Advanced Practice Provider (APRN or PA) - Investigational Cancer Therapeutics

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse & Physician Assistant

The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse & Physician Assistant position at UT MD Anderson is responsible for performing complex clinical and research-related tasks on a routine basis that would otherwise be performed by a physician. This role functions across outpatient and inpatient clinical environments and supports patient care delivered clinically, administratively, and academically within ICT. The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse & Physician Assistant provides clinical evaluation, coordination, implementation, and monitoring of patients enrolled on research protocols while supporting multidisciplinary care delivery. UT MD Anderson is a leading institution focused on cancer care, research, education, and prevention. In alignment with this mission, the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse & Physician Assistant provides advanced patient care within the scope of education, training, and experience, as delegated by supervising physician(s) and in accordance with policies established by the Executive Committee of the Medical Staff and consistent with the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners and Physician Assistant Examiners and existing state laws. The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse & Physician Assistant performs increasingly independent and complex tasks of a routine and standardized nature and delivers advanced patient care based on prescribed diagnoses, treatment plans, age group, development, and identified medical needs. The ideal candidate for the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse & Physician Assistant role is a licensed advanced practice provider with the ability to practice independently, perform complex and standardized clinical tasks, manage patients across the continuum of care, support clinical research protocols, communicate effectively with patients and multidisciplinary teams, and demonstrate strong organizational, critical judgment, and documentation skills in a high-acuity oncology environment.

This role offers the opportunity to contribute directly to patient care and clinical research at UT MD Anderson by combining advanced clinical practice with protocol-driven research responsibilities. The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse & Physician Assistant supports continuity of care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and academic engagement while developing professionally in a nationally recognized oncology setting that values excellence, innovation, and balance.

This is an outpatient position with a Monday through Friday schedule from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Key Functions:

Outpatient and Inpatient Clinical Activities:

• Perform, dictate, and document complete history and physical examinations
• Evaluate and manage scheduled and unscheduled follow-up clinic patients
• Perform advanced diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, including bone marrow aspirations and biopsies
• Coordinate multidisciplinary patient care within and outside UT MD Anderson
• Assist with referrals to other services for evaluation or management
• Provide continuity of care through clinic visits, telephone, or other communications
• Present patient problems and plans of care to supervising physician(s)
• Prescribe medications, order diagnostic tests, and delegate patient management tasks as directed
• Assist in inpatient admissions and daily follow-up
• Complete medical verification, disability, insurance, and medical status forms as directed by faculty or physicians
• Participate in education of students and staff

Clinical Research Activities:

• Assume responsibility for effective operation of research protocols in collaboration with the principal investigator, sponsor, and research nurse. Assess patients for protocol eligibility, coordinate, evaluate, and follow patient participation in clinical trials. Collaborate with the multidisciplinary team as necessary. Provide documentation in the patient's medical record or recruitment log per protocol and institutional requirements. Identify and develop methods of patient recruitment.
• Assist the primary investigator in collection and evaluation of data. Evaluate response to treatment, treatment toxicities, and adverse drug reactions and report appropriately to the principal investigator, the Institutional Review Board, and the study sponsor. Provide protocol summary reports as requested.
• Participate in protocol-specific clinical tasks as needed. Identify and provide patient and family educational needs regarding treatment management, evaluation, and follow-up in clinical trials through in-person discussion, telephone communication, and/or written educational materials.
• Order protocol-related tests, procedures, and consults and obtain pathology slides and blocks as needed.
• Provide professional and ancillary staff education concerning research protocols by written and/or computerized directions to hospital and/or clinic staff as each new protocol is introduced. Provide accurate information as required to the multidisciplinary team, consumers, and professional public organizations. Keep current concerning oncology and data management issues through reading and/or attending meetings and in-services.

Other Professional Activities:

• Maintain age-specific competencies for early adult, middle adult, and late adult patient age groups as described in the MDACC Age Specific Competency Policy
• Attend continuing medical education activities required for certification and licensure
• Maintain involvement in medical associations and deliver educational presentations as encouraged
• Maintain current medical knowledge for the patient populations served
• Exercise appropriate clinical judgment and defer patient issues to supervising faculty physicians when indicated

Ancillary and Administrative Functions:

• Assist with data analysis by producing computer data and protocol summary reports, including simple statistics
• Collect and retrieve research data through chart review and patient communication
• Receive and report laboratory abnormalities from outside institutions to the principal investigator
• Register patients on research protocols and maintain informed consent documentation
• Coordinate scheduling, chart retrieval, response reviews, database maintenance, paper flow systems, and grant data submissions

Performance and Professional Expectations:

The performance for all expected outcomes is measured by observation by supervisor, reports from faculty and co-workers, the accuracy and timeliness of work produced, and the demonstrated ability to effectively work under stress. The position also requires the ability to anticipate needs, recognize situations requiring assistance, refer or perform necessary tasks, comprehend departmental and program goals, and take initiative in decision-making to further these goals.

The above functions require the following abilities and skills:

• Ability to practice independently, strong verbal and written communication skills, organizational and critical judgment skills, and the ability to interact effectively with patients and co-workers
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• Ability to work with personal computers using standard word processing software, spreadsheets, and programs for database and graphics usage
• Demonstrated ability to maintain a satisfactory work environment by organizing and redistributing files and records, requiring bending, stooping, reaching, manual handling, walking, visual inspection, extended standing, sitting, and repetitive motions; may be required to lift up to 15 pounds
• Requires use of computer via keyboard and operation of facsimile machine, calculator, printer, photocopy machine, and multi-line telephone; must be able to master new software using available resources
• Ability to be clearly understood by verbal communication in face-to-face encounters and by telephone
• Strong command of the English language, including spelling, writing, verbal expression, and written communication

Education: Required: Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Master's Degree in Nursing or Doctor of Nursing Practice. May be waived for applicants who obtained recognition as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse from the Texas State Board of Nursing prior to 1/1/2003. Graduate education and related Texas Board of Nursing authorization must be consistent with clinical practice area and patient population. Physician Assistant Master's degree from an accredited Physician Assistant (PA) program by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), except for Physician Assistants who graduated from a PA program prior to 2013.

Experience: Preferred: At least 1 year of Oncology experience as an Advanced Practice Provider.

Licensure / Certification: Required: Advanced Practice Registered Nurse All of the following: Written authorization from the Texas Board of Nursing to function as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN or ACNP or ACNPC or ACAGNP or AGACNP or ACNPC-AG or AGACNP or AGNP or ACPNP or ANP or AGNP or AGPCNP or FNP or GNP or PNP or PMHNP or WHNP or APNP). Related authorization must be consistent with clinical practice area and patient population. Basic Life Support (BLS). Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) If working in the following departments: Pediatric - Patient Care (113100). MAY BE REQUIRED: Authorization for limited prescriptive authority by the Texas Board of Nursing. Physician Assistant All of the following: PA certification by the National Commission of Certification of Physician Assistants. Licensed by the Texas State Board of Physician Assistant Examiners. MAY BE REQUIRED: Eligible to be granted limited prescriptive authority by the State of Texas. Must meet the American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS), ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) or PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) if working in one of following department: Pediatrics - Patient Care (113100).