NURSE PRACTITION-GASTROENTEROLOGY

Forrest General Hospital•Hattiesburg, MS

About The Position

The Nurse Practitioner provides comprehensive, evidence-informed outpatient gastroenterology care to new and established patients in the Gastroenterology Clinic. The NP evaluates patients referred by gastroenterologists and independently manages assigned patients, including diagnostic evaluation, treatment planning, medication management, patient education, and longitudinal follow-up. Practice must remain within Mississippi APRN requirements, required physician collaboration, organizational policy, and the NP’s individual competency. The NP collaborates with gastroenterologists and the interdisciplinary team. In the future, the NP may take on approved GI Ambulatory Surgery Center responsibilities, but only after required credentialing, privileging, training, authorization, and competency confirmation. This job description does not authorize independent endoscopy, sedation administration, anesthesia services, or procedural discharge decisions without separate authorization and privileges.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited nurse practitioner educational program.
Master’s or doctoral degree appropriate to the NP role.
Licensed as an APRN by the Mississippi State Board of Nursing; due upon hire.
Family Nurse Practitioner certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) is required.
Practice within Mississippi APRN requirements, required physician collaboration, organizational policy, and individual competency.

Nice To Haves

Previous work experience as a Family Nurse Practitioner is preferred.

Responsibilities

Conduct and document comprehensive and focused histories, examinations, risk assessments, and individualized plans for assigned new and established GI patients.
Evaluate and manage GI conditions appropriate to training and scope, consulting or referring when indicated.
Order, review, interpret, communicate, and follow up on laboratory tests, imaging, stool studies, and other diagnostic findings; track clinically significant results.
Prescribe, reconcile, monitor, and adjust medications within applicable authority, and counsel patients on medication benefits, risks, interactions, and adherence.
Identify red-flag symptoms and clinical deterioration and initiate appropriate urgent evaluation, escalation, emergency response, or transfer.
Provide preventive counseling and guideline-based screening recommendations, including colorectal cancer screening and surveillance when appropriate.
Evaluate patients for colonoscopy, EGD, and other GI procedures; initiate referrals and coordinate with gastroenterologists and scheduling staff.
Provide bowel-preparation and medication-management instructions within approved protocols, escalating higher-risk questions as appropriate.
Review endoscopy and pathology findings, communicate results and next steps within assigned responsibilities, and arrange timely follow-up.
Manage ongoing follow-up for assigned patients and coordinate referrals and longitudinal care with relevant specialties and care providers.
Support transitions following emergency or inpatient care.
Address patient portal messages, refill requests, and telephone encounters according to established service and escalation standards.
Maintain complete, accurate, and timely Epic documentation, including medical decision-making, orders, counseling, and follow-up plans.
Use evidence-based practices and follow infection-prevention, patient-identification, medication-safety, and privacy safeguards; report safety events and near misses.
Collaborate with physicians, RNs, medical assistants, schedulers, and administrative personnel, delegating only legally and organizationally permitted tasks.
Participate in clinical quality improvement, patient-access initiatives, professional education, and required competency activities.
Promote Forrest Health’s purpose and promise and perform other related duties consistent with licensure, privileges, competency, and organizational policy.
If formally approved and appropriately credentialed and privileged, provide designated ASC pre-procedure evaluations, medical-history review, risk identification, and post-procedure follow-up within approved scope.