Nurse Practitioner - ICU, FT Nights

Memorial Hermann Health System•Houston, TX

About The Position

The Nurse Practitioner provides comprehensive patient care through systematic assessment, diagnosis, treatment, management, and in-hospital follow-up throughout the disease process, in accordance with the Texas Nurse Practice Act and Memorial Hermann Health System standards of care. This position supports an 8-bed CVICU and a 22-bed ICU, shares responsibilities with five attending physicians, and discusses cases with the intensivist each shift. The team consists of 10 NPs, including four day NPs, two night NPs, and four PRN NPs. The schedule is three 12-hour night shifts each week, paid as 80 hours, with work every other Saturday and Sunday. The NP arrives at 7 p.m., fields RN calls, admissions, and emergent procedures, and carries a Spectra Link to receive calls from unit RNs. Credentialing takes approximately two to three months, and the start date follows credentialing. The role works under the authority and supervision of an attending physician and as part of an interdisciplinary team. It includes assessing, triaging, and managing patient and family needs; obtaining histories and conducting examinations; reviewing and ordering diagnostic tests and imaging; creating and managing treatment plans; and performing procedures within the stated scope. The NP also contributes to care planning, clinical guidelines and protocols, research and teaching, patient and family education, quality improvement, and the professional development of colleagues.

Requirements

Graduate of a Nurse Practitioner program approved by the State of Texas; for trauma practice, graduate of a State of Texas-approved Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program.
Current Texas license to practice professional nursing.
Certification by ANCC, National Certification Center in the area of specialty, AANP, or AACN Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certification.
Basic Life Support certification and current ACLS, PALS, or NRP certification.
Two years of clinical nursing experience in the area of intended practice.
For the advertised role: AGACNP required; FNP is not accepted.
For the advertised role: five or more years of RN experience in critical care.
Work every other weekend, Saturday and Sunday, and three 12-hour night shifts each week.
For trauma practice, ATLS certification is required within six months of hire.

Nice To Haves

Master of Nursing preferred.
Experienced ICU Nurse Practitioner strongly preferred; a new-graduate APP with a strong ICU RN background may be considered.
CV experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

Assess, triage, and therapeutically manage patient and family needs throughout the disease process as part of an interdisciplinary team.
Obtain medical histories and perform physical examinations.
Review and order diagnostic tests and radiographic results; formulate and manage patient treatment plans and outcomes.
Provide interventions including arterial and central line placement, pulmonary artery catheter placement, lumbar puncture, intubation, chest tube removal, and thoracentesis.
Make rounds with interdisciplinary teams and discuss cases with the intensivist each shift.
Field RN phone calls, admissions, and emergent procedures; carry the Spectra Link to take calls from unit RNs.
Collaborate in the development and evaluation of patient care, and update clinical guidelines, protocols, and pathways.
Work autonomously while accepting accountability for outcomes; sign orders in accordance with institutional and state board requirements.
Collaborate in research and teaching projects and apply research to practice.
Educate patients and families about care and resources; participate in process improvement and multidisciplinary clinical outcome improvement activities.
Ensure safe care and comply with Memorial Hermann policies, procedures, and standards, including time management, supply management, productivity, and quality of service.
Meet mandatory and continuing education and skills competency requirements; support department goals and serve as a preceptor, mentor, and resource to less experienced staff.
Provide compassionate, personalized, safe, and efficient experiences to patients and colleagues.
Perform other duties as assigned.