Nurse Practitioner Acute Care, Nights - ICU/Rapid Response (Baytown)

About the role

At Houston Methodist, the Nurse Practitioner Acute Care (NP‑AC) functions as a licensed registered nurse and care provider to deliver all aspects of patient care, including diagnosis, treatment, and consultation while maintaining and promoting patient health. The position works in both inpatient and outpatient settings, follows the Texas Nurse Practice Act, and operates as part of a treatment team. The NP‑AC role‑models compassionate communication with patients, physicians, and the interprofessional health‑care team, provides education on preventative care and prescribed treatments, conducts physicals, orders tests, serves as a patient’s health‑care provider, and prescribes medications as appropriate. Direct patient care is guided by the Houston Methodist Professional Practice Model, Nursing Practice, and Professional Performance policies and procedures.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher from an accredited school of Nursing and graduation from an accredited Nurse Practitioner program
• Two years of registered nurse, advanced practice, or nurse practitioner clinical experience
• Required RN Texas State Licensure (compact) – must obtain permanent Texas license within 60 days if establishing Texas residency
• APRN Acute Care state license
• Magnet ANCC‑recognized Acute‑Care practitioner certification
• BLS (or Instructor) – American Heart Association
• ACLS (or Instructor) – American Heart Association
• Prescriptive Authority – Texas Board of Nursing
• DEA Narcotics License – Drug Enforcement Administration

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, validated through ongoing assessments and performance evaluations
• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing English to perform essential functions, especially those impacting patient or employee safety
• Effective communication with patients, physicians, families, and co‑workers, employing a customer‑service focus and positive language principles
• Highly developed assessment, clinical, documentation, leadership, and analytical skills
• Uses therapeutic communication to build relationships with patients, families, and the interprofessional team
• Strong organizational and problem‑solving abilities, demonstrated by prioritizing multiple tasks and role components
• Ability to function independently and exercise judgment in interactions with physicians, the care team, patients, and families
• Proficient time‑management skills
• Critical‑thinking and clinical‑judgment skills to work autonomously as defined by the Nurse Practice Act

People

• Demonstrates leadership as a clinical resource, interprofessional consultant, and patient advocate
• Identifies staff development opportunities and provides coaching to meet identified goals
• Communicates organizational and clinical information respectfully and positively when interacting with staff
• Advocates for a balanced workload, promotes positive behaviors, and encourages peer‑to‑peer accountability
• Facilitates teamwork promotion
• Collaborates with the interprofessional health‑care team to manage and coordinate patient care
• Advocates on behalf of patients/families to resolve clinical and ethical concerns
• Fosters healthy workplace relationships
• Acts as a role model and coaches staff in effective verbal, non‑verbal, and written communication
• Serves as preceptor for Nurse Practitioner students and medical residents, as applicable
• Uses peer‑to‑peer accountability to improve department employee‑engagement scores

Service

• Coordinates appropriate, timely patient care under physician supervision for defined patient populations, focusing on optimal outcomes individualized to each patient
• Prioritizes care based on patient needs, abilities, and preferences
• Coordinates patient care among health‑care providers
• Attends and participates in interprofessional rounds, as appropriate
• Drives improvement of department patient‑satisfaction scores through peer‑to‑peer accountability to service standards

Quality & Safety