APP - Neurosurgery (Outpatient)

WVU Medicine

22h•Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Practice Professional (APP) provides comprehensive, individualized, patient-centered care to outpatient and ambulatory neurosurgery patients and their families. Working with neurosurgery faculty and the interdisciplinary healthcare team, the APP assesses, diagnoses, treats, and manages patients within the applicable scope of practice, licensing requirements, clinical guidelines, and hospital privileges. The position coordinates specialty services and tests, develops and follows treatment and surgical plans, performs diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and manages ongoing neurosurgical care and follow-up. The APP also contributes to patient outcomes, clinical operations, research, and the educational goals of the department, including teaching residents and medical and nursing students. The position may be filled by a Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant. Nurse Practitioners must graduate from a CCNE-accredited nursing program with a Master’s Degree in Nursing, hold national certification from a recognized APRN certification center, and be licensed or eligible for licensure as a Registered Nurse and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in West Virginia. Physician Assistants must have a bachelor’s or master’s degree as a Physician Assistant, graduate from an ARC-PA-approved training program, hold NCCPA certification, and be licensed or eligible for licensure by the WV Board of Medicine or WV Board of Osteopathic Medicine. Both require American Heart Association BLS certification; additional Advanced Life Support training may be required at the department’s discretion. Neurosurgery or acute care experience is preferred, and eligible new graduates will be considered. The role is based in the ambulatory neurosurgery setting in South Charleston, West Virginia, and is scheduled for 40 hours per week. The work may involve protracted or irregular hours, close interaction with others, biohazards, infectious diseases, the deceased, hands in water, and electrical hazards related to patient-care equipment. Physical demands include heavy work requiring strength or stamina, lifting and carrying patients, materials, or equipment weighing 40 pounds or more, as well as stooping, reaching, patient positioning, standing, and walking.

Requirements

For the Nurse Practitioner option: graduate from a CCNE-accredited nursing program with a Master’s Degree in Nursing.
For the Nurse Practitioner option: national certification from a recognized APRN Certification Center.
For the Nurse Practitioner option: licensure or eligibility for licensure as a professional Registered Nurse and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in West Virginia.
For the Physician Assistant option: a bachelor’s or master’s degree as a Physician Assistant.
For the Physician Assistant option: graduation from an ARC-PA-approved Physician Assistant training program.
For the Physician Assistant option: certification by the National Commission for Certification of Physician Assistants.
For the Physician Assistant option: licensure or eligibility for licensure by the WV Board of Medicine or WV Board of Osteopathic Medicine.
American Heart Association BLS certification is required; additional Advanced Life Support training may be required at the department’s discretion.
Proficiency with computers.
Strong communication skills.
Ability to meet the physical demands of heavy work, including lifting, moving, stooping, reaching, positioning patients, standing, walking, and carrying patients, materials, or equipment weighing 40 pounds or more.

Nice To Haves

Neurosurgery or acute care experience is preferred; eligible new graduates will be considered.
For APRNs seeking OR First Assist privileges in peri-operative services: completion of an ANOR-approved RNFA Certificate program and a passing grade.
For the Physician Assistant option: a master’s-level degree as a Physician Assistant is preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage comprehensive and individualized care for neurosurgery patients and their families in the ambulatory setting.
Perform acute assessments, pre-procedure assessments, surgical evaluations, and ongoing follow-up.
Complete integrated and comprehensive evaluations and develop treatment and surgical plans.
Collaborate with neurosurgery faculty or follow established clinical guidelines and protocols to order appropriate tests and consultations.
Perform diagnostic tests and communicate results according to established guidelines and scope of practice.
Consult and communicate with clinic and hospital staff about abnormal patient findings.
Conduct and document comprehensive clinical evaluations in the medical record.
Coordinate services and tests needed before admission and for outpatient follow-up appointments.
Develop individualized plans of care, including patient teaching, disposition planning, follow-up, and referrals to other healthcare team members.
Provide care to patients across the age continuum consistent with education and certification.
Identify unstable or complex patient-care situations and facilitate appropriate intervention in clinic or hospital settings.
Recognize emergencies and initiate effective emergency care.
Coordinate follow-up procedures and tests and provide acute and ongoing ambulatory neurosurgery care.
Assist with collecting patient outcome measures.
Apply critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning to identify, evaluate, and manage patients’ and families’ needs.
Use equipment safely and base decisions on scientific principles, standards of care, and research findings.
Educate nursing and hospital staff, students, patients, families, and the community using appropriate teaching strategies.
Support an environment that responds to patient and family learning preferences, priorities, and readiness.
Maintain professional knowledge and complete identified clinical competencies.
Serve as a resource for staff caring for neurosurgery patients and provide educational programs to professional and paraprofessional personnel.
Participate in community programs and distribute relevant literature as appropriate.
Document plans of care, interventions, and evaluations clearly and concisely in accordance with hospital and UHA policies and documentation standards.
Collaborate with leaders and staff to improve care and patient outcomes.
Lead development and implementation of changes in neurosurgery practice that positively affect patient outcomes.
Work collaboratively with medical and nursing staff to solve problems and provide professional support.
Participate in and initiate interdisciplinary patient-care, program-development, and education efforts; serve as a professional role model.
Promote innovation in the expanded APP role in care delivery across inpatient hospitalization and ambulatory settings.
Participate in and provide leadership for committees and task forces.
Document hours and submit billing reports, as appropriate.
Review and interpret neurosurgery data, including registry, clinical, financial, length-of-stay, access-to-care, and cost-per-case information, and recommend or implement changes as needed.
Participate in clinical trials and research studies with the Principal Investigator.
Assist neurosurgery faculty, administrators, and directors with collection of outcome measures.
Perform other assigned duties and projects.