Advanced Practice Provider

Tennessee Oncology•Tullahoma, TN

25d

About The Position

Tennessee Oncology’s Advanced Practice Provider (APP) provides care in a variety of settings across the organization. The role delivers quality, evidence-based care to specific patient populations across cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, active treatment, and palliative care in collaboration with a multidisciplinary healthcare team. Responsibilities include assessing, diagnosing, and managing cancer and related disorders, and applying evidence-based literature to improve care for patients with a past, current, or potential cancer diagnosis. The APP assesses patients’ physical and psychosocial status; obtains health histories; conducts focused examinations; evaluates symptoms, comorbidities, treatment effects, and possible disease progression or recurrence; and reviews medications and complementary therapies. The APP orders and interprets laboratory and diagnostic tests, prioritizes patient problems, communicates care plans, prescribes and administers treatments in accordance with practice protocols, manages cancer symptoms and treatment side effects, and refers patients for consultation when appropriate. The role may include clinical-trial patient care, procedures such as bone marrow biopsies, and call coverage as requested by clinic needs. On-call coverage may be mutually scheduled with the supervising physician and APPs and is not a mandatory practice requirement. The APP educates patients, families, staff, healthcare providers, and community members; contributes to educational materials and professional presentations; and collaborates with other disciplines to support continuity and quality of care. The position also involves reporting and editing patient information, representing APPs in department and board meetings, maintaining required certifications, and performing other duties requested by the supervising MD. Applicants must hold a Tennessee RN or PA license, a master’s degree in nursing or PA certification, and the specified national APP certification. Oncology nursing experience is preferred. APPs without oncology experience are expected to work as a staff nurse for at least one month before transitioning to the APP role; those without sufficient Registered Nurse experience are required to work as a staff nurse for at least 12 months. The role has physical requirements that include lifting up to 50 pounds and spending much of the time upright.

Requirements

Current license to practice as an RN or PA in Tennessee.
Master’s degree in nursing or certification as a Physician Assistant.
National APP certification through the American Nurses' Credentialing Center or American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, or Clinical Nurse Specialist status meeting criteria for a certificate of fitness to prescribe medications (including AOCN, AOCNP, or AOCNS), or certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.
Current knowledge of oncology and primary care.
Ability to work independently.
Knowledge of Tennessee Oncology Advanced Practice Provider Guidelines and the Advanced Practice Practitioner as outlined in the Tennessee Oncology Policy and Procedure Manual.
Tennessee Oncology skills certification as required by the specific clinic, which may include bone marrow biopsies, skin punch biopsies, paracentesis, and specialized access of chemotherapy delivery devices.
Maintain certification through the American Nursing Credentialing Center.
Maintain current Basic Life Support certification for the healthcare provider.
Willingness and ability to lift up to 50 pounds; remain upright most of the time; remain stationary half of the time; communicate, distinguish sounds, and visualize; use regular manual dexterity; and occasionally reach, stretch, crouch, or stoop.

Nice To Haves

A minimum of one year of oncology nurse experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

Assess patients’ physical and psychosocial status; obtain and document comprehensive health histories and focused physical examinations.
Evaluate cancer-related symptoms, comorbidities, treatment responses and effects, disease progression or recurrence, and potential late effects.
Conduct pharmacologic assessments, including prescription and over-the-counter medications, supplements, and complementary or alternative therapies.
Recognize abnormal findings; order and interpret laboratory and diagnostic tests; and prioritize urgent or high-priority patient problems.
Identify patients who may be eligible for clinical trials and provide care to patients participating in trials.
Communicate patient-care information and plans to patients, caregivers, collaborating physicians, and other healthcare-team members.
Write prescriptions and order routine diagnostic and follow-up studies, therapeutic measures, and post-discharge care in accordance with written practice protocols.
Administer therapeutic measures, obtain specimens, and manage cancer symptoms and treatment side effects in accordance with practice guidelines.
Refer patients or request consultation from physicians and other healthcare professionals; assist with family dynamics and coping mechanisms during acute and chronic care.
Serve as a resource to the healthcare team, evaluate care quality, and recommend improvements.
Perform procedures as warranted by clinic needs, such as bone marrow biopsies.
Take call as required by clinic need; potential call duties include responding to patient, family, or hospital calls; weekend hospital rounds or rounds requested by the supervising physician; hospital admissions; and contacting the supervising physician for backup as needed.
Maintain certification through the American Nursing Credentialing Center and current Basic Life Support certification for healthcare providers.
Educate patients and families about proposed treatment plans using age- and culturally appropriate methods; support decision-making about discontinuing active cancer treatment while optimizing supportive care.
Educate cancer survivors about risks of long-term effects and provide formal and informal oncology education to staff.
Participate in developing educational materials and present cancer-care updates to professionals at local, regional, and national levels.
Support oncology education in the lay community through discussions, support groups, and informal consultation.
Report patient information accurately and in a timely manner, edit dictation, work effectively with others, and use the chain of command.
Collaborate with other health disciplines to support continuity and quality of care; represent APPs in department and board meetings and share information with the APP group.
Perform other duties as requested by the supervising MD.