Advance Practice Provider

About the role

The Southwest Kidney Institute (SKI) is seeking Advanced Practice Providers — Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants — to join its expanding team in Tucson. This role offers the opportunity to work in both clinic and dialysis center settings as part of a collaborative, patient-focused practice.

Responsibilities

• Authorized to prescribe and dispense medication when granted authority in accordance with State licensure.
• Collect, order, and interpret lab work and diagnostic studies under agreed upon protocols.
• Order therapies such as occupational, speech, and physical therapy, and psychological counseling.
• May obtain comprehensive health histories and perform complete physical examinations, develop differential diagnoses, develop, and implement plans of care, evaluate and document client’s response to plan of care.
• May provide client and/or family education.
• May organize referrals and/or consultations when appropriate.
• Participate in research as requested.
• Determine compliance to establish processes and procedures provide guidance and direction in a variety of areas.
• Oversight, management, and supervision of clinical and office functions involving patient care, office operations, facilities, and other assigned areas.
• Manage the hemodialysis and/or peritoneal dialysis patient per Kidney Dialysis Outcome Quality Indicators (KDOQI) guidelines.
• Assess, diagnose, and manage systems-related complications of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) therapy including anemia, hypertension, bone disease, fluid and electrolyte imbalances, and vascular access.
• Evaluate the client’s progress and appropriateness of the plan of care.
• Encourage each client’s maximal rehabilitation through education and counseling.
• Support the client and family in decisions regarding termination of treatment.
• Perform annual physicals including health maintenance and preventative health counseling.
• Provide leadership to the clinical staff through education and consultation by serving as a role model and expert clinical resource in the nursing care of clients with ESRD.
• Aid the staff in preventing and treating complications of dialytic therapies.
• Cook up continuity of care between the outpatient dialysis unit and other healthcare settings.
• Provide leadership for the establishment of nurse-driven protocols.
• Manage patients with chronic kidney disease, focusing on care that promotes health and prevents further decline in renal function.
• Follow established guidelines for Nurse Practitioner/Physician clinic model.
• Develop or evaluate educational materials that will allow the patient to become an active participant in his/her care and foster decision-making abilities regarding treatments.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as required, assigned, or requested.

  Qualifications

  • Master’s degree program in nursing or physician assistant studies with nationally recognized course content, formal clinical preparation with minimum hour standards per program requirements.
  • Competencies in advanced health assessment, physical examination, diagnosis, planning, and managing care including pharmacotherapeutics.
  • Knowledge of patient assessment techniques including taking medical histories, performing physicals, evaluating health status including state of wellness, and compliance with care recommendations.
  • Knowledge of diagnosing and treating medical problems and developing care plans.
  • Knowledge of medical records documentation in a confidential manner.

  Benefits

  • Comprehensive training will be provided to support a smooth transition into nephrology for candidates new to the specialty.
  • Competitive salary with productivity.
  • First year salary guarantee (with no penalty for early ramp-up).
  • Full Time Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, + more).
  • 401(k).

  Schedule/Practice Details

  • No weekend or call coverage is expected.
  • Responsible for capturing dialysis unit patients (billed under the physician).
  • May have own panel of clinic patients, but the majority will be collaborating with physicians to alternate care.
  • Large Hispanic patient population, bilingual is helpful (but not required).