Advanced Practice Professional -Thoracic Surgery

WVU Medicine

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The West Virginia University Health System, the state’s largest health system and largest private employer, comprises 18 hospitals throughout the state and bordering states. In addition, it includes five institutes, as well as providing management services for other local hospitals through affiliate agreements. This role is within the Heart and Vascular Institute, specifically focusing on Cardiothoracic Surgery. The Advanced Practice Professional (APP) will manage comprehensive and individualized care for cardiothoracic surgery patients and their families during the inpatient phase of hospitalization and immediate post-discharge in the ambulatory setting. Responsibilities include daily rounds, completing integrated assessments, documenting clinical evaluations in the EMR, ordering diagnostic studies, interpreting and communicating results, and developing comprehensive care plans. The APP will also identify and facilitate interventions for unstable or complex patient care situations, recognize and initiate emergency care, and coordinate discharge services. The role requires expertise in caring for patients across the age continuum, and may involve acquiring surgical skill sets for first assisting in CT surgery operations and performing conduit harvesting. The APP will also assist in collecting outcome measures, demonstrate critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning, utilize equipment safely, base decisions on scientific principles and standards of care, and utilize teaching/learning theories for education. They will serve as a resource person and participate in inter-disciplinary approaches to patient care, program development, and education, acting as a professional role model.

Requirements

For Nurse Practitioner: Graduate of a CCNE accredited nursing program with Master’s Degree in Nursing
For Nurse Practitioner: National Certification by one of the recognized APRN Certification Centers
For Nurse Practitioner: Licensure, or eligibility for licensure, as a professional Registered Nurse and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in West Virginia.
For Nurse Practitioner: American Heart Association BLS certification required.
For Nurse Practitioner: APRNs requesting to be privileged as First Assists in peri-operative services will be required to complete an ANOR approved CNOR Certificate program and obtain a passing grade on CNOR certification exam.
For Nurse Practitioner: Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) at the discretion of the department.
For Nurse Practitioner: Eligible new graduates will be considered.
For Physician Assistant: Bachelor’s OR Master’s Degree as a Medical/Surgical (as applicable) Physician Assistant required.
For Physician Assistant: Graduate of an ARC-PA approved Physician Assistant (PA) training program required.
For Physician Assistant: Certification by the National Commission for Certification of Physician Assistants required.
For Physician Assistant: Must be licensed or eligible for licensure by the WV Board of Medicine.
For Physician Assistant: American Heart Association BLS certification required.
For Physician Assistant: Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) at the discretion of the department.
For Physician Assistant: Eligible new graduates will be considered.
Proficiency with computers.
Strong communication skills.

Nice To Haves

For Nurse Practitioner: Additional life support certification at the discretion of the department.
For Nurse Practitioner: Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) at the discretion of the department.
For Physician Assistant: Additional life support certification at the discretion of the department.
For Physician Assistant: Masters level education as Medical/Surgical (as applicable) Physician Assistant preferred.
CT Surgery, Acute care or cardiology experience preferred.
For Physician Assistant: CT Surgery, Acute care or cardiology experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Manages comprehensive and individualized care for cardiothoracic surgery patients and their families in the inpatient phase of hospitalization and immediate post discharge in the ambulatory setting.
Completes daily rounds: consults and/or pre-procedure evaluations during weekdays and as applicable, weekends/holidays as determined by specific clinical site and specialty.
Completes integrated assessments, documents efficient and precise clinical evaluations/plan in the electronic medical record (EMR).
With the collaboration of faculty or by following established clinical Guidelines and Protocols, orders additional labs and/or diagnostic studies or consults as deemed appropriate.
Performs, interprets and /or communicates results of diagnostic tests following established clinical guidelines and scope of practice in the inpatient and outpatient setting.
Communicates to patient's comprehensive care team results of labs / diagnostic studies following established clinical guidelines and scope of practice, regarding abnormal findings in the evaluation of the patient.
Develops a comprehensive individualized plan of care for CT Surgery patients, which includes teaching, discharge planning and necessary referral to other members of the health care team as necessary.
Identifies unstable or complex patient care situations and facilitates appropriate intervention with appropriate resources, in the clinic and/or hospital setting.
Recognizes emergency situations and initiates effective emergency care.
Facilitates patient discharge by coordinating appropriate services and tests prior to discharge necessary for outpatient follow-up appointments in the clinic (as applicable).
Demonstrates expertise in caring for patients across the age continuum of their educational experience and certification.
Possess and/or acquire the appropriate surgical skill set to be able to first assist in all CT surgery operations performed by the service (as applicable).
Possess and/or acquire the appropriate surgical skill set to be able to perform open and/or endoscopic harvesting of appropriate conduit during the CT surgery operation (as applicable).
Assists in the collection of outcome measures (as applicable).
Demonstrates critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning skills in clinical decision making by the identification, evaluation and management of the individual needs of patients/families.
Demonstrates the ability to utilize equipment in a safe manner.
Bases decisions made/actions taken on the relevant scientific principles, established standards of care and/or research findings.
Utilizes teaching/learning theory and appropriate teaching strategies in the provision of education to nursing staff, hospital staff, students, patients, families and the community.
Promotes an environment that facilitates learning by responding to appropriate patient/family preferences, priorities and readiness to learn.
Updates own knowledge base throughout the year.
Completes all identified clinical competencies.
Serves as a resource person for staff caring for the CT surgery patient.
Participates and initiates inter-disciplinary approaches to patient care, program development and education. Serves as a professional role model.