Advanced Practice Professional- Bariatric Surgery (PA or RNFA only)

About the role

The West Virginia University Health System, the state's largest health system and largest private employer, comprises 18 hospitals throughout the state and bordering states. In addition, it includes five institutes, as well as providing management services for other local hospitals through affiliate agreements.

Responsibilities

• Manages comprehensive and individualized care for bariatric patients and their families in the inpatient phase of hospitalization perioperatively and immediate post discharge in the ambulatory setting.
• Completes daily rounds; consults and/or pre-procedure/evaluations.
• Completes integrated assessments. Orders additional tests or consults as deemed appropriate.
• Performs and communicates results of diagnostic tests following established clinical guidelines and scope of practice.
• Consults and communicates with clinic and hospital staff regarding abnormal findings in the evaluations of patients.
• Performs succinct comprehensive clinical evaluations and documents findings in medical record.
• Facilitates patient discharge by coordinating appropriate services and tests prior to discharge necessary for outpatient follow-up appointments in the clinic (as applicable).
• Develops a comprehensive individualized plan of care for bariatric patients, which includes teaching, discharge planning and necessary referral to other members of the health care team as necessary.
• Demonstrates expertise in caring for patients across the age continuum of their educational experience and certification. This may include, but is not limited to, first assisting in the operative suite.
• Identifies unstable or complex bariatric patient care situations and facilitates appropriate intervention in the clinic and/or hospital setting.
• Recognizes emergency situations and initiates effective emergency care.
• Evaluates bariatric patients and serves as a coordinator for follow up procedures and tests in the ambulatory setting (as applicable).
• Assists in the collection of outcome measures (as applicable).
• Demonstrates critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning skills in clinical decision making by the identification, evaluation and management of the individual needs of patients/families.
• Bases decisions made/actions taken on the relevant scientific principles, established standards of care and/or research findings.
• Utilizes teaching/learning theory and appropriate teaching strategies in the provision of education to nursing staff, hospital staff, students, patients, families and the community.
• Promotes an environment that facilitates learning by responding to appropriate patient/family preferences, priorities and readiness to learn.
• Updates own knowledge base throughout the year. Completes all identified clinical competencies.
• Serves as a resource person for staff caring for the bariatric patient.
• Provides educational programs to professional and paraprofessional personnel in area of expertise.
• Participates and initiates inter-disciplinary approaches to patient care, program development and education.
• Serves as a professional role model.
• Participates and provides leadership for committees and task forces.
• Documents hours and submits billing reports, as appropriate.
• Reviews and interprets bariatric data from sources such as patient registries, clinical and financial reports, length of stay, access to care, and cost per case reports and recommends/implements changes as necessary.
• Participates in clinical trials and research studies with the Principal Investigator.
• Assists bariatric Faculty, Administrators and Directors in the collection of outcome measures.

Requirements

• Minimum Qualifications For Nurse Practitioner: Graduate of a CCNE accredited nursing program with Master’s Degree in Nursing National Certification by one of the recognized APRN Certification Centers Licensure or eligibility for licensure, as a professional Registered Nurse and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in West Virginia.
• Department Specific: APRNs requesting to be privileged as First Assists are required to complete RNFA certification. American Heart Association BLS Certification required with additional Advanced Life Support training at the discretion of the department.
• Experience: Internal Medicine, Bariatric care or Surgery experience preferred. Eligible new graduates will be considered.
• Preferred Qualifications: Master’s level degree as Physician Assistant preferred.

Qualifications

• Minimum Qualifications For Physician Assistant: Bachelor 's Degree as Physician Assistant or Master 's Degree as Physician Assistant required. Graduate of an ARC-PA approved Physician Assistant (PA) training program required. Certification by the National Commission for Certification of Physician Assistants required. Must be licensed or eligible for licensure by the WV Board of Medicine or WV Board of Osteopathic Medicine. American Heart Association BLS Certification required with additional Advanced Life Support training at the discretion of the department.

Skills And Abilities

• Proficiency with computers.
• Strong communication skills.