What are the responsibilities and job description for the Advance Practice Provider position at LTS?
Advanced Practice Provider
LTS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or protected veteran status, or any other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable law.
INTRODUCTION
The ICE Health Services Corps (IHSC) exists within the organizational structure of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) under the supervision of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps Officers, civil service staff and contractors comprise the healthcare professionals working together to provide quality healthcare services.
IHSC serves as the medical experts for ICE detainee health care. IHSC is committed to excellence in detention and correctional health care and the provision of safe and high-quality care to those in ICE custody.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants form the IHSC advanced practice provider team. Although there are some differences in the professions, NPs and PAs work together in IHSC with the same expectations for core clinical care. The IHSC mission is comprehensive and the unique detention environment requires APPs to have a broad clinical background. The core scope of practice includes but is not limited to: family practice, including family units and office-based procedures; urgent and emergency care, behavioral health care, infectious disease and public health management, case management, and gender specific care, including transgender care and management of pregnancy; All heath care provided to ICE detainees is governed by IHSC policy and established detention standards. All IHSC APPs provide health care under the scope of a collaborative practice and prescriptive authority agreement with a physician.
REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE - All IHSC Facilities
- Physician Assistant - Graduate from an accredited Physician Assistant program located in a State, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory. Must be accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) or one of its predecessors. The degree issuing institution and/or program must be accredited by an entity recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
- Nurse Practitioner - Graduate from an accredited Family Nurse Practitioner program located in a State, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory. The degree issuing institution and/or program must be accredited by an entity recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
- One-year full-time equivalent of experience in primary care as a licensed Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant. Clinical experience must be current and within the past five years.
- Experience in a detention, correctional or residential healthcare setting (preferred, not required).
- For Family Residential Centers
- One-year full-time equivalent of experience in primary care as a licensed Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant with proficiency providing care to women and pediatric patients of all ages.
- Clinical experience must be current and within the past five years.
REQUIRED LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION
- Must have and maintain an unrestricted, current Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant license in the state in which the duty station is located. Any changes to license must be reported to employer immediately.
- Must have and maintain national certification as nurse practitioner or physician assistant.
- Physician Assistant - Must have and maintain certification as a Physician Assistant by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
- Nurse Practitioner - Must have and maintain board certification as Family Nurse Practitioner by the American Nurse Credentialing Center (AANC) or American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).
- Must have and maintain unrestricted license to prescribe controlled medications from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and in state in which the duty station is located.
- Must have and maintain one of the following certifications: Basic Life Support for health care providers through the American Heart Association®, CPR for the professional rescuer through the American Red Cross or the American Safety and Health Institute.
- This position requires credentialing and a signed collaborative practice and prescriptive authority agreement with a physician.
ATTRIBUTES AND PROFESSIONAL QUALITIES
- Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with patients, co-workers, and stakeholders in a multidisciplinary, multicultural, and multi-lingual environment.
- Flexibility and adaptability to changes in schedules and work requirements.
- Strong organizational, problem solving, and decision-making skills.
- Maintains patient confidentiality and confidentiality of medical records.
- Demonstrates integrity, honesty, and cultural competency.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
- Ability to utilize and document interpreter/translation or other assisted communication services as needed to ensure communication with patients or stakeholders with Limited English Proficient (LEP), disability, or impediment.
- Verbal and written proficiency in English.
- Ability to navigate an electronic work environment, electronic health records, web-based training, and electronic communications.
- Knowledge of, and moderate proficiency in, common Microsoft Office programs, specifically Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and SharePoint.
- Functional proficiency and ability to document detainee health care in the required electronic health record, in the required format, in a timely manner, and in compliance with IHSC policy and guidance.
- Knowledge of regulations (HIPAA/Privacy Act) regarding the confidentiality of patient medical records and information as well as Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
- Verbal and written proficiency in Spanish (preferred, not required).
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Adheres to the IHSC Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Collaborative Practice and Prescriptive Authority Agreement (CP/PAA).
- Works as part of an integrated health care team to provide acute, emergent, and chronic health care to patients in compliance with IHSC policy and guidance and accreditation standards as prescribed by ICE/IHSC.
- Performs comprehensive history and physical evaluations, behavioral health care, and minor outpatient surgical procedures for detainees as required by the medical condition.
- Demonstrates appropriate application of clinical knowledge within documented treatment plans, prescriptions, and provides treatment throughout the life span as appropriate to discipline and facility setting.
- Demonstrates appropriate application of clinical knowledge within documented lab/diagnostic ordering and interpretation, medication prescribing practices, referrals to consultants, follow-up after hospitalization or consultation.
- Participates in and complies with court ordered treatment plans to include evaluation and treatment of patients with psychiatric illness or life-threatening conditions including hunger strike.
- Provides full spectrum of age and gender specific health care to include treatment of gender dysphoria and pregnancy.
- Consults with the staff physician, clinical director, and/or IHSC consultants as required by policy and for complex medical and/or psychiatric patients.
- Provides infirmary care including admission, discharge, and daily rounds for patients that require higher level of care and monitoring.
- Interprets Tuberculin skin tests (TSTs) and diagnostic studies, manages Direct Observation Therapy (DOT) for treatment of active or latent tuberculosis.
- Takes appropriate infection control actions in accordance with IHSC policy and guidance.
- Adheres to universal precautions and properly disposes of all sharps and infectious waste.
- Provides relevant patient health education to detainees verbally and/or with handouts.
- Assists with preparation for accreditation and ongoing compliance with standards as assigned.
- Attends on-site, regional, and national meetings as required.
- Completes all initial, annual, and ad hoc training as required.
- Participates in all required credentialing and peer review processes as required.
- Facilitates and mentors APP onboarding and training.
- Demonstrates level of productivity that is on par with the average APP productivity at the assigned facility.
DUTY HOURS / ON-CALL REQUIREMENTS
- IHSC operates 24/7/365; Response is required during an emergency activation.
- This position requires rotational on-call duties and may necessitate return to the facility to provide care.
- This position requires availability to work both day and evening shifts. Availability during weekends and holidays is also required.
SECURITY REQUIREMENTS
- The Department of Homeland Security’s Personnel Security Unit (PSU) must render an Initial Preliminary Favorable Fitness Determination to be considered a qualified candidate.
- A Complete Favorable Fitness Determination must be rendered by PSU upon completion of initial, and between, subsequent background investigations to meet the requirements of this position.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
- The work requires some physical exertion, such as long periods of standing; walking or jogging unaided over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, or similar activities; or recurring lifting of moderately heavy patients or equipment.
- The work may require specific, but common, physical characteristics and abilities, such as agility and dexterity, visual, and hearing capabilities.
- Must be able to respond to any medical emergency in the facility, via foot, within four minutes and perform CPR/emergency care standing or kneeling.
- Must have the ability to assist sick, injured, or aging detainees or staff exiting the building during an emergency.
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS
This is a contract position and supervisory controls will be set forth by the contract vendor. Technical oversight will be provided by the Government Technical Monitor (GTM).
