings
• Discuss patient cases with physicians and other healthcare professionals
• Provide continuing education and serve as a clinical resource to nursing and support staff
• Participate in ongoing professional development, in-service education, and review of current clinical literature
  
  

Administrative & On-Call Responsibilities

• Maintain compliance with safety, environmental, and infection control protocols
• Provide 24-hour medical call coverage on a rotating schedule
• Perform additional duties as assigned by medical leadership
  
  

QualificationsEducation

• Master’s Degree in Nursing as a Nurse Practitioner or
• Master’s Degree in Nursing with completion of a post-master’s Nurse Practitioner Certification Program
  
  

Experience

• Preferred: 3–5 years of experience in inpatient behavioral health, long-term rehabilitation, or neurobehavioral populations
  
  

Licensure & Certification

• Current Texas Registered Nurse (RN) license
• Current Texas Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN-NP) license
• Active prescriptive authority in the State of Texas
• Current BLS certification (maintained throughout employment)
• Completion of behavioral management and de-escalation training as required by the facility