JOB SUMMARY:

Vanderbilt School of Medicine is accepting applications for an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in our Division of General Surgery, Vanderbilt Center for Weight Loss.

The Vanderbilt Center for Weight Loss includes both surgical and non-surgical options for patient care. Our multispecialty team includes obesity medicine specialists, bariatric surgeons, mid-level practitioners, nurses, dietitians, exercise physiologist, psychologists, and support staff. We work together to provide the comprehensive care needed to address all aspects of weight management.

We are committed to providing the best in patient care. To further support our programs, we seek a specialty nurse practitioner in the ambulatory care setting to work as a part of an integrated health care team.

The specialty NP is a full-time billing provider and will work with faculty to manage a wide variety of patients, including pre and post-operative patients, and a distinct non-surgical patient population in the outpatient setting independently and through collaboration with our multidisciplinary team.

The specialty clinic NP has a strong foundation in evidenced based practice and is responsible for adherence to clinical pathways and protocols providing safe, quality care in a welcoming environment. The NP will demonstrate an advanced level of medical and nursing knowledge, clinical/technical competence, sound clinical judgment, professional communication skills, timely and compliant documentation, and is responsible for professional development and competency validation. The NP will participate in further improving and refining clinical pathways to serve our patients. The NP will also exhibit strong customer service skills during all interactions with patients, referring providers, and colleagues.

Department/Unit Summary:

The largest division within the Department of Surgery, the Division of General Surgery encompasses expertise in several areas of general surgery concerned with the care of abdominal disorders involving emergency general surgery, advanced laparoscopy, bariatric surgery, colorectal surgery, and esophageal and pancreatic procedures. The Division of General Surgery at Vanderbilt is committed to providing medical students, residents and fellows with a wide array of surgical training including laparoscopic and open general surgery procedures in the treatment of morbid obesity, gastroesophageal reflux disease, pancreatic and biliary diseases, hernias and colorectal diseases with the focus of providing the best in patient care.

Position Shift:

Day Shift/ Exempt Position

Additional Key Elements/ Responsibilities:

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Key Functions:

• 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 rounds with the Attending physician teams, presents 24 hour patient report, collaborates in plan of care, and follows assigned patient population throughout the day.
• Diagnosis
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary health care team in making diagnoses of acute and complex chronic conditions.
• 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 inpatient and 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 acute 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:

Master's Degree (or equivalent experience) and < 1 year experience. 12 months of nursing experience preferred; Inpatient acute care advanced practice nursing experience desirable.

Registered Nurse License Required

Additional Qualification Information:

• Prefer National Specialty Board Certification, TN APN certificate/certificate of fitness to prescribe, eligible for DEA

*CA

*IND000

*NHCN