Overview

The Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care is a licensed professional nurse collaborating with physicians for prescriptive authority or the Chief Medical Officer for the Hospital; they provide direct, comprehensive, preventative and therapeutic healthcare to patients and families including assessment, diagnosis, treatment, prescription, counseling and instruction in compliance with Nurse Practitioner Protocols and all regulations governing APRNs. The APRN may provide healthcare for which the APRN is educationally prepared and for which competence has been attained and maintained. Responsible for all aspects of coordination of rapid response team (RRT) program including codes sepsis, stroke, fiscal accountability, time and resources. Perform other duties as assigned.

Nurse Practitioner-Acute Care will be responsible for the evaluation, physical assessment, and assignment of patients to the appropriate specialty physician based on established protocols. Provides the full coordination of referred or transferring patients from outlying facilities and assumes the acceptance and assignment of unassigned patients.

Responsibilities

• Rapid Response Team Coordination

Responsible for responding to RRT calls initiated by family or staff which include the following, but is not an all-inclusive list: nurse concerns, Codes Blue, STEMI, Stroke/Stroke Red, Fall, Gray, Sepsis, SIRS alerts, increased MEWS score, Cortrak placement, IV/IO access, serving as a nursing resource and completing unit rounds.

• Patient Assessment

Accurately assesses patient conditions and documents effectively to support charges and to communicate with other providers.

Provides comprehensive patient assessment, including functional, mental, social and physical conditions. Establishes accurate diagnosis.

Seeks consultation/supervision of physician as needed to confirm proper assessment.

• Patient Treatment

Rounds on patients at risk during shift assisting nurses to ensure effective care delivery.

Independently implements and documents patient care treatments and maintains skills requisite to the position for which he/she is placed.

Utilizes multidisciplinary team services in treatment plan.

Appropriately involves patients and caregivers in treatment planning.

Provides interface between clinic and other providers to assure timely, comprehensive services for patients.

Independently develops and implements treatment plans and evaluates patient's outcome.

Complies with all statues and regulations governing Advanced Practitioner Nurses and functions within the legal boundaries of the APRN category.

Responds in appropriate manner during patient emergency situations.

Provides supervisory support for outpatient therapeutic services as needed.

• Program Development

Independently identifies program weaknesses/gaps in service and develops solutions to improving patient care and customer services.

Provides professional and community education with regard to health issues.

Participates in community services events as needed.

Takes responsibility for clearly communicating patient needs, care plans and problem resolution to physicians and other health care team.

Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications

Required Education and Experience

Graduate from an accredited Nurse Practitioner Program

Required Licensure and Certifications

Current Kentucky APRN licensure required (or temporary authorization to perform as APRN applicant, if recent graduate).

Required Minimum Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Training

Minimum of three years full-time experience as RN in specialty area. Must possess and maintain required certifications (please refer to license and certification grid). Demonstrated clinical competence; ability to collaborate with others; ability to initiate and plan own activities; effective patient/staff teaching. Must apply for hospital privileges.