The specialty nurse practitioner (NP) in the respective setting works in collaboration with a multidisciplinary health care team. The specialty NP is generally service/physician aligned, managing a distinct patient population. The NP may be required to perform some coordination of outpatient and inpatient care and facilitate discharges/outpatient follow up. The specialty NP has a strong foundation in evidenced based practice/education and is responsible for ensuring adherence to clinical pathways/protocols and ensures an environment of safe quality care. The NP demonstrates an advanced level of medical and nursing knowledge, clinical/technical competence, sound clinical judgment, professional communication skills, timely and compliant documentation, and responsible for professional development and competency validation.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Assessment of Health Status
Performs and documents in the medical record a complete history and physical examination for acute and complex chronically ill patients
Orders and collects data using appropriate assessment techniques, relevant supporting diagnostic information and diagnostic procedures where indicated.
The nurse practitioner may serve as the first responder for both nursing and house staff in the event of patient status changes, orders, and in situations requiring procedural and resuscitative interventions.
Assesses for risks associated with the care of the acute and complex chronically ill patient including medication side effects, immobility, impaired nutrition, fluid and electrolyte imbalance, immunocompetence, invasive interventions and diagnostic procedures.
Coordinates daily clinic schedule with the attending physician team, presents patient report, collaborates in plan of care, and follows assigned patient population.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis
Manages diagnostic tests through ordering, interpretation, performance, and supervision.
Formulates differential diagnoses by priority.
Diagnoses complications and orders appropriate interventions.
Formulates Plan of Care
Identifies expected outcomes from diagnosis, and formulates and documents a plan of care to address complex acute and chronic health care needs.
Utilizes evidenced based practice guidelines or protocols in an individualized, dynamic plan of care that can be applied across the continuum.
Implements and modifies plan of care
Prescribes diagnostic strategies and therapeutic interventions both pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic, and surgical, needed to achieve expected outcomes.
Manages further diagnostic tests through ordering, interpretation, performance, and supervision.
May perform advanced procedures consistent with privileges and competency validation, including minor suturing, complex wound management, line and tube placements and removals
Communication and Collaboration
Maintains ongoing communication and collaboration with interdisciplinary health care team.
Facilitates and communicates with patient, family and staff to promote continuity of care across the outpatient continuum of care.
Documentation
Documents/dictates key components of patient's progress via daily progress note, transfer, and discharge summary, and/or clinic note where applicable. (h&p, daily progress notes, plan of care, problem lists, procedure notes, acute event note, discharge summaries in medical record per specific patient unit or service, death summary)
Documentation is timely, meets critical care compliance standards and captures patient acuity.
Professional Practice
Demonstrates Professional Practice behaviors including: preceptor/mentoring, education and instruction of students, nursing staff, nurses, graduate and novice nurse practitioners,
Seeks opportunities for active engagement in research and the analysis of evidenced based practice.
Actively participates in Grand Rounds, APN council meetings, faculty and unit meetings, M&M presentations.
Maintains CEUs, and membership in a professional organization.
Position Qualifications:
Required:
Master's Degree (or equivalent experience) and < 1 year experience. 12 months of category specific (ambulatory, acute or critical) nursing experience preferred. Advanced practice nursing experience desirable in specific area.
Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded and your abilities challenged. It is a place where your diversity -- of culture, thinking, learning and leading -- is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt's mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.
Our Nursing Philosophy:
We believe highly skilled and specialized nursing care is essential to Vanderbilt University Medical Center's mission of quality in patient care, education and research. We believe nursing is an applied art and science focused on helping people, families and communities reach excellent health and well-being.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center is home to Vanderbilt University Hospital, The Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, the Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital and the Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital. These hospitals experienced more than 61,000 inpatient admissions during fiscal year 2015. Vanderbilt’s adult and pediatric clinics treated nearly 2 million patients during this same period.Vanderbilt University Hospital and the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt are recognized again this year by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals as among the nation’s best with 18 nationally ranked specialties. Vanderbilt University Medical Center is world renowned because of the innovation, work ethic and collegiality of its employees. From our health care advances to our compassionate care, Vanderbilt owes its accomplishments and reputation to staff and faculty who bring skill and drive and innovation to the medical center day after day. World-leading academic departments and comprehensive centers of excellence pursue scientific discoveries and transformational educational and clinical advances across the entire spectrum of health and disease.As th...e largest employer in middle Tennessee, we welcome those who are interested in ongoing development in a caring, culturally sensitive and professional atmosphere. Most of us spend so much of our lives at work, we want to be part of maintaining a workplace in which people support one another and encourage reaching for excellence. Many high-achieving employees stay at Vanderbilt because of the professional growth they experience and because of their appreciation of Vanderbilt’s benefits, public events and discussions, athletic opportunities, beautiful setting and, above all, sense of community and purpose.Vanderbilt and its employees share a set of mutual expectations that have been created with productivity, legality, fairness and safety always in mind. We believe that our investment in training and compensating employees multiplies in value when we enable individuals to deliver their best performance for the benefit of us all.
