Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner

Position Summary

The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) is seeking a Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant to provide palliative care consultative services within a collaborative, interdisciplinary clinical team. This role focuses on delivering patient-centered, goal-concordant care for patients with serious, complex, or life-limiting illness.

The APP will work closely with physicians, nurses, social work, and other members of the care team to support symptom management, goals-of-care discussions, and care coordination across inpatient settings.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide inpatient palliative care consults for hospitalized patients
• Conduct comprehensive patient assessments and symptom evaluations
• Support goals-of-care discussions and advance care planning with patients and families
• Develop and implement individualized symptom management plans
• Collaborate with attending physicians and interdisciplinary teams on care decisions
• Assist with pain and symptom control, including end-of-life care management
• Communicate effectively with patients, families, and healthcare providers
• Document consults, assessments, and treatment plans in the medical record
• Support continuity of care and appropriate transitions across care settings
• Promote patient comfort, dignity, and quality of life

Qualifications

Required

• Current Maryland Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant license (in good standing)
• DEA, CDS, and NPI registration
• Basic Life Support (BLS-HCP) certification
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification
• Completion of an accredited Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant program

Preferred

• National certification in specialty area
• Master of Science in Nursing (for NP candidates)
• Minimum of 2 years of clinical experience as an NP or PA (preferably in inpatient, surgical, or acute care settings)
• Prior experience in palliative care, hospice, oncology, or complex medical/surgical care

Required Competencies

• Strong communication skills for complex and sensitive conversations
• Ability to work effectively within an interdisciplinary care team
• Clinical judgment in managing complex symptom burden
• Competence in assessing patients across the lifespan
• Strong interpersonal and documentation skills
• Ability to function independently in a high-acuity hospital environment

Technical Skills

• Basic proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Working knowledge of electronic medical records and medical terminology
• Familiarity with clinical documentation standards and coding principles

Work Environment

This role is based in a hospital setting and requires the ability to:

• Walk and stand for extended periods
• Lift or move objects up to 20 pounds
• Push or pull equipment such as stretchers or supply carts
• Perform fine motor tasks and computer-based documentation
• Work in environments with exposure to clinical hazards using appropriate protective equipment
• Communicate effectively in high-stress clinical situations

Additional Information

• The APP works independently while collaborating closely with supervising physicians and the palliative care team
• All employees must maintain licensure, certification, and required hospital competencies
• Compliance with institutional policies, safety standards, and patient confidentiality is required

University of Maryland Medical Center is the Medical System's flagship academic medical center. The hospital provides comprehensive care for the West Baltimore community and tertiary care for Maryland and the surrounding areas.

Key services include:

• R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center
• UM Golisano Children's Hospital
• UM Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Transplant
• Heart and Vascular
• Neurosciences and Stroke
• Time-Sensitive Critical Care
• Women's Health

UMMC’s downtown and midtown campuses together provide more than $318 million a year in services that benefit our community.

The food pantries supported more than 350 families by providing free, healthy food to patients who are food insecure. The mobile market provides access to low cost produce to employees and the community.

The diabetes prevention program screens at risk individuals and refers to diabetes and prevention programs. Community based blood pressure hubs screen for hypertension and provide on-going follow up.

In 2024, more than 250 West Baltimore residents were hired through UMMC’s Career Academy and nearly 100 students from city schools participated in training programs.