Nurse Practitioner

Nurse Practitioner is a registered nurse prepared at the master’s or doctorate level as a Nurse Practitioner. The NP will manage primary and secondary care conditions and evaluate tertiary care conditions. Primary care conditions are defined as common acute, chronic stable, or health care maintenance conditions; secondary care conditions are unfamiliar, uncommon, unstable, or complex conditions; and tertiary care conditions are acute, life-threatening conditions such as respiratory and cardiac arrest.  Responsibilities include: Authorized to prescribe and dispense medication when granted authority in accordance with State licensure. Collect, order, and interpret lab work and diagnostic studies under agreed upon protocols. Order therapies such as occupational, speech, and physical therapy, and psychological counseling. May obtain comprehensive health histories and perform complete physical examinations, develop differential diagnoses, develop, and implement plans of care, evaluate and document client’s response to plan of care. May provide client and/or family education. May organize referrals and/or consultations when appropriate. Participate in research as requested. Will promote cost effective delivery of care. Determines compliance to establish processes and procedures provide guidance and direction in a variety of areas. Oversight, management, and supervision of clinical and office functions involving patient care, office operations, facilities, and other assigned areas. Outpatient Dialysis Units: Manage the hemodialysis and/or peritoneal dialysis patient per Kidney Dialysis Outcome Quality Indicators (KDOQI) guidelines. Assess, diagnose, and manage systems-related complications of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) therapy including anemia, hypertension, bone disease, fluid and electrolyte imbalances, and vascular access. Diagnose and manage episodic health problems of clients with ESRD. Evaluate the client’s progress and appropriateness of the plan of care. Encourage each client’s maximal rehabilitation through education and counseling. Use an interdisciplinary team approach to plan comprehensive health care for the client. Support the client and family in decisions regarding termination of treatment. Perform annual physicals including health maintenance and preventative health counseling. Provide leadership to the clinical staff through education and consultation by serving as a role model and expert clinical resource in the nursing care of clients with ESRD. Assist the staff in preventing and treating complications of dialytic therapies. Coordinate continuity of care between the outpatient dialysis unit and other healthcare settings. Provide leadership for the establishment of nurse-driven protocols. Hospital Responsibilities: Perform a complete admission history and physical. Write admission orders for routine hospitalizations. Assess the client and family discharge needs, participate in discharge planning, coordinate referrals, and dictate discharge summaries. Educate and counsel clients on treatment options and expected outcomes. Provide leadership to the clinical staff, serving as a role model and an expert clinical resource concerning nursing care of clients with chronic kidney disease, ESRD, and acute renal failure. Coordinate continuity of care between the hospital and other healthcare settings. Clinic Responsibilities: Manage patients with chronic kidney disease, focusing on care that promotes health and prevents further decline in renal function. Follow established guidelines for Nurse Practitioner/Physician clinic model. Coordinate a pre-ESRD client education program. Develop or evaluate educational materials that will allow the patient to become an active participant in his/her care and foster decision-making abilities regarding treatments. Perform other duties and responsibilities as required, assigned, or requested. Qualifications: Master’s degree program in nursing, with nationally recognized course content, formal clinical preparation with minimum hour standards per program requirements Competencies in advanced health assessment, physical examination, diagnosis, planning, and managing care including pharmacotherapeutics. Provide nursing expertise in diagnosis and treatment to prevent, remediate, or alleviate illness and promote health, thus, resulting in improved patient outcomes. Knowledge of patient assessment techniques including taking medical histories, performing physicals, evaluating health status including state of wellness, and compliance with care recommendations. Knowledge of diagnosing and treating medical problems and developing care plans. Knowledge of documentation in medical records in confidential manner.