Neurosurgery Nurse Practitioner (NP) or Physician Assistant (PA)

Munson Healthcare•Traverse City, MI

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Neurosurgical Advanced Practice Professional (APP) is a physician-dependent practitioner who provides medical and surgical management for patients admitted to the Neurosurgery Service. The APP works under the supervision of the attending Neurosurgeon on emergency-room call and performs duties according to professional judgment and experience, physician discussions and preferences, written program and institutional protocols, and institutional policies. The APP performs advanced diagnostic and therapeutic tasks for neurosurgery patients from the emergency-room phase, in the operating room when needed, and throughout admission to Munson Medical Center (MMC). At the surgeon’s direction, the APP conducts histories and physical examinations, prepares admission and progress notes, enters admission and routine orders, rounds on patients, prepares consultation and emergency-department consult notes, and participates in Trauma Performance Improvement and Neurosurgical Section meetings. The role includes emergency-department consultations, inpatient management, pre- and post-operative education, documentation, communication with patients and care teams, and on-call coverage. The APP may assist in the operating room when the Neurosurgeon deems it necessary and other patients have care direction. The position is part of Munson Healthcare, a nonprofit healthcare system serving northern Michigan. The organization describes Traverse City as a four-season resort community with outdoor recreation, cultural attractions, schools, and regional airport access. Munson Healthcare reports 8 hospitals, 7,500 employees, 1,000 physicians, and service coverage across 14,667 square miles.

Requirements

Licensed by the State of Michigan to practice as a Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant.
For Nurse Practitioner candidates: current Michigan Registered Nurse license; Master of Science degree in Nursing; and ANCC or ACNP board certification as a Nurse Practitioner.
For Physician Assistant candidates: Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS), Master of Health Science (MHS), or Master of Medical Science (MMSc), and board certification as a Physician Assistant.
Ability to perform a comprehensive neurological examination.
Ability to communicate orally and in writing.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with physicians, superiors, team members, and Medical Center staff.
Maintain continuous certification related to NP or PA training.
Apply for and receive appropriate clinical privileges through MMC’s normal credentialing processes before rendering services.
Maintain current BLS certification.
Employees must be vaccinated or have laboratory-confirmed immunity for Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella.
Employees must receive a flu vaccine during the flu season in the year they are hired and annually thereafter, or receive an approved medical or religious exemption.

Nice To Haves

Neurosurgery-related certification is preferred for Nurse Practitioner candidates.
Two years of work experience as a clinical practitioner performing advanced diagnostic and therapeutic tasks related to surgery is preferred.
Experience working in a hospital clinical department is a plus.
Experience working with an electronic medical record in a hospital is a plus.
Ability to work on projects related to development of the Neurosurgery program, as determined by the Director and Section Chief.

Responsibilities

Support Munson Healthcare’s mission, vision, values, Performance Improvement philosophy, and patient and personal safety.
Apply Relationship-Based Care principles, meet expectations in Commitment To My Co-workers, and support unit action plans.
Use effective customer service and interpersonal skills.
Meet on-call requirements based on staffing and coverage needs.
Respond to emergency-department consults within 30 minutes of being called.
Manage emergency-department patient care under the direct supervision of Neurosurgeons, including histories and physical examinations, appropriate laboratory and radiographic orders, interpretation of results, consultations, admission and discharge orders, and code-status discussions.
Dictate histories and physicals, consultations, procedure notes, and discharge summaries.
Communicate with the operating-room scheduler about patient status and room availability for neurosurgery patients who may require surgery.
Assist the Neurosurgeon in the operating room when deemed necessary and when other patients have direction for their daily care.
Maintain daily contact with the Neurosurgeon on call.
Document evaluations, care, and services in the medical record/Powerchart.
Identify patient and family needs requiring referrals, including transportation, housing, psychosocial, financial, or caregiver support, to expedite disposition.
Provide pre- and post-operative education to patients and families.
Respond to telephone inquiries from discharged patients and provide appropriate medical care or counseling.
Communicate with referring and primary care physicians regarding patient care and treatment.
Round on and manage inpatients, including monitoring progress, writing progress notes, ordering and interpreting daily labs and x-rays, arranging consultations, responding to floor calls, assessing patients, developing and implementing treatment plans, monitoring therapeutic interventions under approved protocols, and managing discharge activities.
Exercise physician-delegated prescriptive authority in accordance with state and federal restrictions.
Attend CME seminars and conferences to maintain licensure and currency in the field.
Maintain current BLS certification.
Use effective judgment to understand, respond competently to, and treat the needs of the neurosurgical patient population.
Attend at least 75% of Trauma Performance Improvement meetings and 75% of Neurosurgical Section meetings.
Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.