Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Job no: 502823
Position type: Permanent Full Time
Location: Bellingham, WA
Division/Equivalent: SA - Student Affairs
School/Unit: Student Health Center (7420)
Categories: Academic Affairs

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Position Title Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
About the University

Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

About the Department The Student Health Center supports Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.
About the Position

The Psychiatric ARNP provides mental healthcare services for students under the direction of the WWU Student Health Center Medical Director. This is a permanent, full time, 9-10 month cyclic position.

80% Direct Clinical Services:
-Psychiatric assessment, diagnosis and treatment for a wide variety of conditions, including bipolar and psychotic disorders, ADHD, mental health emergencies.
-Provide prescription and medication oversight, and consult for crisis intervention.
-Obtain medical history, perform physical assessment, establish diagnoses, provide medical consultations, order and interpret lab and other studies, arrange appropriate referrals.
-Prescribe medications or other treatments and arrange follow-up for patients based upon diagnoses. Help to coordinate emergency care and hospitalization when appropriate.
-Perform virtual consultations with patient, family, and/or specialists as indicated.
-Educate patients about their diagnoses, treatment options, prognosis, and appropriate preventive care.
-Accurately and fully document histories, physical exams, behavioral observations, diagnoses, telephone consultations and treatments according to clinical and medical records protocols.
-Personally review and electronically sign all reports of labs, x-rays/other studies, consultation reports and transferred medical records.
-Regularly update each patient's electronic chart as indicated.

20% Collaboration, Care Coordination & Operational Support:
-Provide in-service and consultation for Student Health Center staff and campus partners.
-Provide on call coverage on a rotating schedule for psychiatric concerns including medication refills, critical lab results, and calls from community providers.
-Participate in quality improvement programs to maintain and improve quality of care.
-Attend and participate in meetings and committees, as requested by supervisor.

Required Qualifications
  • ARNP certification with Master’s level Registered Nurse (MRN) and Mental Health Certification.
  • Current unrestricted Washington State license or demonstrated eligibility to obtain licensure in Washington by start date, with maintenance of continuing education requirements.
  • Current DEA registration.
  • Current CPR certification.
  • Knowledge and demonstrated clinical experience to appropriately evaluate, diagnose, treat and manage students with acute and chronic mental health issues, and the knowledge and ability to respond in mental health emergencies.
  • Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
  • Demonstrated awareness, knowledge, and skills to interact effectively with persons representing a wide range of diverse backgrounds such as low income/underemployed populations, students of color, LGBTQ and international students.
  • Demonstrated skill in working well under pressure to prioritize and manage multiple tasks.
  • Experience working in an Electronic Health Record (EHR)
Preferred Qualifications
  • Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP).
  • Mental Health experience in a University or College Health Clinic setting
  • Five or more years of experience working in an inpatient or outpatient mental health clinical setting as a prescriptive provider.
  • Experience as a collaborator and psychiatric consultant on a multidisciplinary team.
Special Requirements
  • Maintains BLS certification
  • Maintains license and remains in good standing with the State of Washington
  • Successful fit testing and the ability to wear a N95 mask for several hours
  • Maintains Tetanus, pertussis and influenza vaccinations
  • Proof of measles, mumps, rubella, hep B & varicella immunity
Conditions of Employment All employees must comply with our Immunization policies, including Proof of Rubeola Measles Immunity within 60-days of hire. Please reach out to HR@wwu.edu if you need information regarding medical or religious exemption and applicable accommodations.
Salary  Hiring range for this position is $159,716 - $183,673/year depending on qualifications and experience.  Through longevity position will top out at $207,631.
Benefits Information

Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position.

Application Instructions

A cover letter and resume are required and should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications. Please include the names and contact information of three professional references. References will only be contacted if necessary, with notice provided beforehand.

Closing Date Notes Application review begins January 8, 2026; position is open until filled.

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with applicable laws, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, citizenship or immigration status, pregnancy, use of protective leave, genetic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, creed, religion, veteran or military status, disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policies on Prohibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); crtc@wwu.edu

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act ("The Clery Act"). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of Student Life at student.life@wwu.edu. The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires which includes a sexual misconduct background check.

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