Physician Assistant or Acute Care Nurse Practitioner - Cardiothoracic Critical Care Intensive Care Unit (CTICU), Full-time, Rotating
About The Position
Northwestern Medicine is hiring a Physician Assistant or Acute Care Nurse Practitioner for its Cardiothoracic Critical Care Intensive Care Unit (CTICU). The role provides comprehensive, collaborative management of CTICU patients, including heart, lung, and dual-organ transplant patients. The advanced practice provider works with critical care and surgical services, coordinates consultative care, manages medications and ventilatory needs, and oversees cardiac support devices and post-transplant protocols. The position includes direct patient care, clinical assessment and documentation, patient and family education, emergency response, and collaboration with other disciplines. It also includes mentoring students, supporting staff education, and participating in quality improvement and research activities relevant to the specialty. Shifts are 13 hours, with start and end times of 6 a.m.–7 p.m. or 6 p.m.–7 a.m. The schedule includes rotating days, nights, and weekends, with an option for 100% nights if preferred. Weekends and holidays are assigned.
Requirements
- Master’s degree from an accredited school or college of nursing, or a master’s degree from an accredited Physician Assistant program.
- For the nurse practitioner pathway: current Illinois Registered Nurse license, current Illinois Advanced Practice Registered Nurse license, and certification as an APRN by a national certifying body approved by the Illinois Department of Regulation APRN Board.
- For the physician assistant pathway: current Illinois Physician Assistant license.
- Credentialing and privileging through the Northwestern Medicine Medical Staff Office.
- Basic Life Support certification issued by the American Heart Association.
- Once licensed, may apply for a controlled substance license and DEA number.
Responsibilities
- Provide comprehensive, collaborative management of patients in the CTICU, including heart, lung, and dual-organ transplant patients.
- Develop and implement plans of care in collaboration with critical care and surgical services.
- Coordinate consultative services and incorporate them into patient care when clinically indicated.
- Prescribe and manage medications, including vasoactive drugs and antibiotics.
- Manage patients’ ventilatory status and needs in partnership with respiratory therapy.
- Perform or assist with procedures such as central line placement, arterial line insertion, chest tube management, and bronchoscopy.
- Complete timely and accurate problem-based, system-oriented documentation of patients’ clinical status.
- Respond to and lead emergency response situations in the intensive care unit.
- Educate patients and families throughout the clinical course.
- Oversee and manage cardiac support devices, including intra-aortic balloon pumps, Impellas, and ECMO.
- Partner with transplant services to monitor and enact post-transplant protocols, including immunosuppression, invasive rejection monitoring, and discharge planning.
- Conduct comprehensive health appraisals, including health histories and physical examinations, and provide direct clinical care.
- Order and interpret medications, therapies, laboratory tests, x-rays, and procedures within clinical privileges; evaluate patients’ further care needs and make referrals as appropriate.
- Document care, education, and procedures in the medical record.
- Consult with other disciplines and integrate research-based knowledge and clinical expertise into decision-making.
- Maintain required certifications and continuing education for licensure and privileging.
- Mentor graduate students and serve as a role model and preceptor to students.
- Develop and participate in educational programs for patients, families, staff, and other groups.
- Participate in quality improvement, research, committees, and task forces as appropriate.
- Advocate for patients, families, coworkers, and the community, and exemplify the organization’s Patients First commitment.
Benefits
- Competitive benefits, including tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness.
- 401(k) matching.
- Lifecycle benefits.
- $5,000 sign-on bonus.
