JOB SUMMARY:

The Critical Care Nurse Practitioner (NP) works in collaboration with a multidisciplinary health care team. The NP provides healthcare in critical care settings, including surgical and medical ICUs. The NP has didactic education, clinical competency and national certification in identified area of clinical practice. The NP demonstrates medical knowledge, clinical judgment, technical competence, professionalism, interpersonal communication skills, timely and compliant documentation, and is responsible for professional development and competency validation. The NP has an advanced knowledge of nursing theory and application.


KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Obtains and documents a health history; performs and documents complete, system-focused, or symptom-specific physical examination, assessment and plan of care.
• In collaboration, provides healthcare services for primary, acute and complex care of patients and manages patient's overall care, identifying expected outcomes for diagnoses.
• Orders, performs, interprets and collects data using appropriate assessment techniques, relevant supporting diagnostic information and diagnostic procedures where indicated.
• Forms differential diagnoses and treats acute and chronic conditions.
• Prescribes therapeutic interventions both pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic and surgical, needed to achieve expected outcomes.
• Utilizes evidence-based, approved practice protocols in planning and implementing care;
• Initiates appropriate referrals and consultations;
• Provides specialty specific consultation services upon request and within specialty scope of practice;
• Facilitates the patient's transition between and within health care settings, such as admitting, transferring, and discharging patients.

Shift:

Variable night 12 hour shifts-4 week block schedule/10-11 shifts a block

Patient and Family Education:

• Conduct and/or coordinate education to increase the knowledge of patient, patient family, and others. Providing appropriate instruction based on patient needs to support the continuum of care.
• Train other staff in areas of clinical expertise. Provides teaching of students as appropriate to increase their clinical knowledge and ensure safe patient care.
• Stay abreast of current trends in healthcare practice and participate in continuing medical education to ensure optimal clinical knowledge and effective patient care skill.

Consultation/Collaboration:

• Coordinates and collaborates patient care efforts with other care providers.
• Communicates clinical information timely, accurately, thoroughly, and appropriately to other providers of patient care.
• Collaborate with other care providers in the effective sharing of practice expertise.

Research:

• Coordinate with the Quality Improvement Coordinator to facilitate research and utilize evidence-based practice to promote quality patient care, protocol development, care process

Patient and Family Centered Care

Demonstrates care that is compassionate, appropriate and effective for the promotion of health, prevention of illness, treatment of disease and care at the end of life. Within scope of licensure and certification, manages previously diagnosed and undiagnosed patients. Uses health assessment skills to differentiate between normal variations of normal, and abnormal findings. Employs screening and diagnostic strategies in the development of diagnoses. Prescribes medications within scope of practice. Manages health/illness status of patients and families over time and across the continuum. Provides patient-centered care recognizing cultural diversity and the patient or designee as a full partner in decision making. Creates a climate of patient-centered care to include confidentiality privacy, comfort, emotional support, mutual trust, and respect. Incorporates cultural and spiritual preferences, values and beliefs into health care. Preserves the patient's control over decision making by negotiating a mutually acceptable plan of care. Integrates ethical principles into decision making. Uses electronic health record to capture data on variables for the evaluation and management of patient care. Clearly documents findings, assessment and plan of care.

Clinical Knowledge and Practice

Demonstrates established and evolving biomedical, clinical and social sciences, and the application of their knowledge to patient care and the education of others. Demonstrates knowledge of population focus but also other sciences that support his/her field of practice. Demonstrates knowledge of common and important health issues affecting society and other societies around the globe. Demonstrates commitment in maintaining current evidence based knowledge through continuous learning. Educates patients, families, students and other members of the healthcare team in clinical topics and application of clinical knowledge.

Practice-Based Scholarly Inquiry and Integration

Demonstrates the use of scientific evidence and methods to investigate, evaluate and improve patient care practices. Anticipates variations in practice and is proactive in implementing interventions to improve quality. Uses best available evidence to continuously improve quality of clinical practice. Reviews data and evidences to improve advanced practice.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

Demonstrates interpersonal and communication skills that enable them to establish and maintain professional relationships with patients, families, and other members of health care teams. Communicates practice knowledge effectively both orally and in writing.

Professionalism

Demonstrates behaviors that reflect a commitment to continuous professional development, ethical practice, an understanding and sensitivity to diversity and a responsible attitude toward patients, the profession and society. Participates in medical center committees, professional organizations and activities that influence advanced practice and/or health outcomes of a population focus.

Health Systems and Policy Management

Demonstrates both an understanding of the contexts and systems in which health care is provided, and the ability to apply this knowledge to improve and optimize health care. Understands the importance of advocacy for improved access, quality and cost-effective care. Minimizes risk to patients and providers at the individual and system level. Collaborates in planning for transitions across the continuum of care. Understands organizational practice and complex systems to contribute to improving health care delivery. Demonstrates commitment to systems improvement such as serving on medical center committees.

Qualifications - External

Master's Degree (or equivalent experience) Nursing and < 1 year relevant experience

Licensure, Certification, and/or Registration (LCR):

• Registered Nurse Required

Additional Qualification Information:

• 12 months of nursing experience preferred. 12 months of nurse practitioner experience with specific patient population preferred. Tennessee Advanced Practice Nursing License with Certificate of Fitness to Prescribe (Required within 3 months of hire).National Specialty Board Certification in Acute or Critical Care, specific to age population; Eligible for NPI and DEA (which will be required within 3 months of hire)

Vanderbilt Health recognizes that diversity is essential for excellence and innovation. We are committed to an inclusive environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and to the principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. EOE/AA/Women/Minority/Vets/Disabled

Master's Degree (or equivalent experience) Nursing and < 1 year relevant experience

Licensure, Certification, and/or Registration (LCR):

• Registered Nurse Required

Additional Qualification Information:

• 12 months of nursing experience preferred. 12 months of nurse practitioner experience with specific patient population preferred. Tennessee Advanced Practice Nursing License with Certificate of Fitness to Prescribe (Required within 3 months of hire).National Specialty Board Certification in Acute or Critical Care, specific to age population; Eligible for NPI and DEA (which will be required within 3 months of hire)

Physical Requirements/Strengths needed & Physical Demands:

• Heavy Work category requiring exertion of 50 to 100 lbs. of force occasionally and/or up to 20 to 50 lbs. of force frequently and/or up to 10 to 20 lbs. of force continually to move objects.

Movement

• Occasional: Sitting: Remaining in seated position
• Occasional: Lifting over 35 lbs: Raising and lowering objects from one level to another, includes upward pulling over 35 lbs, with help of coworkers or assistive device
• Occasional: Carrying under 35 lbs: Transporting an object holding in hands, arms or shoulders, with help of coworkers or assistive device.
• Occasional: Bending/Stooping: Trunk bending downward and forward by bending spine at waist requiring full use of lower extremities and back muscles
• Occasional: Climbing: Ascending or descending stairs/ramps using feet and legs and/or hands and arms.
• Occasional: Kneeling:Bending legs at knees to come to rest on knee or knees.
• Occasional: Crouching/Squatting: Bending body downward and forward by bending legs and spine.Reaching above shoulders: Extending arms in any direction above shoulders.
• Occasional: Reaching above shoulders: Extending arms in any direction above shoulders.
• Frequent: Standing: Remaining on one's feet without moving.
• Frequent: Walking: Moving about on foot.
• Frequent: Lifting under 35 lbs: Raising and lowering objects under 35 lbs from one level to another
• Frequent: Push/Pull: Exerting force to move objects away from or toward.
• Frequent: Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling when walking, standing, crouching or maneuvering self, patient and equipment simultaneously while working in large and small spaces
• Frequent: Reaching below shoulders: Extending arms in any direction below shoulders.
• Frequent: Handling: Seizing, holding, grasping, turning or otherwise working with hand or hands.
• Frequent: Fingering: Picking, pinching, gripping, working primarily with fingers requiring fine manipulation.

Sensory

• Frequent: Communication: Expressing or exchanging written/verbal/electronic information.
• Continuous: Auditory: Perceiving the variances of sounds, tones and pitches and able to focus on single source of auditory information
• Continuous: Vision: Clarity of near vision at 20 inches or less and far vision at 20 feet or more with depth perception, peripheral vision, color vision.
• Continuous: Smell: Ability to detect and identify odors.
• Continuous: Feeling: Ability to perceive size, shape, temperature, texture by touch with fingertips.

Environmental Conditions

• Occasional: Chemicals and Gasses: Medications, cleaning chemicals, oxygen, other medical gases used in work area.
• Frequent: Pathogens: Risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens and other contagious illnesses.