The Advanced Practice Provider (APP) facilitates the delivery of quality, evidenced based patient care, while promoting efficiency and effective patient outcomes of Neurosurgical Spine patients. They will demonstrate expert clinical decision making related to Neurosurgical/Spine health related issues and diagnosis.

The APP will function in collaboration with the neurosurgery physician group in the care of adult patients with critical illness.  They will perform physical exams, collect and document data, organize diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, order and schedule laboratory studies and professional consults, prescribe appropriate interventions and medications, and provide direct patient care services in the neurosurgical critical care setting.

The APP will contribute to excellence in patient care, research, teaching, consulting and provide leadership within the organization and the nursing profession.

Provide direct clinical services for critically ill adult patients with multiple medical problems or disease in collaboration with the neurosurgery physician team.

• Obtain patient health histories and complete physical examinations.  Document pertinent normal and abnormal findings and narrative summaries within the medical record.

• Order and interpret appropriate diagnostic and laboratory tests.  Explain the necessity, risks and benefits of anticipated procedures to patients, family and other staff. 

• Organize, perform and document approved therapeutic or diagnostic procedures based upon patient’s clinical status.

• Formulate and initiate treatment plan for acute illness management in collaboration with neurosurgery physician team.

• Utilize prescriptive privileges within the confines of Kentucky state law.

• Asses patients for change in status and institute appropriate interventions. Initiate necessary emergency interventions to stabilize patients.

• Provide patient-family centered care by communicating effectively with patients and family members.

• Utilize current research and evidenced based practice decision making in all clinical practice.  Incorporate clinical research findings in the development and implementation of standards of care.

• Support clinical research as conducted by the neurosurgery physician team.

• Serve as a clinical leader and expert to nursing staff and members of the multidisciplinary team

• Demonstrate responsibility for professional practice through active participation in hospital led Advanced Practice Practitioner initiatives, participation in professional organizations and continuing education.

• Demonstrates expert ability in clinical decision making related to neurosurgical health care related issues.

• Collaboratively work with service chiefs, physicians, nursing and other interdisciplinary departments to achieve hospital defined goals.

• Performs all other activities by proactively identifying problems and solutions for the welfare of the patients, community and hospital.

• Maintain Neurosurgical Spine Database

• Perform other duties as assigned.

University of Louisville Hospital Core Expectations:

• Collaboration & Teamwork: works cooperatively and collaboratively with others toward the accomplishment of shared goals

• Valuing Diversity: recognizing and embracing the unique talents and contributions of others.

• Service Orientation: desire to serve and focus one’s efforts on discovering and meeting the needs of internal and external customers.

• Achieves Results: reflects a drive to achieve and outperform. Continuously looking for improvements. Accepts responsibility for actions and results.

• Organizational Alignment: ability to align people, processes and organizational structure with UMC’s strategic direction.

• Developing Others: views people, their knowledge and capabilities as assets and provides opportunities that allow employees to continuously learn and develop.

• Communication: practices attentive and active listening and can restate opinions of others; communicates messages in a way that has the desired effect.

• Integrity: conducts business with honesty and professional ethics. Seeks to achieve results in the best interest of the organization. Models and reinforces ethical behavior in self and others.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Demonstrates a commitment to service, organization values and professionalism through appropriate conduct and demeanor at all times.

• Adheres to and exhibits our core values.

Integrity: Moral wholeness, soundness, uprightness, honesty and sincerity as a basis of trustworthiness.

Excellence: Outstanding achievement, merit, virtue; continually surpassing standards to achieve/maintain quality.

• Maintains confidentiality and protects sensitive data at all times.

• Adheres to organizational and department specific safety standards and guidelines.

• Works collaboratively and supports efforts of team members.

• Demonstrates exceptional customer service and interacts effectively with physicians, patients, residents, visitors, staff and the broader health care community.

Skills, Knowledge or Abilities critical to this role:

• Must have strong relationship building skills and the ability to make and use connections throughout UofL Hospital to complete projects and maintain strong partnerships with other departments

• Must have strong initiative and be able to gather and analyze information skillfully and be able to brainstorm alternative resources and directions.

• Must be able to break down complex tasks into manageable parts in a systematic, detailed way and considers input from several sources.

• Must be detail orientation in gathering relevant data while attending to essential details; checks work for accuracy and quality.

• Must be able to problem-solve by identifying and resolving problems in a time manner, as well as develop alternative solutions when needed.

• Must have great flexibility and the ability to continually look for ways to make appropriate adjustments and changes – rather than identifying why things cannot be accomplished.

Language Ability:

Must be able to communicate effectively in both verbal and written formats.

Reasoning Ability:  Must have the ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.  Must have the ability to interpret an extensive variety of instructions and deliver successful results

Computer Skills: Must have strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office products.  Capacity to learn other relevant systems.  Has worked with electronic medical records previously

Job Requirements / Qualifications

Education / Accreditation / Licensure (required & preferred):

• Master’s degree required.

• Must hold valid Advanced Practice Licensure in the state of Kentucky (PA or APRN).

• ACNP preferred, not required

Experience (required and preferred):

Prefer academic medical center experience.  Prefer ICU experience as APP or RN