Nurse Practitioner/CRNP or Physician’s Assistant/PA

About the role

The Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner (CRNP) or Physician Assistant (PA) functions in an advanced care role in a collaborative practice agreement with and under the direction of the employed DCH Cardiac Surgeon within the West Alabama Cardiac Surgery clinic.

Responsibilities

• Plans, coordinates, and directs quality, compassionate care by maintaining standards of professional practice and creating positive therapeutic relationships with patients/families.
• Evaluates patients based on pre-established guidelines and collaborates with the Cardiac Surgeon.
• Learns and delegates expected standards of care to other clinic team members.
• Completes a health history and screening assessment systematically, evaluating physical, psychosocial, educational, and environmental needs of patients/families.
• Requests and evaluates diagnostic studies to develop a care plan that meets approved standards of practice in accordance with established protocols and in collaboration with the Cardiac Surgeon as appropriate.
• Performs a variety of medical and surgical procedures under physician supervision and instruction, including surgical first assist, endoscopic vein and radial artery harvesting, the insertion of central venous lines and vein graphs.
• Rounds on patients as assigned, consults with the Cardiac Surgeon on the patient's plan of care, and documents all patient encounters, records observations, interventions, and actions in a medically appropriate manner on the patient’s medical record.
• Writes appropriate prescriptions and administers medications according to standard protocols and in collaboration with the supervising cardiac surgeon.
• Assesses patients, performs H&P’s, and works in collaboration with other health care providers and collaborating/agreement physicians.
• Participates in Cardiology Performance Improvement Program, other hospital quality programs, and QA initiatives including any clinic based quality programs or improvement efforts.
• Teaches, supervises, and counsels patients/family regarding educational needs appropriate to the plan of care.
• Plans, provides, and documents patient/family education based on physical, behavioral, psychological, developmental, and age-rated factors, after identifying barriers to learning.
• Assists in performance improvement (PI) activities by serving on PI teams as warranted, assisting with PI measures, and supporting and implementing changes necessary for improvement.
• Maintains initial and annual competency per job class.
• In coordination with the RN, verifies and amends medication lists in the medical record as appropriate.
• Participates in a call rotation for after-hours call.

Requirements

• Graduate of an approved Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant program.
• Active license by the State of Alabama Board of Medical Examiners to practice as a Physician Assistant; or have an active license by Alabama Board of Nursing to practice as a Nurse Practitioner.
• If Nurse Practitioner, have completed appropriate RN First Assist certification course.
• Maintain an active collaboration agreement with a DCH employed Cardiothoracic surgeon.
• A minimum of (2) two years of experience preferred.
• Ability to read, write legibly, speak, and comprehend English.

Qualifications

• Physical ability to tolerate prolonged periods of standing and walking.
• Ability to lift and carry 50 pounds with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 25 lbs.
• Able to push a stretcher/wheelchair with an average adult patient.
• Able to do frequent stooping and on occasion crouching, crawling, or kneeling.
• Able to reach reasonable distances in any direction.
• Able to run in emergency situations.
• Able to move fingers in a coordinated manner.
• Able to feel and perceive temperature, texture, shape, and size with fingertips.
• Physical presence onsite is essential.
• Exposure to human body fluids, disease, infection, lab chemicals, and hazardous materials and/or cleaning solutions.
• Requires wearing common protective or safety equipment.
• Psychological ability to demonstrate leadership skills, delegate to team members, address conflict, communicate with all types of personalities, and be responsible for outcomes/results.