Nurse Practitioner

Position Overview

This position is located in the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office Detention Division and is responsible for providing professional medical services to inmates within the Detention Center. The role ensures inmates receive appropriate care in accordance with federal, state, and local laws, Montana Jail Standards, and recognized correctional healthcare and community standards. The position is supervised by the Detention Center Clinic Director and collaborates with a multidisciplinary team of medical professionals, detention staff, and community healthcare providers.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive advanced practice medical services within the Gallatin County Detention Center, including patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment, prescribing medications, collecting specimens, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, and medication delivery and management.
• Ensure all care is delivered in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, Montana Board of Nursing regulations, County policies, correctional healthcare standards, and accepted professional practice.
• Directly provide patient clinical services within the Detention Center clinic as scheduled.
• Be available "on call" as scheduled each week for clinical consultation by County-issued phone. Schedules may include weekends and holidays. Response and communication may be electronic or be on-site when required by operational necessity. Actual work time while on-call will be documented and compensated as regular work time.
• Participate in emergency preparedness and response activities, including infectious disease outbreaks, medical emergencies, disasters, and other operational or legal obligations.
• Follow safety and security protocols specific to working in a detention clinical setting.
• Collaborate with clinic staff to ensure continuity of care and coordinate referrals to community providers, specialists, hospitals, and emergency services.
• Evaluate and treat patients as scheduled by clinic staff and therapists; communicate professionally and respectfully with inmates, detention staff, community providers, and family members as appropriate.
• Review and sign assigned documents in the electronic health records (EHR) system; maintain timely and accurate documentation of all patient encounters.
• Develop treatment care plans, schedule clinic follow-ups, conduct discharge planning as clinically indicated, and other duties as assigned.
• Maintain active professional licensing and certifications required to provide services in the State of Montana.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Principles, practices, and laws governing professional nursing and/or medicine.
• Medical terminology, diagnostic and preventive techniques, pharmacology, immunizations, and communicable disease intervention.
• Standards of correctional healthcare, inmate rights, and Detention Center policies and procedures.
• Documentation and medical records management, including use of electronic health records.
• Professional standards for patient confidentiality and HIPAA compliance.

Ability to:

• Apply advanced clinical knowledge and evidence-based practice to assess, diagnose, treat, and manage patients with acute, chronic, and emergent medical conditions.
• Exercise independent clinical judgment and make sound medical decisions in complex, rapidly changing, or high-pressure situations.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with correctional staff, nursing staff, behavioral health providers, community healthcare providers, and other interdisciplinary team members.
• Recognize medical emergencies, initiate appropriate interventions, and coordinate emergency care when necessary.
• Maintain professional boundaries and effectively manage challenging interactions in a secure correctional environment.
• Use, maintain, and troubleshoot medical equipment, clinical technology, and electronic health record (EHR) systems appropriately.

Education & Experience

• Master's degree in nursing from an accredited program.
• Current Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certification.
• Two (2) years of professional related experience.
• Prescriptive authority and active licensure with the Montana State Board of Nursing.
• Mental health experience preferred.

Supplemental Information

Licenses and Certifications : Applicants for this position must possess a valid driver's license issued by the state of Montana, provide own transportation to conduct out of office job duties (mileage reimbursement provided under the County policy), and to be insurable under the County's liability policies. As a condition of hire, the final candidate will be required to successfully pass a criminal history check and background investigation. For application consideration, the following documents are required to be submitted:

• Gallatin County Application
• Applicant Survey
• Resume and three (3) work references

Gallatin County is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment on the basis of merit and qualifications without regard to race, creed, religion, color, or national origin or because of age, physical or mental disability, marital status, or sex when the reasonable demands of the position do not require an age, physical or mental disability, marital status, or sex distinction.