Advanced Practice Professional- Palliative Care

Advanced Practice Professional (APP) - Geriatric & Palliative Medicine

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The West Virginia University Health System, the state's largest health system and largest private employer, comprises 18 hospitals throughout the state and bordering states. In addition, it includes five institutes, as well as providing management services for other local hospitals through affiliate agreements. Whether you are caring for our patients at one of the critical access hospitals, community sites, regional or academic medical centers, we are all one WVU Health System. Work Here. Thrive Here.

Position Summary: The Advanced Practice Professional (APP) has coordination and clinical skills required for the comprehensive management of Geriatric & Palliative Medicine patients, including biological, social, and psychological assessments. The APP coordinates involvement of medical specialty teams necessary to develop a comprehensive plan for the patient, and reviews the plan of care with the other members of the clinical team, participates in directing that care, performs diagnostic/therapeutic procedures and coordinates disposition decisions and discharge planning/follow-up (as applicable). The APP participates in the education of residents and medical/nursing students.

Minimum Qualifications for Nurse Practitioner:

Education, Certification, and/or Licensure:

• Graduate of a CCNE accredited nursing program with Master's Degree in Nursing
• National Certification by one of the recognized APRN Certification Centers
• Licensure or eligibility for licensure, as a professional Registered Nurse and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in West Virginia
• BLS Certification required with additional Advanced Life Support training at the discretion of the department

Experience:

• Internal Medicine or Geriatric & Palliative Medicine experience preferred
• Eligible new graduates will be considered

Preferred Qualifications:

Education, Certification, and/or Licensure:

• A CNP or FNP certification preferred

Minimum Qualifications for Physician Assistant:

Education, Certification, and/or Licensure:

• Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree as Physician Assistant or Master's Degree as Physician Assistant required
• Graduate of an ARC-PA approved Physician Assistant (PA) training program required
• Certification by the National Commission for Certification of Physician Assistants required
• Must be licensed or eligible for license by the WV Board of Medicine or WV Board of Osteopathic Medicine
• BLS Certification required with additional Advanced Life Support training at the discretion of the department

Experience:

• Internal Medicine or Geriatric & Palliative Medicine experience preferred
• Eligible new graduates will be considered

Preferred Qualifications:

Education, Certification, and/or Licensure:

• Master's level degree as Physician Assistant preferred

Core Duties and Responsibilities:

The statements described here are intended to describe the general nature of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be constructed as an all-inclusive list of all responsibilities and duties. Other duties may be assigned.

Manages comprehensive and individualized care for Geriatric & Palliative Medicine patients and their families in the inpatient phase of hospitalization immediately post discharge and in the ambulatory setting.

Completes daily rounds; consults and/or pre-procedure/evaluations.

Completes integrated assessments regarding management and disposition of Geriatric & Palliative Medicine patients.

With the collaboration of Geriatric & Palliative Medicine faculty or by following established clinical Guidelines and Protocols, orders additional tests or consults as deemed appropriate.

Performs and communicates results of diagnostic tests following established clinical guidelines and scope of practice.

Consults and communicates with clinic and hospital staff regarding abnormal findings in the evaluations of patients.

Performs succinct comprehensive clinical evaluations and documents findings in medical record.

Facilitates patient discharge and/or disposition by coordinating appropriate services and tests for follow-up appointments in the clinic (as applicable) or location of necessary care arrangements.

Develops a comprehensive individualized plan of care for Geriatric & Palliative Medicine patients, which includes teaching, discharge/disposition planning and necessary referral to other members of the health care team as necessary.

Demonstrates expertise in caring for patients across the age continuum of their educational experience and certification.

Identifies unstable or complex Geriatric & Palliative Medicine patient care situations and facilitates intervention if appropriate in the clinic and/or hospital setting.

Recognizes emergency situations and initiates effective emergency care.

Evaluates Geriatric & Palliative Medicine patients and serves as a coordinator for follow up in the ambulatory setting or longitudinal care facility (as applicable).

Assists in the collection of outcome measures (as applicable).

Demonstrates critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning skills in clinical decision making by the identification, evaluation, and management of the individual Geriatric & Palliative Medicine needs of patients/families.

Demonstrates the ability to utilize equipment in a safe manner.

Bases decisions made/actions taken on the relevant scientific principles, established standards of care and/or research findings.

Utilizes teaching/learning theory and appropriate teaching strategies in the provision of education to nursing staff, hospital staff, students, patients, families, and the community.

Promotes an environment that facilitates learning by responding to appropriate patient/family preferences, priorities, and readiness to learn.

Updates own knowledge base throughout the year.

Completes all identified clinical competencies.

Serves as a resource person for staff caring for the Geriatric & Palliative Medicine patient.

Provides educational programs to professional and paraprofessional personnel in area of expertise.

Participates in community programs, distribution of literature, as appropriate in area of expertise.

Documents the plan of care, interventions, evaluations, and disposition plans in a clear and concise manner for every patient visit in the patient's medical record following approved hospital/UHA policies and compliance standards for documentation.

Collaborates with other leaders and staff to effectively achieve patient outcome based improvements in Geriatric & Palliative Medicine.

Provides leadership in the development and implantation of changes in the Geriatric & Palliative Medicine practice that positively impact patient outcomes.

Works collaboratively with medical and nursing staff to facilitate creative problem solving and provide professional support.

Participates and initiates inter-disciplinary approaches to patient care, program development, and education. Serves as a professional role model.

Promotes and practices innovation of the expanded role in the delivery of care to Geriatric & Palliative Medicine patients and families throughout the inpatient hospitalization, and the ambulatory setting and/or longitudinal facility.

Participates and provides leadership for committees and task forces.

Documents hours and submits billing reports, as appropriate.

Reviews and interprets geriatrics data from sources such as patient registries, clinical and financial reports, length of stay, access to care, and cost per case reports and recommends/implements changes as necessary.

Participates in clinical trials and research studies with the Principal Investigator.

Assists geriatrics Faculty, Administrators, and Directors in the collection of outcome measures.

Other duties/projects as assigned.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Heavy/Hard Work: Work requires strength and/or stamina, lifting, moving, stooping, reaching, positioning of patients, standing, walking, and carrying of patients, materials, and equipment weighting 40+ pounds.

Working Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Working closely with others.

Protracted or irregular hours.

Working around biohazards.

Working around infectious diseases.

Working with or near the deceased.

Working with hands in water.

Electrical hazards associated with patient care equipment.

Skills and Abilities:

Proficiency with computers.

Strong communication skills