Advanced Practice Fellow - Neurology

Job Summary

The Advanced Practice Fellow works in collaboration with and is an integral member of an interdisciplinary health care team. The Advanced Practice Fellow should have a basic foundation in evidence-based practice and demonstrate adequate medical and nursing knowledge, clinical/technical competence, sound clinical judgment, professional communication skills, timely and compliant documentation. The Advanced Practice Fellow may function in a variety of inpatient and outpatient care settings throughout the fellowship to optimize learning experiences.

Key Responsibilities

• Assessment of Health Status: Performs and documents in the medical record a complete history and physical examination. Orders and collects data using appropriate assessment techniques, relevant supporting diagnostic information and diagnostic procedures where indicated. Assesses for risks associated with care including: medication side effects, immobility, impaired nutrition, fluid and electrolyte imbalance, immunocompetence, invasive interventions and diagnostic procedures.
• Diagnosis: Collaborates with interdisciplinary health care team in making accurate and diagnoses of acute and complex chronic conditions. Manages diagnostic tests through ordering, interpretation, performance, and supervision. Formulates differential diagnoses by priority. Diagnoses complications and identifies appropriate interventions.
• Plan of Care: Identifies expected outcomes from diagnosis, formulates and documents a plan of care to address acute and complex, chronic health care needs. Utilizes evidenced-based practice guidelines or protocols in an individualized, dynamic plan of care that can be applied across the continuum. Implements and modifies plan of care: Prescribes diagnostic strategies and therapeutic interventions both pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic and surgical (as needed) to achieve expected outcomes. Manages further diagnostic tests through ordering, performance and interpretation. May perform advanced procedures consistent with privileges and competency validation.
• Communication and Collaboration: Maintains ongoing communication and collaboration with interdisciplinary health care team members. Facilitates communication with patient, family and staff to promote continuity of care across the inpatient and outpatient continuum of care.
• Documentation: Documents key components of patient's progress via daily progress note, transfer, and discharge summary and/or clinic note, where applicable. Documentation will be timely and must meet compliance standards while accurately capturing patient acuity and/or complexity.
• Professional Practice: Provides preceptor/mentoring, education and instruction of students and nursing staff as needed. Seeks opportunities for active engagement in research and the analysis of evidenced based practice. Attends Grand Rounds, AP Council meetings, faculty and unit meetings, MM & I presentations and other education opportunities as available. Maintains continuing education to maintain licensure and certification requirements. Actively participates in required professional development fellowship curriculum.

Department Summary

The General Neurology Division oversees a wide array of neurologic conditions, and is often the first point of contact for some of the most unique and complicated cases that walk in the door. As such, faculty and staff in this division are experienced to manage such cases, but also have access to collaborate with all other sub-specialties on a regular basis. The Cognitive Neurology Division specializes in memory issues and dementia. Vanderbilt neurologists collaborate with physicians and researchers across the institution to provide prevention education, testing and follow-up care. Access to highly specialized professionals enables VUMC Neurology to provide an exceptionally high level of care for even the most challenging cases. In addition to expert consultation, access to VUMC’s testing and imaging facilities, clinical trials, treatment options, etc. benefit patients, trainees, faculty, collaborators, and researchers.

Core Accountabilities

• Organizational Impact: Delivers job responsibilities that impact own job area/team with some guidance.
• Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Uses existing procedures, research and analysis to solve standard job related problems that may require some judgement.
• Breadth of Knowledge: Requires subject matter knowledge within a professional area to meet job requirements.
• Team Interaction: Individually contributes to project/ work teams.

Position Qualifications

• Responsibilities: Certifications: Work Experience: Relevant Work Experience Experience Level: Less than 1 year Education: Master's