Advanced Practice Provider, Surgery-Cardiothoracic Surgery

JOB SUMMARY

Performs responsible clinical care in collaboration with the unit physician and under approved protocols, manages the medical aspects of care in the observation, assessment, diagnosis, intervention, evaluation, rehabilitation, care and counsel, and health teachings of persons who are ill, injured or infirm or experiencing changes in normal health processes; and in the promotion and maintenance of health of prevention of illness in a clinical setting.

PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Minimum Qualifications:

• Completion of a physician assistant program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA)
• No experience required

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS OR CERTIFICATIONS

Required:

• Certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
• Licensed Physician Assistant by the Texas Physician Assistant Board/Texas Medical Board (TPAB/TMB)

Current students who have not yet completed their physician assistant program or recent graduates who have not yet obtained their NCCPA certification or TPAB/TMB physician assistant license are eligible to apply for this position. However, official employment is contingent upon the successful completion of an accredited physician assistant program, NCCPA certification and TPAB/TMB physician assistant licensure.

NURSE PRACTITIONER

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Minimum Qualifications:

• Completion of a graduate level (or higher) nurse practitioner program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• No experience required

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS OR CERTIFICATIONS

Required:

• Certification by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
• Licensed Registered Nurse (RN) by the Texas Board of Nursing (TBON)
• Licensed Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in a nurse practitioner clinical area of specialization by the Texas Board of Nursing (TBON)

Current RNs who have not yet completed their nurse practitioner program or recent graduates who have not yet obtained their ANCC/AANP certification or APRN nurse practitioner license are eligible to apply for this position. However, official employment is contingent upon the successful completion of an accredited nurse practitioner program, ANCC/AANP certification and APRN nurse practitioner licensure.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Obtains medical histories, organizes relevant data, performs physical examinations, and suggests pertinent laboratory, radiographic or other studies that are needed to establish or support a diagnosis.
• Performs preliminary reviews of radiographs, laboratory data, ECG’s and other relevant clinical information; formulates and orders (Physician
• Assistant / Nurse Practitioner license) therapeutic regimens for treatment of pathologic states or disabling entities.
• Documents histories, physical examinations, and relevant clinical information, ensuring adequate documentation of existing medical conditions; medically classifies patients according to physical, functional and emotional capabilities.
• Monitors treatment progress and protocols of patients in chronic care clinical settings; counsels patients on preventive medicine regimens; reviews medical records or therapeutic regimens to insure proper content and appropriateness of medical regimen.
• Provides patient counseling and health instruction about medical problems, nutrition, medication and principles of health promotion and maintenance.
• Serves as representative and emissary of the physician in delegated matters of related duties as required. Interdisciplinary coordination and clinical care responsibilities.
• Documents all health care encounters and relevant clinical information in the electronic medical records.
• Identifies appropriate internal controls for department; provides mechanisms to monitor and enforce compliance.
• Performs related duties as required.

ADDITIONAL VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides independent inpatient and outpatient medical care for all patients requiring implantation of a cardiac assist device including patients awaiting heart transplant or those having a device implanted as a permanent treatment option. This includes completion of admission H&Ps, completion of daily progress notes, completion of discharges as well as all necessary clinical documentation within the outpatient setting.
• Is a member of the cardiac transplant team and is the primary physician extender for the transplant cardiologist and cardiothoracic transplant surgeons for heart transplant and VAD candidates or those with implantable VAD devices.
• Responsible for patient presentations and development of the assessment and medical plan to the multidisciplinary team as a function of daily multidisciplinary rounds.
• Provision of on call patient coverage for acute patient needs via the VAD Hotline phone.
• Serves as a content expert in the development of policy, educational material, and provision of educational in-services to medial staff.
• Participates in activities designed to promote The Texas Transplant Center and Heart Failure programs, internally and externally, to include participation in outreach events.
• Participates in the development, monitoring, reporting and analysis of performance indicators to promote patient safely, performance and quality improvement including collection of data for INTERMACS and other research activities