ADVANCED PRACTICE PROFESSIONALS – Orthopedics, Community Practice Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant

WVU Medicine•Fairmont, MN

About The Position

The Advanced Practice Professional (APP) provides high-quality, patient-centered care as a member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team, working collaboratively with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to assess, diagnose, treat, and manage orthopedic patients within their scope of practice. The role involves comprehensive management of orthopedic patients, including biological, social, and psychological assessments; coordination of specialty teams and individualized plans of care; diagnostic and therapeutic procedures; perioperative services; and discharge planning and follow-up. The APP also participates in educating residents and medical and nursing students. The position serves patients in the ambulatory setting and may also involve care in the emergency department, during inpatient hospitalization, and in the perioperative phase. The APP performs clinical evaluations and procedures, supports patient and staff education, contributes to quality improvement and research activities, and helps develop changes to orthopedic practice that improve patient outcomes. Services must be consistent with state law and applicable licensing, certification, and hospital privilege requirements.

Requirements

For Nurse Practitioners: graduate from a CCNE-accredited nursing program with a Master’s Degree in Nursing.
For Nurse Practitioners: national certification from a recognized APRN certification center.
For Nurse Practitioners: licensure or eligibility for licensure as a Registered Nurse and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in West Virginia.
For Nurse Practitioners: CNOR certification.
For Nurse Practitioners: BLS certification; additional Advanced Life Support training may be required at the department’s discretion.
For Nurse Practitioners seeking perioperative First Assist privileges: completion of an ANOR-approved CNOR certificate program and a passing grade on the CNOR certification exam.
For Physician Assistants: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree as a Physician Assistant.
For Physician Assistants: graduation from an ARC-PA-approved Physician Assistant training program.
For Physician Assistants: certification by the National Commission for Certification of Physician Assistants.
For Physician Assistants: licensure or eligibility for licensure by the West Virginia Board of Medicine.
For Physician Assistants: BLS certification; additional Advanced Life Support training may be required at the department’s discretion.
ACLS may be required at the department’s discretion.
Proficiency with computers.
Strong communication skills.
Ability to meet the role’s physical demands, including lifting, moving, stooping, reaching, positioning, standing, walking, and carrying patients, materials, and equipment weighing 40 pounds or more.

Nice To Haves

Acute care, surgical, or orthopedic experience is preferred for Nurse Practitioners.
A Master’s-level degree as a Physician Assistant is preferred.
Acute care, surgical, or orthopedic experience is preferred for Physician Assistants.

Responsibilities

Manage comprehensive and individualized care for orthopedic patients and their families in the ambulatory setting.
Complete daily rounds, consultations, and pre-procedure evaluations as applicable; order additional tests or consultations in collaboration with orthopedic faculty or under established guidelines and protocols.
Complete integrated assessments and participate in perioperative procedures, including first assisting in the operating suite when applicable.
Perform diagnostic tests and communicate results in accordance with established clinical guidelines and scope of practice.
Communicate with clinic and hospital staff about abnormal patient evaluation findings.
Perform clinical evaluations and consultations and document findings in the medical record.
Coordinate discharge services, tests, supportive equipment, and outpatient follow-up as applicable.
Develop individualized plans of care, including patient teaching, perioperative planning, discharge planning, and referrals to other healthcare team members.
Provide care for patients across the age continuum consistent with educational preparation and certification.
Identify unstable or complex orthopedic cases and facilitate appropriate intervention in clinic or hospital settings.
Recognize emergencies and initiate effective emergency care.
Coordinate follow-up procedures and tests for orthopedic patients in the ambulatory setting as applicable.
Assist with the collection of 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, and research findings.
Educate nursing and hospital staff, students, patients, families, and the community using appropriate teaching strategies.
Promote learning environments responsive to patient and family preferences, priorities, and readiness to learn.
Maintain knowledge and complete identified clinical competencies.
Serve as a resource for staff caring for orthopedic patients and provide educational programs to professional and paraprofessional personnel.
Participate in community programs and distribute relevant literature as appropriate.
Document each patient visit's plan of care, interventions, and evaluations in accordance with hospital and UHA policies and documentation standards.
Collaborate with leaders and staff on improvements to patient outcomes and lead development and implementation of practice changes that improve orthopedic care.
Work collaboratively with medical and nursing staff to solve problems and provide professional support.
Participate in interdisciplinary patient care, program development, and education, and serve as a professional role model.
Promote innovation in the expanded APP role across emergency, inpatient, perioperative, and ambulatory orthopedic care.
Participate in and provide leadership for committees and task forces.
Document hours and submit billing reports as appropriate.
Review and interpret orthopedic 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 orthopedic faculty, administrators, and directors in collecting outcome measures.
Perform other duties and projects as assigned.