Advanced Practice Professional - Preoperative Evaluation Center

WVU Medicine

About The Position

The Advanced Practice Professional (APP) provides high-quality, patient-centered care as a member of an interdisciplinary healthcare team. The position focuses on comprehensive management of preoperative patients, including biological, social, and psychological assessments. The APP coordinates medical and surgical specialty teams to develop individualized optimization plans, reviews and helps direct plans of care, performs diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and coordinates surgical planning as applicable. The APP also supports clinical, educational, and operational goals, participates in educating residents and medical and nursing students, and provides care consistent with state law, professional licensing or certification requirements, and hospital privileges where applicable. The role includes evaluating preoperative patients, arranging appropriate tests and consultations, identifying and responding to complex or unstable situations, coordinating optimization and follow-up, documenting care, and collaborating with clinical teams to improve outcomes. The APP serves as a staff resource, contributes to education and practice improvements, and may participate in committees, research, clinical trials, and outcome measurement. The position is scheduled for 36 hours per week on the day shift. The work involves close collaboration with others, potentially protracted or irregular hours, and exposure to biohazards, infectious diseases, deceased persons, water, and electrical hazards associated with patient-care equipment. The role requires physical work that may include lifting, moving, stooping, reaching, positioning, standing, walking, and carrying patients, materials, and equipment weighing 40 pounds or more.

Requirements

For Nurse Practitioner candidates: graduate of a CCNE-accredited nursing program with a Master’s Degree in Nursing.
For Nurse Practitioner candidates: national certification by a recognized APRN certification center.
For Nurse Practitioner candidates: licensed or eligible for licensure as a professional Registered Nurse and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in West Virginia.
For Nurse Practitioner candidates: American Heart Association BLS certification; additional Advanced Life Support training may be required at the department’s discretion.
For Physician Assistant candidates: Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree as a Medical/Surgical Physician Assistant, as applicable.
For Physician Assistant candidates: graduate of an ARC-PA-approved Physician Assistant training program.
For Physician Assistant candidates: certification by the National Commission for Certification of Physician Assistants.
For Physician Assistant candidates: licensed or eligible for licensure by the West Virginia Board of Medicine or West Virginia Board of Osteopathic Medicine.
For Physician Assistant candidates: American Heart Association BLS certification; 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 the role, including lifting, moving, stooping, reaching, positioning, standing, walking, and carrying patients, materials, and equipment weighing 40 pounds or more.

Nice To Haves

Preoperative and/or acute care experience is preferred; eligible new graduates will be considered.
For Nurse Practitioner candidates, ACNPs, CNSs, and FNPs will be considered.
For Physician Assistant candidates, a Master’s Degree as a Physician Assistant is preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide consultation services and manage comprehensive, individualized care for preoperative patients and their families.
Complete optimization evaluations and pre-procedure or pre-surgical evaluations, including integrated assessments.
Order additional tests or consultations in collaboration with preoperative faculty or according to established clinical guidelines and protocols.
Perform diagnostic tests and communicate results according to clinical guidelines and scope of practice.
Communicate abnormal evaluation findings to clinic, surgical, and hospital staff.
Conduct and document comprehensive clinical evaluations in the medical record.
Coordinate appropriate services and tests before surgery to facilitate patient optimization and improve perioperative outcomes.
Develop individualized preoperative plans of care, including education, surgical and medical planning, and referrals as needed.
Provide care across the age continuum within the APP’s education and certification.
Identify unstable or complex preoperative situations and initiate appropriate interventions in clinic or hospital settings.
Recognize emergencies and initiate effective emergency care.
Coordinate follow-up procedures and tests for preoperative patients in the ambulatory setting, as applicable.
Assist with collecting outcome measures.
Use critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning to identify, evaluate, and manage the needs of patients and families.
Use equipment safely and base decisions on scientific principles, standards of care, outcomes, and research findings.
Educate nursing and hospital staff, students, patients, families, and the community using appropriate teaching strategies.
Support patient and family learning by responding to their preferences, priorities, and readiness to learn.
Maintain and update clinical knowledge and complete required clinical competencies.
Serve as a resource for staff caring for preoperative patients and provide educational programs to professional and paraprofessional personnel.
Participate in community programs and distribute educational 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 patient outcomes and lead changes in preoperative practice.
Work collaboratively with medical and nursing staff to solve problems and provide professional support.
Participate in interdisciplinary patient-care, program-development, and education initiatives and serve as a professional role model.
Promote expanded approaches to care for preoperative patients and families during inpatient hospitalization and in ambulatory settings.
Participate in or provide leadership for committees and task forces as assigned.
Document hours and submit billing reports as appropriate.
Review and interpret preoperative data, including registry, clinical, financial, length-of-stay, access-to-care, and cost-per-case information, and recommend or implement changes as necessary.
Participate in clinical trials and research studies with the Principal Investigator.
Assist preoperative faculty, administrators, and directors in collecting outcome measures.
Perform other duties and projects as assigned.