Position Summary:

Under the general supervision of the Chief Medical Officer, the Nurse Practitioner provides diagnostic and therapeutic medical care and services to patients. Assists in the observation and evaluation of patients, perform case histories, conduct physical examinations, and order laboratory tests

Responsibilities:

• Provides anticipatory guidance, screening and health education to patients to promote and maintain health.

• Initiates treatment for patients with commonly occurring health problems which lie within the nurse specialist's scope of practice by using a systematic approach to history and physical appraisal of patients and/or families through clinical judgment of evaluated data.
• Prescribes, coordinates, delegates and evaluates care.
• Prescribes medications listed in the approved institutional formulary as a function delegated by the physician consultant(s) to the practice.
• Monitors patients with stabilized long term or chronic illness.
• Plans appropriate care utilizing community resources and acts as a liaison by relaying information necessary for continuity of care to other health professionals and agencies.
• Instructs individual and/or families or groups about health or defined health problems.
• Participates in Quality Assurance activities.
• Participates in research projects.
• Promotes guest relations; anticipates and responds to the needs of others; provides assistance in a courteous, quick manner; treats others with care and respect maintaining privacy, confidentiality and dignity. Maintains a professional appearance and a clean, safe environment.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors of Science or higher degree programs in nursing, diploma programs in nursing and associate degree programs in nursing. Master's degree in nursing with advanced skills in physical assessment preferred.

• Minimum of three years clinical nursing experience and/or two years post masters clinical nursing experience desirable.
• Graduation from a professional school of nursing approved by an official accreditation body.
• Meeting the basic education requirements specified above, applicants must have successfully completed all requirements for a masters degree (or equivalent), or two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education in nursing, or one year of specialized experience equivalent.
• Skill in making diagnosis, selecting and providing appropriate treatment for medical or surgical emergencies (life or death or severe injury), as indicated until emergency assistance arrives.
• Ability to assess a patient's condition and to initiate appropriate treatment.
• Knowledge of pharmaceuticals to treat disease and illnesses, to include a knowledge of the mechanism of action, side effects, toxic nature, and drug interactions of medications;
• Ability to perform and interpret diagnostic tests in order to determine therapeutic treatment plans.
• Ability to deal effectively with patients.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Interpersonal skills necessary to work productively with patient, families, nursing staff, and other departments.
• Must be computer-literate and must become competent in computerized programs in use at the START.
• Must become competent in the use of computerized word-processing, database, spreadsheet, and presentation programs.

Physical Requirements

Indoors; noisy; contaminants; disease or infections; standing; sitting; using hands on objects, tools or controls. Occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Other job characteristics – need to be exact or accurate; errors have important consequences, repeat same task.

These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of the position which are reviewed on each individual case.

While performing the responsibilities of the role, the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to sit and use his or her hands and fingers, to handle or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

Limitations and Disclaimer

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position.