NURSE PRACTITIONER IV-PULMONOLOGY - FULL TIME- LATROBE

Independence Health System•Latrobe, PA

14d•Onsite

About The Position

This role is for a Nurse Practitioner specializing in Pulmonology, working full-time on-site. The position requires regular, consistent, and timely attendance. The Nurse Practitioner is responsible for the assessment and direct/indirect care of patients, adhering to all relevant licensing boards, hospital policies, and professional standards. This includes collecting systematic patient assessment data, performing physical exams and histories, documenting findings, and involving patients, families, and healthcare providers as appropriate. The role involves prescribing medications according to state guidelines and the Excela Health Allied Health Committee, demonstrating leadership through professional behaviors, critical thinking, and problem-solving. The Nurse Practitioner will also assist in maintaining organizational costs, completing annual competencies, and ensuring departmental compliance with regulatory agencies like JCAHO, OSHA, and state requirements. Patient safety is paramount, requiring adherence to identification protocols, code team roles, emergency response, maintaining a safe environment, infection control processes, and practicing National Patient Safety Goals. Participation in performance improvement activities to enhance patient care quality and customer service is expected, including identifying initiatives to improve patient outcomes and assisting with chart reviews. The Nurse Practitioner will manage patients' physical and psychological problems, identify normal and abnormal findings, implement treatment plans, and evaluate responses to medications and treatments. They will also prescribe immunizations and seek appropriate consultations. Effective communication with the supervising physician and healthcare team is crucial for desired outcomes and continuous patient care flow, including maintaining problem and medication lists, assessing and facilitating consultations, and directing patients to appropriate care levels. Additionally, the role involves performing procedures, assisting in surgery, and providing pre and post-operative care, including patient positioning, prepping, assisting the surgeon, maintaining sterile techniques, performing skin closures, monitoring patients, suture removal, dressing changes, and being available for emergency surgery call from home. The Nurse Practitioner will also perform histories and physicals, provide preoperative teaching, conduct patient rounds, order appropriate tests, document findings, communicate changes in patient status to the physician, and develop discharge planning. Clinical responsibilities aim to maximize patient care and outcomes, including facilitating timely treatment, developing workflow patterns for transfers/discharges, and participating in outcome management. In collaboration with the physician, the Nurse Practitioner will interview, evaluate, and assess patients in the clinic, provide treatment recommendations, adjust medications, and educate patients/families. Collaboration with the supervising physician and treatment team is essential for achieving desired outcomes and ensuring continuous patient care, including alerting the team to changes in patient status, reviewing treatment goals, and communicating pertinent information. Documentation in the medical record is comprehensive, including mental status, screenings, assessments, medication changes, prescriptions, patient complaints, telephone contacts, session times, and signed/dated entries. Leadership is demonstrated through independent problem-solving, accountability, functioning as a resource, patient advocacy, and precepting new hires/students. Participation in Performance Improvement activities and adherence to patient safety policies are also key components of the role.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited Physician Assistant Program OR Nurse Practitioner Program
Current licensure to practice in the State of Pennsylvania
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) approved curriculum of the American Heart Association (CPR and AED) program.
Current Certification as a Physician’s Assistant from the National Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). Current DEA license.
Completion of required CME's
PA Act 153 Clearances (Act 34-PA Criminal record Check from the PA State Police system, Act 33-PA Child Abuse History obtained through the Department of Public Welfare, Act 73-FBI Fingerprinting screening within 2 weeks of hire in order to meet 30 days of hire or transfer position requirements).
Related training/experience (preferably within the past five years)
One-year medical/surgical experience
Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills
Strong leadership ability, independent thinking and decision-making ability; analytical problem solving skills, sound judgment; excellent oral and written communication skills, must be able to function in a team environment.
Strong time management and organizational skills; ability to work independently and in a team setting; creativity in treatment in various settings including inpatient, skilled nursing and outpatient clinics; ability to transition smoothly between various treatment settings; flexibility in scheduling.
Sound judgment, problem solving skills, strong oral and written communication skills, ability to follow directions from other team members; works independently assigned duties.
Ability to communicate with all members of the health care team
Independent thinking and decision-making ability
Proficient oral and written communication skills
Ability to multi-task and prioritize assignments
Basic working knowledge of computers and office equipment
Ability to plan, organize and prioritize multiple projects simultaneously. Interpersonal skills that facilitate positive, constructive interaction with personnel both intra and interdepartmentally. Ability to support an interdisciplinary team approach to patient care that crosses a comprehensive care continuum. Experience with JCAHO requirements.

Nice To Haves

Previous Pulmonology experience

Responsibilities

Ensures the assessment of the patient and the direct and indirect care of the patient is delivered in accordance with all appropriate licensing boards, hospital policies, procedures, and all other professional standards.
Collects patient assessment data in a systematic manner, focusing on the physical, psychosocial, age, cultural and spiritual needs of the patient.
Performs systematic physical exam and history of present illness.
Documents assessment data, history of present illness and physical findings as appropriate in the medical record within established time frame.
Involves patient and family and other healthcare providers when appropriate directed by individual physician practice.
Prescribes appropriate medications based on the patient's condition per state prescriptive authority guidelines and the Excela Health Allied Health Committee directed by individual physician practice.
Demonstrates leadership by utilizing the behaviors inherent to the practice of a professional physician assistant.
Solves problems utilizing critical thinking skills and seeks assistance from supervising physician as appropriate
Maintains accountability for actions taken
Effectively functions as a resource person
Functions as a patient advocate
Performs effectively in the role of preceptor for new employees
Assists in maintaining/decreasing organizational costs.
Completes competencies required annually.
Assists in the department's compliance with state, JCAHO, OSHA and other regulatory agencies
Assists in the preparation for surveys/inspections
Participates in the non-punitive medication reporting system.
Ensures accountability for narcotics per regulatory requirements.
Participates in health system/office fire, safety, utility, hazard, and disaster drills.
Provides for patient safety in compliance with nursing, hospital, and physician practice guidelines and policies.
Utilizes two forms of patient identification before implementing any form of patient care
Assumes appropriate code team role during emergency situations
Responds effectively during emergency situations
Assists in maintaining a safe and clean environment for patients, visitors and staff
Adheres to infection control processes, including standard precautions to reduce the risk of acquiring or transmitting infections.
Practices the National Patient Safety Goals.
Participates in unit performance activities designed to enhance the quality of patient care and customer service
Identifies initiatives to improve patient outcomes, satisfaction, or effectiveness.
Assists in chart reviews/audits as needed for performance improvement data collection.
Supports initiatives implemented to improve patient outcomes and/or office efficiencies.
Manages the physical and psychological problems of the patient.
Identifies normal and abnormal findings.
Implements a plan of treatment and reassesses as needed directed by individual physician practice.
Evaluates the physical and emotional responses to medications and treatments.
Prescribes immunization per recommended schedules directed by individual physician practice.
Seeks appropriate consultation with others of the healthcare team.
Communicates effectively with physician supervisor and other healthcare providers to achieve desired outcomes and assures a continuous flow of patient care.
Initiates and maintains problem list and medication lists.
Assesses and facilitates consultation when indicated.
Directs patients to appropriate level of care and communicates all pertinent information in a timely organized manner.
Assists in identifying and utilizing resources and or social agencies for further treatment or rehabilitation.
Performs procedures, assists in surgery, and provides care to the patient as per established guidelines.
Positions patients and assists surgeon in the operating room.
Preps and drapes the patient as per established guidelines.
Assists in surgery by performing tasks defined by the surgeon.
Assists and maintains sterile techniques through procedures.
Per supervising physician's direction performs skin closures as directed.
Monitors patients until clinically stable unless requested by the surgeon to perform other duties.
Performs suture removal, and dressing changes as per supervising physician's directions.
Be available for call from home to assist in emergency surgeries.
Directs and provides appropriate Pre and Post-operative care.
Performs history and physicals as designated by the physician. Identifies normal and abnormal findings and reports to the physician in a timely manner.
Provides preoperative teaching to patients and or families.
Performs patient rounds ensuring accurate assessment, review of labs and diagnostic procedures, and reports overall progress to supervising physician.
Orders appropriate testing per established guidelines and as outlined by supervising physician.
Documentation supports a review of lab/diagnostic results, is reflective of all required history and physical assessment elements.
Communicates with supervising physician in a timely manner regarding changes in the patient's progress, status, or critical test results.
Prepares for and develops discharge planning in conjunction with supervising physician.
Dictates discharge summaries timely and appropriate.
Provides counseling and instruction to patients and or families as appropriate.
Performs clinical responsibilities in a manner that maximizes patient care and outcomes.
Assumes appropriate code team role during emergency situations and responds effectively.
Facilitates timely treatment of abnormal labs or other relevant findings.
Develops workflow patterns to facilitate patient transfers or discharges.
Participates in outcome management and Press Ganey scores.
In collaboration with the physician: Interviews, evaluates and assesses patients in the clinic setting. Provides recommendations for treatment.
Evaluates patient's current status providing recommendations for ongoing treatment. Assesses for alternate levels of care as necessary
Adjusts medication as indicated
Provides patient/family education regarding medication, rationale for use and possible side effects
Collaborates with the supervising physician and or substitute supervising physician and members of the treatment team to achieve desired outcomes and to assure continuous flow of patient care.
Alerts the treatment team to any significant changes in the patient's status
Within prescribed time frames reviews treatment goals and objectives with patients making modifications as appropriate
Communicates pertinent information timely and efficiently to the supervising or substitute supervising physician
Documents in the medical record.
Records patient's current mental status
Documents all screenings and assessments performed
Records medication changes, prescriptions written and samples provided
Documents patient's complaints, concerns and questions as appropriate
Documents any/all telephone contact with patients, families, pharmacists or physicians
Records beginning and end times of each session
Signs and dates all documentation
Demonstrates leadership by utilizing the concepts inherent to the practice of a professional physician assistant.
Demonstrates an ability to problem solve independently utilizing critical thinking skills and seeks assistance from immediate supervisor when appropriate
Maintains accountability for actions taken
Effectively functions as a resource person
Acts as a patient advocate
Performs effectively in the role of preceptor/mentor to new hire/students
Participates in Performance Improvement activities designed to enhance the quality of patient care, customer service, or practice efficiencies.
Identifies initiatives to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction
Assists in chart review/audits as needed for performance improvement data collection
Supports initiatives implemented to improve patient outcomes and or efficiencies
Provides for patient safety in compliance with hospital and or physician practice policies.
Adheres to infection control processes, including standard precautions, to reduce the risk of acquiring or transmitting infections
Utilizes two forms of patient identification before implementing any form of patient care
Practices the National Patient Safety Goals
Performs any and all other duties as assigned and appropriate.