Advanced Practice Registered Nurse - Neurological Surgery - Full Time

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)

The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) delivers medical care to a wide variety of patients. The APRN also examines and treats patients independently and in autonomous collaboration with other health care professionals. Ensures proper illness and injury care and disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. May prescribe medications and order diagnostic tests. Advises patients about continuing care.

• Performs and documents complete physical examinations and comprehensive health histories.
• Functions independently to perform age-appropriate history and physical for patients.
• Orders and interprets diagnostic and therapeutic tests relative to patient's age-specific needs.
• Prescribes appropriate pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment modalities
• Implements interventions to support the patient to regain or maintain physiologic stability.
• Assists with the provision of care in accordance with facility, state, and federal regulations.
• Monitors the effectiveness of interventions.
• Facilitates the patient's transition within and between health care settings, e.g. admitting, transferring, and discharging patients.
• Collaborates with multidisciplinary team members by making appropriate referrals.
• Facilitates staff, patient and family decision making by providing educational tools.
• Adheres to University and unit-level policies and procedures and safeguards University assets.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties or responsibilities as necessary.

Core Qualifications

Education:

Current Florida Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) license or Current PA-C certification.

Certification as a Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant.

Master of Science in Nursing or Related.

Experience: No previous experience required

Certification and Licensing:

Current Florida Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) license or Current PA-C certification

Certification as a Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant

DEA license

BLS certification

Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes:

• Ability to exercise sound judgment in making critical decisions.
• Skill in completing assignments accurately and with attention to detail.
• Ability to analyze, organize and prioritize work under pressure while meeting deadlines.
• Ability to work independently and/or in a collaborative environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written form.

Department Addendum

This position will work closely with the Neurosurgery Faculty, Residents, and nursing staff by assisting the physician in performing surgeries in the main OR and in ambulatory surgery, participating in daily rounds, providing patient care and discharges post-operatively, educating and counseling patients on both an inpatient and outpatient basis, provide support in a clinical setting during patient appointments, and facilitate patient surgical scheduling. The position will also provide research and draft correspondence relating to patient work status, disability, medical prognosis and prospective plans of treatment on both an inpatient and outpatient basis and review patient diagnostics and lab reports for sign off on patient surgical packets and in the clinical setting.

Primary Functions

• Provides Advanced Practice Nursing support to the department of Neurological Surgery as applicable, at inpatient and outpatient clinic locations as assigned; Some outpatient clinic support; Working closely with Neurosurgeons, fellows, residents, clinic and office support staff.
• Provides compassionate, quality and skilled patient care to Brain and Spine Neurosurgical patients.
• Collaborates with all members of the healthcare team in planning, triaging, implementing, monitoring and evaluating care deliver for the neurosurgical patient in a variety of settings.
• Performs comprehensive History, Physical, and Neurological exams including cranial and spinal assessments.
• Documents/records information by Dictating and/or inputting in electronic form.
• Orders, obtains, and interprets laboratory and diagnostic studies.
• Prescribes medication and therapies within the APRN functions.
• Provides communication and interpretation to inpatient and outpatient hospital nursing staff, and coordinates implementation of clinic, hospital, nursing service policies and program.
• Optimizes efficient patient hospital and or clinic flow by analyzing treatment and referral systems on an on-going basis, and implements quality improvements, as necessary.
• Monitors consistency and quality of patient outcomes for all neurosurgical specialties within the Uhealth hospital based clinics.
• Promotes and facilitates effective communications between the Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Hospital (UMH), Jackson Memorial Hospital and other clinical departments.
• Assists in the design, implementation and management of department clinical systems in order to optimize the treatment and disposition of patients with various neurosurgical disorders.
• Act as a resource and a point of contract for further problem solving for patients and rehab team who are in the beginning stages of the next level of care.
• The department of Neurosurgery maintains satellite clinics location across the health system which crosses multiple county lines. As a requirement of this position you may be required to cover clinics at any of these locations

Specialized/Professional Duties

• Demonstrates advanced knowledge and technical capabilities in the diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of persons with complex neurosurgical problems and acute or potential life-threatening health issues; including Pre and Post op management of Cranial and Multiple spine surgeries.
• Oversees nurses who conduct in-patient or outpatient care to assess patient progress and appropriateness of therapy using advance clinical physical assessment and decision making skills. Acts as a patient advocate and provides emotional and situational support for patients, their families and nursing staff.
• Assist nursing personnel in the assessment of patients by providing information, demonstrating technical skills, developing new approaches, and relating theoretical concepts to the practice setting.
• Provides clinical expertise in the development of interdisciplinary clinical pathways for neurosurgical patients with specific diagnosis.
• Performs cranial and spinal assessments, to include determining ASIA score assessment for potential prognosis and rehab potential.
• Utilizes clinical and critical assessment skills to determine medical changes in patients who have lost their natural ability of an autonomic nervous system response.
• Provides assistance with lumbar punctures, halo ves applications and management, and monitoring and troubleshooting technology such as lumbar drainage systems.
• Utilizes keys clinical skills to act quickly and problem solve on acute changes in patient's physical status and post-op management of neurosurgical approaches and surgeries
• Provides consistent compassionate, patient bedside manner, with neurosurgical skills and equal depth for educating patients and families.
• Assist to maintain a minimal length of stay low by incorporating all aspects of exceptional clinical care and practices.
• Provide emphasis on the social rehabilitative, emotional, physical and financial aspects or recovery.
• Utilizes clinical and critical assessment skills to determine medical and neurological changes in the neurologically compromised patient and act quickly to problem solve.

• Acts as a patient advocate and provides emotional and situational support for neurosurgical patients, their families and nursing staff.
• Serves as an expert clinical resource for Departmental staff, UMHC/UMH nursing staff and other allied health care professionals.
• Willing to Precept and help train, New Hires, Advanced Practice Nursing Students, and Medical Students in the Neurosurgical specialty.
• Provides specialized education, clarification, and counseling to patients, families and community groups in reference to pre- and post-operative treatment plan, minor medical problems, surgical considerations and preventative medicine.

• Assists in the development of patient education programs/materials for the Department of Neurological Surgery and UHealth Clinics to support their teaching and patient care functions.

Educator

• Develops, implements and evaluates patient education program and standards of care for neurosurgical patients.
• Provides education and clarifications to patients, families and community groups in reference to pre-and-post-operative treatment plan, minor medical problems, surgical considerations and preventative medicine.
• Provides community and regionally-based educational programs in the area of neuroscience to health care professionals and/or patients.
• Assists in the coordination and development of educational programs for the Department of Neurosurgery. Develops curricular plans, assists in the selection of speakers, and evaluates programs. Assists in the coordinating the required components to obtain CME and CEU professional educational credit.

Administrative