Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant - Neonatology

Medical University of South Carolina•Charleston, SC

10h

About The Position

The Advanced Practice Provider (APP) covering neonatal and newborn services reports to the Neonatal APP Lead and manages a caseload of neonatal patients in consultation and collaboration with Neonatologists. The APP uses extensive knowledge of pathophysiology, pharmacology, and physiology, and exercises independent judgment in assessing, diagnosing, and managing neonatal patients. The APP provides individualized, safe, effective, goal-directed care to patients and families to achieve desired results. The APP provides neonatal intensive care and newborn services for patients from birth up to age 3, with duties focused on patients ages 0 to 1. The position attends intermediate- and high-risk deliveries, performs resuscitation interventions, manages a designated caseload, determines daily plans of care in collaboration with the healthcare team, and performs skilled procedures under protocol. The APP maintains clinical responsibilities throughout each scheduled shift and collaborates on scheduling to ensure coverage of days, nights, weekends, and holidays. The position is a full-time, salaried/exempt employee role with 40 scheduled weekly hours. Shifts vary and are scheduled as 14 shifts of 13 hours per month, with rotating nights, weekends, and holidays. The APP reports directly to an assigned Primary Supervising/Collaborating Physician employed by MUSC. The role may include precepting advanced practice provider students and facilitating the learning of new team members.

Requirements

Completion of an accredited Physician Assistant program and current or eligible licensure as a Physician Assistant, or completion of an accredited Nurse Practitioner program and current or eligible licensure as an APRN.
Physician Assistants must have at least one year of neonatal intensive care experience; a NICU fellowship may count toward this experience.
Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioners in Acute Care (CPNP-AC) must have at least one year of neonatal intensive care experience; a NICU fellowship may count toward this experience.
Current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) certification or American Red Cross BLS for Healthcare Providers certification before the start date.
Neonatal Resuscitation Program certification.
If applicable, DHEC and DEA license applications must be started before the first day.
Ability to perform physical assessment of normal and high-risk newborns and use risk-screening and developmental assessment tools.
Ability to use specialized equipment for critically ill neonates, including ventilators, high-frequency ventilation, cardiorespiratory monitors, oxygen saturation monitors, transcutaneous PO2/PCO2 monitors, and phototherapy equipment.
Ability to function independently in a critical-care environment and lead care for infants.
Skill in interpreting laboratory findings.
Ability to provide care appropriate to patient age and developmental level, taking family needs into account.
Ability to perform maternal and newborn consultations, communicate findings, and provide neonatal resuscitation and technical procedures.
Sound oral and written communication, diagnostic, and analytical skills.
Physical ability to stand, walk, sit, bend, kneel, climb stairs, reach in all directions, use both hands and legs, perform repetitive motions, and have good finger dexterity.
Ability to qualify physically for respirator use, initially and as required; maintain corrected 20/40 vision; recognize objects close at hand and at a distance; work in a latex-safe environment and indoors.
Ability to frequently lift, lower, push, pull, or carry objects weighing approximately 50 pounds unassisted, exert up to 50 pounds of force, and lift 25 pounds from 36 inches to overhead.
Ability to infrequently work in dusty areas and confined or cramped spaces.

Responsibilities

Take comprehensive histories and perform physical examinations.
Evaluate and treat patients based on history, physical examination, imaging, laboratory, and other diagnostic test results, pursuant to the practice agreement or scope-of-practice guideline.
Perform therapeutic and technical procedures within approved procedural privileges, skill, and proficiency, including intubation; central venous and arterial line placement; chest tube insertion and removal; thoracentesis; suprapubic bladder tap; lumbar puncture; paracentesis; exchange transfusion; arterial puncture; and peripheral arterial line placement.
Initiate referrals to other healthcare providers and consult with the attending or collaborating physician.
Document and bill for direct care provided.
Use current research and evidence-based decision-making in clinical practice.
Participate in quality and performance improvement activities and clinical research.
Support organizational accreditation, compliance, and regulatory activities.
Maintain professional practice through participation in professional organizations and continuing education.
Maintain required licenses, certifications, and continuing education as required by policy and state law.
Ensure implementation of established guidelines for managing neonatology patients.
Collaborate with other disciplines to provide effective and efficient services, involving unit staff and representatives from other disciplines in decision-making.
Use research and benchmark data when planning and evaluating service operations; develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate service-specific goals based on organizational and departmental goals.
Promote and maintain a safe, welcoming hospital environment.
Attend intermediate- and high-risk deliveries independently and perform required resuscitation interventions, including endotracheal intubation, chest compressions, line placement, arterial sticks, and medication administration.
Perform maternal and newborn consultations and communicate findings.
Lead the care team using diagnostic and analytical skills.
Perform neonatal intensive care and admission procedures for a designated caseload, including obtaining family history and conducting complete physical examinations.
Order appropriate diagnostic testing, including radiologic and laboratory studies, and accurately interpret findings.
Determine the daily plan of care for assigned neonates in collaboration with neonatologists, fellows, residents, interns, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other healthcare team members.
Write daily orders for fluids, medications, nutrition, and respiratory management.
Communicate orally and in writing, document daily patient progress, and write discharge and death summaries.
Perform highly skilled procedures under protocol, including lumbar punctures, needle aspiration, chest tube placement, arterial catheterization, PICC placement, and suprapubic bladder taps.
Monitor nursing care and serve as a role model and educator for nursing staff, student nurse practitioners, and residents.
Maintain clinical patient responsibilities throughout scheduled shifts and ensure appropriate coverage when away from the unit.
Participate in collaborative scheduling to cover day, night, weekend, and holiday shifts and maintain patient safety.
Potentially precept MUSC advanced practice provider students and facilitate learning for new team members.
Obtain consent for invasive procedures as required.
Incorporate explanations and health education into care for high-risk neonates and their families.