APP Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant - Neurocritical Care - .9FTE, Days

Stanford Health Care•Palo Alto, CA

About The Position

This Stanford Health Care position is part of the neurocritical care program, which provides care for patients with critical neurologic illness and supports research intended to improve patient outcomes. Neurocritical Care APPs participate in multidisciplinary rounds, manage 4–6 patients as well as consults in a variety of critical care settings, and may perform procedures such as central lines, arterial lines, and lumbar punctures. New APPs receive an eight-week orientation tailored to their experience. Neuro and/or ICU experience is preferred but not required. The Physician Assistant functions under the approved Physician Assistant Job Description and applicable service-specific functions established with supervising physicians and approved by the relevant committees and administrators. PAs provide services within their competence, education, training, and experience, and consult or refer to a supervising physician when a task or problem exceeds that competence. The role includes evaluating and treating patients, taking histories and performing examinations, ordering and evaluating diagnostic studies, and ordering or furnishing medications under physician supervision and applicable protocols. The PA also orders and collects specimens, coordinates therapies and services, performs designated procedures after demonstrating competency, obtains informed consent, assists with hospital admissions and discharges, and may participate in IRB-approved studies as directed. After appropriate training, the PA may assist in the operating room under physician supervision. Additional duties include recognizing age-specific patient needs and urgent situations, coordinating care, communicating with patients and families, ensuring compliance with policies, participating in quality improvement, and providing patient education and counseling. Employees are expected to follow Joint Commission requirements and Stanford Health Care’s C-I-CARE patient and family experience standards.

Requirements

Graduate of a Physician Assistant program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc.
Physician Assistant state licensure.
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration.
Perform only medical services within the PA’s competence and consistent with education, training, and experience.
Consult with or refer to a supervising physician when a task, procedure, or diagnostic problem exceeds the PA’s competence.
Complete a California Physician Assistant Board-approved controlled substance course to order or furnish medications under the stated requirements.
A bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited university is listed as an education qualification; the posting notes that PAs hired before July 1, 2012, are not subject to this requirement.

Nice To Haves

Neuro and/or ICU experience.

Responsibilities

Participate in multidisciplinary rounds with attendings, fellows, residents, and APPs.
Manage 4–6 patients and consults in a variety of critical care settings.
Perform procedures such as central lines, arterial lines, and lumbar punctures.
Evaluate and treat patients with acute and chronic complaints and health maintenance concerns related to the specialty.
Obtain complete histories and perform pertinent physical examinations, assessing normal and abnormal findings.
Perform or request and evaluate diagnostic studies as indicated.
Order or furnish medications under physician supervision and applicable practice agreements and protocols.
Order and collect specimens for laboratory tests, screening, and therapeutic procedures, including blood and blood products.
Order physical therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, radiology examinations, and nursing services.
Perform designated procedures after demonstrating competency and in accordance with applicable standardized procedures.
Obtain informed consent when indicated.
Initiate hospital admission and discharge arrangements and complete appropriate paperwork.
Enroll patients in IRB-approved investigational studies and order necessary tests and medications as directed by the supervising physician.
After appropriate training, assist the supervising physician in the operating room, including as a first or second assistant under supervision.
Recognize age-specific patient needs and situations requiring immediate physician attention, and initiate life-saving procedures when necessary.
Facilitate coordination of inpatient and outpatient care and collaboration among providers and community resources.
Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and clinical policies and procedures.
Participate in quality improvement initiatives.
Provide and coordinate patient teaching and counseling.
Communicate and interact effectively with patients, families, staff, and community members from diverse backgrounds.
Follow Joint Commission requirements and Stanford Health Care’s C-I-CARE patient and family experience standards.