Advanced Practice Provider (APP, NP, PA) Neuro Oncology
About The Position
The University of Chicago Medicine is hiring an Advanced Practice Provider (Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant) for its Neuro Oncology Team. The APP provides comprehensive direct patient care management for patients with primary brain tumors, spinal cord tumors, and metastatic disease involving the central nervous system. The role delivers evidence-based, patient-centered care in a collaborative academic medical center environment, coordinating individualized care with neuro-oncologists, neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, nursing staff, and other multidisciplinary specialists throughout diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. The APP manages a patient caseload and exercises clinical judgment and autonomous decision-making in assessment, diagnosis, and initiation of delegated medical treatments, within established practice agreements and the APP’s scope of practice, with physician collaboration and support. Responsibilities include assessing symptoms and treatment response, managing treatment-related side effects, coordinating laboratory and imaging surveillance, supporting patients receiving systemic antineoplastic therapies, and recognizing and promptly escalating neurological changes and urgent complications. Patient and caregiver education, symptom management, supportive care coordination, and communication across the treatment team are essential aspects of the position. The role also contributes to family support services, discharge planning, staff education, clinical consultation, quality improvement efforts, and research activities. This is a 100% onsite position, and the APP must be based in the greater Chicagoland area. The position is full-time, with day shifts of eight hours, five shifts per week, in the Neurosurgery unit/department.
Requirements
- Completion of an accredited Physician Assistant educational program.
- Certification by the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
- Current or eligibility for State of Illinois licensure/registration.
- Certification in ACLS.
Nice To Haves
- APP experience or experience as an RN in a neurosurgery role or related area.
- Experience in an academic medical center or tertiary/quaternary care setting.
- Strong clinical assessment, critical thinking, and decision-making skills in a fast-paced environment.
- Experience or training in a surgical setting.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with attending surgeons, residents, fellows, nursing, and ancillary teams.
- Proficiency with electronic medical records; Epic preferred.
Responsibilities
- Obtain medical histories and perform physical and focused neurological examinations.
- Order and interpret diagnostic studies.
- Develop and implement treatment plans in collaboration with the supervising physician and within the APP’s scope of practice.
- Assess disease-related symptoms, monitor treatment response, and manage treatment-related side effects.
- Manage corticosteroid therapy, monitor antiseizure medications, coordinate laboratory and imaging surveillance, and support patients receiving systemic antineoplastic therapies.
- Recognize and promptly escalate neurological changes and urgent complications, including new or worsening seizures, cerebral edema, and signs of increased intracranial pressure.
- Manage a caseload and make clinical judgments regarding assessment, diagnosis, and initiation of delegated medical treatments.
- Differentiate normal and abnormal variations for all body systems.
- Assess patient and family adaptation, coping skills, and need for crisis or other intervention.
- Analyze multiple sources of data to make clinical judgments and determine the effectiveness of a plan of care.
- Develop problem lists with associated differential diagnoses and incorporate assessment findings into plans of care.
- Identify patient and family educational needs and assist with teaching.
- Formulate plans of care collaboratively with patients, families, physicians, nursing staff, and other health care team members, including health care maintenance, discharge, and follow-up care.
- Plan and implement appropriate pharmacological therapies.
- Perform routine diagnostic and therapeutic techniques according to established protocols and standardized APP procedures.
- Initiate referrals based on patient and family needs.
- Present and document the database, impression, and plan of care accurately and appropriately.
- Use appropriate patient care protocols addressing physical, psychosocial, and developmental needs across patient age groups.
- Maintain information-sharing, planning, and problem-solving systems with unit staff, other APPs, medical staff, and other nursing and hospital personnel.
- Contribute to family support, discharge planning, staff education, clinical consultation, quality improvement, and research activities.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Education Level
No Education Listed
