Supervisor - PA or CRNP (ACNP) - UPP Neurosurgery UPMC Mercy

UPMC•Pittsburgh, PA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

University of Pittsburgh Physicians is hiring a full-time Supervisor Physician Assistant or Acute Care Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner to support the Neurosurgery department at UPMC Mercy. The role is a clinically active leadership position responsible for clinical and operational leadership of inpatient and outpatient neurosurgical APP teams. It requires advanced neurosurgical knowledge, strong independent clinical judgment, and expertise in education and professional development of neurosurgical APPs. The supervisor practices in a Level I Trauma Center and manages complex, acutely ill neurosurgical patients across the continuum of care. The role moves between inpatient and outpatient settings according to clinical and operational needs and provides hands-on support when patient acuity, staffing, or service demands require it. The inpatient environment includes ICU, stepdown, acute care, rehabilitation, and emergency consult management. The position is scheduled for 40 hours per week on 13-hour day and night shifts. The Supervisor, APP sets standards for quality of care and coordinates and oversees physician assistant and certified registered nurse practitioner functions. The role combines leadership, partnership, collaboration, supervision, and direct patient care, with accountability for care delivered through supervision by and collaboration with a physician. The supervisor manages patient care using independent judgment and collaborates with physicians, other health care providers, patients, and families to achieve desired outcomes. The supervisor provides day-to-day leadership and clinical oversight for the Mercy neurosurgical APP team; leads APP education, onboarding, orientation, and competency development; coordinates staffing and resources; and participates in recruitment, performance evaluation, quality improvement, patient safety, and departmental initiatives. Supervisor status requires supervision of at least three APPs, clinical practice at least 25% of the time, precepting at least one student annually, and a Solid/Strong/Good or higher annual performance evaluation.

Requirements

Active Pennsylvania PA or CRNP licensure and appropriate national certification.
Five years as a certified nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or in relevant managerial experience; at least three of those five years must be APP experience.
Significant clinical experience in neurosurgery or a closely related high-acuity surgical or neurocritical care environment.
Ability to practice with a high degree of clinical independence and manage complex, acutely deteriorating inpatients.
Ability and willingness to practice in both inpatient and outpatient neurosurgery.
Demonstrated experience in APP education, onboarding, mentorship, precepting, or professional development.
Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and conflict-resolution skills.
Ability to make sound clinical decisions and remain effective in a fast-paced Level I Trauma Center.
Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with executives, managers, physicians, providers, staff, departments, patients, and families.
Ability to work productively in a complex environment, manage multiple and changing priorities, and use specialized equipment.
Critical-thinking, analytical, problem-solving, and clinical judgment skills; ability to lead others in applying acceptable standards of practice.
Mobility and visual-manual dexterity; physical stamina for frequent walking, standing, lifting, and positioning of patients.
Successful attainment and maintenance of hospital privileges, if applicable to the business unit practice.
For Physician Assistants: graduation from an ARC-PA-accredited physician assistant program; current state PA license; NCCPA certification; current CPR certification; and Act 34 Clearance.
For Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners: completion of an approved nurse practitioner program; current state RN license and CRNP certification; national certification and eligibility for Pennsylvania licensure and CRNP certification as specified; current CPR certification; and Act 34 Clearance.
To achieve supervisor status: supervise at least three APPs, maintain clinical practice at least 25% of the time, precept at least one student per year, and maintain a Solid/Strong/Good or higher annual performance evaluation.

Nice To Haves

Three years of experience in the department specialty preferred.
Experience specifically educating neurosurgical APPs strongly preferred.
For Physician Assistants: BS or MS preferred.
For Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners: BSN or MSN preferred.
Professional nursing or nurse practitioner experience preferred.
Experience as a physician assistant or in a clinical setting preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide direct neurosurgical patient care in inpatient and outpatient settings as needed.
Evaluate and manage complex neurosurgical patients, including critically ill, trauma, perioperative, and postoperative patients.
Perform and oversee neurosurgical consultations throughout the hospital.
Recognize acute neurologic deterioration and initiate appropriate evaluation, treatment, and escalation of care.
Serve as a clinical resource for APPs managing difficult or high-acuity cases and prioritize competing clinical needs in a busy trauma environment.
Lead clinical education, onboarding, orientation, and ongoing competency development for neurosurgical APPs.
Develop and standardize educational resources, clinical expectations, workflows, and practice standards.
Provide clinical teaching, mentorship, and case-based education; identify competency gaps and create targeted education.
Support new APPs in progressing toward safe, independent neurosurgical practice and promote evidence-based practice.
Provide day-to-day leadership and clinical oversight for inpatient and outpatient neurosurgical APPs at UPMC Mercy.
Coordinate APP resources across inpatient and outpatient services based on volume, acuity, staffing, and operational needs.
Assist with recruitment, onboarding, retention, scheduling, workforce planning, and performance evaluation of APPs.
Participate in quality improvement, patient safety, workflow development, and departmental initiatives.
Facilitate communication among APPs, attending neurosurgeons, residents, nursing, and departmental leadership.
Participate in department-specific quality improvement, use research and evidence-based practice, and support improvements in patient satisfaction, safety, quality, and care plans.
Educate patients and families about their care and transitions, and support students, staff, and colleagues through teaching and precepting.
Develop patient care plans that involve patients as partners, document care comprehensively, communicate patient conditions, and recommend changes in care when appropriate.
Manage daily activities of PAs and CRNPs; oversee compliance, documentation, coding, licensure, audits, and required training.
Organize staffing of clinical sites with attending physicians and the Director of Operations; troubleshoot clinical-area problems and coordinate issue resolution.
Serve as a liaison for APPs and as a primary contact for patient complaints or clinical issues on behalf of the physician in their absence.
Maintain professional development, adapt to change, and contribute to a safe and collaborative work environment.
Demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed to assess and provide care appropriate to patients' age-specific and developmental needs.
Maintain clinical practice at least 25% of the time, supervise at least three APPs, and precept at least one student per year.