Weight Loss and Wellness Nurse Practitioner

Weight Loss and Wellness Nurse Practitioner

Job Type: Full-Time

Schedule: Monday-Friday

Location: Lima, Ohio

About Us

Health Partners of Western Ohio is an independent, non-profit and community-directed organization. We serve low-income areas and places without access to care. We're led by a volunteer Board of Directors. Most of our board members are also patients. Our Mission is to eliminate gaps in health outcomes for all members of our community by providing access to quality, affordable, preventive and primary health care.

Join our Team!

The Weight Management and Wellness Nurse Practitioner delivers comprehensive obesity medicine and lifestyle management services in accordance with the scope of practice established by the Ohio Board of Nursing and outlined in written protocol. The Nurse Practitioner collaborates with primary care providers, behavioral health professionals, nutrition services, and care coordination teams to enhance patient health outcomes through evidence-based weight management interventions. This role emphasizes obesity treatment, chronic disease prevention, lifestyle counseling, medication management, and long-term wellness support for diverse and underserved patient populations.

Compensation and Benefits Offered :

Paid Time Off (PTO) - Accrued per pay

Insurance (Medical, Dental, Vision, Life and Disability) on day one

• Paid Holidays - 7 paid holidays
• 403b Retirement with up to 8% match (starts at 3% and increases with time of service at HPWO
• Annual Reviews and Increases
• Mileage Reimbursement - Work related travel
• Employee Assistance Program
• Referral Bonus - Earn more by expanding our team
• Training OpportunitiesEligible to apply for the Emerging Leaders Program after 1 year of service
• Eligible to Apply for National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment
• Annual Continuing Education Money ($3,000) - that can be used for licensures, memberships, CE classes and travel expenses (pro-rated first year of employment)
• UpToDate - latest medical info at your fingertips. (applicable positions only)
• FTCA Malpractice Coverage
• Productivity Bonus Opportunities

QUALIFICATIONS:

Master of Science Degree in Nursing.

Current license to practice as an Advanced Practice Nurse in the State of Ohio.

SKILLS/ABILITIES :

1. Experience in primary care, obesity medicine, endocrinology, wellness, or chronic disease management preferred.
2. Knowledge of obesity medicine guidelines and weight management pharmacotherapy.
3. Experience prescribing GLP-1 medications and managing prior authorizations preferred.
4. Strong motivational interviewing and patient education skills.
5. DEA Number
6. CPR - BLS (basic life support) required.
7. Ability to work as a team member.
8. Computer experience desirable.
9. Ability to work with a culturally diverse group of people.
10. Must be willing to work flexible hours as required by position.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND BASIC DUTIES:

• Embraces an active and healthy lifestyle including smoke-free living, stress reduction, exercise, work/life balance and healthy dietary choices.

• Participates in and promotes health and wellness activities within the organization.
• Supports a patient-centered healthcare home where the patient-provider relationship is encouraged, with an emphasis on coordination of care and the establishment of a long- term healing relationship.
• Supports open patient access to and coordination of care that is supported by information technology.
• Promotes effective and appropriate use of integrated health services at HPWO as part of a "Patient Centered Medical Home" (PCMH) model of care.
• Serve as member of Health Partners of Western Ohio health care team that provides quality care to patients.
• Maintain good working relationship with collaborating physician and other team members.
• Coordinates patient services and institute referrals to promote and maintain continuous comprehensive care at every level.
• Incorporates preventive health care provisions aimed at improving and maintaining health status based upon individual, cultural, sociological, psychological, and environmental factors.
• Provides precise information to enable the patient to make informed decisions regarding health care and related issues while insuring joint responsibility with the health care team members and staff to promote the best outcome possible for the patient.
• Advises and counsels patients about normal maturational and developmental stages and natural life cycles. Targets any problem areas, intervene, and participate in problem solving.
• Assess and intervene in ordinary developmental and behavioral problems of individuals and their families.
• Collect and construct identifying information by reviewing past and present medical, social, and family histories, performing a physical examination, assembling a problem list, documenting, and consulting with Chief Clinical Director in changes or progression of chronic disease.
• Perform routine physical examinations and preventive health measures including, but not limited to immunizations, developmental screening, routine laboratory screening/procedures appropriate to each gender and age group.
• Diagnoses and treats common and uncomplicated health conditions. Collaborate, consult, and refer any patient who have complicated or uncommon health problems to other physicians in the health center or the community.
• Provides education about diagnosis to the patient and provide written follow-up guidelines. Include family members according to patient wishes.

• Charts in the medical record utilizing age appropriate wellness assessment tools or problem oriented medical record system, assuring accurate and timely completion of data entry into the patient medical record.
• Provides support and counseling for patients with stable chronic disease in regard to physical, psychosocial, and environmental well-being. Refers any patient with unstable chronic disease to a physician at the health center.
• Provides contraceptive counseling to men and women who seek birth control, making available the desired birth control measures when possible or refer to agency where desired birth control measures may be obtained.
• Prescribes drugs and devices incidental to the provision of routine health care, family planning, and perinatal care for essentially healthy patients in accordance with State of Ohio law.
• Provides patient visits via Telemedicine/Telehealth.
• Institutes emergency medical measures in life-threatening situations. Provides first aid as needed.
• Follows universal precautions.
• Utilizes supplies in a cost-effective manner.
• Performs clinic and outreach related tasks.
• Utilizes on-going assessment skills.
• Participates in Quality Improvement activities.
• Demonstrates effective communication skills.
• Establishes and maintains professional working relationship with other members of the health care team.
• Participates in planning and problem solving.
• Participates in continuing education and professional growth.
• Attends staff meetings.
• Maintains knowledge of, and complies with, personnel, nursing, medical, and clerical policies and procedures.
• Assists with seasonal programs as needed.
• Adheres to the standards and policies of the Organizational Privacy/Security and Compliance Programs, including the duty to comply with applicable laws and regulations (HIPAA, OSHA, OIG, guidelines, and other State and Federal laws). This also includes reporting to the Board of Directors, Compliance Officer, Privacy Officer, supervisor or suggestion box, any suspected unethical, fraudulent, or unlawful acts or practices.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Weight Management & Obesity Care
  
  
  • Conduct comprehensive patient assessments related to weight management, obesity, and associated chronic conditions.
  • Develop individualized treatment plans focused on sustainable lifestyle modification and overall health improvement.
  • Prescribe and manage weight loss medications as clinically appropriate, including GLP-1 medications and other FDA-approved therapies.
  • Monitor patient progress, side effects, laboratory values, and treatment outcomes.
  • Provide ongoing obesity counseling using motivational interviewing and patient-centered approaches.
  • Establish realistic weight loss and wellness goals with patients.
• Chronic Disease Management
  
  
  • Evaluate and manage obesity-related conditions including:
    • Hypertension
    • Type 2 diabetes
    • Prediabetes
    • Hyperlipidemia
    • Sleep apnea
    • Fatty liver disease
  • Coordinate care with primary care providers and specialists as needed.
  • Order, interpret, and review laboratory and diagnostic testing.
• Nutrition & Lifestyle Counseling
  
  
  • Educate patients on:
    • Healthy eating habits
    • Portion control
    • Physical activity
    • Sleep hygiene
    • Stress management
    • Behavior modification techniques
  • Collaborate with dietitians, behavioral health providers, and wellness staff to support comprehensive care plans.
  • Support patients in overcoming barriers to healthy lifestyle changes.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is primarily sedentary, demanding sitting, walking, lifting, and bending. Those physical movements and the degree of mobility, manual dexterity, and hand-eye coordination commonly associated with duties in an office setting will be performed repetitively. This also includes bending, twisting, reaching, lifting, pulling, pushing, and walking. The ability to distinguish letters and symbols and utilize telephones, computer terminals, fax machines, and copiers is required. The work environment characteristics described here represent those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Working under stressful conditions, as well as irregular hours, may be required.