Advanced Nurse Practitioner - Surgical Care

Summary

This position is located at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center - Milwaukee Wisconsin - in the Surgical Care Division. The Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) II Certified Nurse Practitioner (NP) practices in the Pre-Operative / Pre-Procedure Clinic to provide a full range of services emphasizing quality - timeliness - and the advancement of the Veterans Affairs (VA) mission. The NP provides advanced clinical practice - consultation - and management.

Duties

• Major duties and responsibilities of the position: Assess the Veterans - their planned operative procedure - co-morbidities - and help risk stratify the patient so that pre-operative evaluation can occur by the most appropriate clinic
• Perform the pre-operative history & physical exam following the templated note in the electronic health record (EHR) to ensure all Veteran risk factors are captured for the most accurate risk assessment
• Review all pertinent EHR notes - lab tests - X-Ray exams - cardiac tests - pulmonary function tests - and other pertinent information for the patient in developing the assessment of the Veteran undergoing a surgical procedure
• Communicate with referring sections and/or surgeons performing the surgical procedure with any patient concerns or recommendations
• Based on Veteran history & physical - review of EHR notes and results of tests and planned procedure(s) - make recommendations to proceed with planned operation or to order additional testing prior to surgery
• communicate recommendations to the referring team
• Collaborate with COTC RN staff - anesthesia provider(s) - Primary Care provider - consult teams (Cardiology - Pulmonology - etc.) - and referring providers as needed to develop a pre-operative assessment of the patient
• Facilitate - coordinate - and monitor the patient's progress through the pre-operative clinic - including recommended additional testing to ensure timely preparation for the surgical procedure
• Initiate referrals and consults to specialty services
• Assist in the development of clinical protocols - policies - procedures and plans of care reflecting specific needs of the pre-operative patient
• Utilize evidence-based practice in the pre-operative clinic
• Provide education to the patient and family on the pre-operative process - patient morbidities - patient lifestyle concerns - etc. - as needed
• Assesse and adjust the plan of care as needed to achieve optimal patient outcomes
• Identify deviations from established protocols - care standards - and clinical pathways
• investigate and actively intervene to correct variances as appropriate
• Support the interdisciplinary team caring for the patients by updating knowledge and skills through literature reviews - discussions and presentations
• Function as a role model for the nursing staff and actively participates in the care of the pre-operative Veteran
• Assist in the orientation of new staff to the pre-operative clinic
• Maintain competence through attendance at job-related educational opportunities
• Demonstrate leadership and works collaboratively with the interdisciplinary team
• Prescribe pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions - as appropriate
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Pay: Competitive salary - regular salary increases - potential for performance awards Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory Work Schedule: Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized