Nurse Practitioner (Stepdown) - Critical Care

The Nurse Practitioner is a member of the stepdown team and has as his/her primary responsibility the management of complex patients transitioning out of the ICU requiring intermediate level of care in the stepdown unit. The NP has specialized skill and knowledge related to the unique setting in which s/he practices and performs physical exams, collects and documents data, conducts approved diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, orders and schedules laboratory studies and professional consultations, prescribes appropriate interventions and medications, and provides direct patient care services in stepdown unit, according to established protocols and utilizes evidence-based clinical practice standards. The NP contributes to excellence in patient care, research, teaching, consulting, and provides leadership to the organization, and help lead quality improvement initiatives.. Duties may include obtaining patient health histories and complete physical examinations, documenting findings noting pertinent normal and abnormal findings, ordering and interpreting appropriate diagnostic and laboratory tests, and leading and conducting rounds. May also need to explain the necessity, preparation, nature and anticipated effects of procedure(s) to patients, patient's family, staff, and healthcare learners. Perform approved therapeutic or diagnostic procedures based upon patient's clinical status. Document patient preparation and response to procedure(s). Formulate and implement treatment plan for acute illness management in collaboration with the designated primary supervising physician and/or attending back-up physician(s).

Essential Duties:

• 1. Primary responsibility is the management of complex patients in the stepdown unit.
• 2. Demonstrates the ability to manage high acuity patients requiring specialized monitoring and care.
• 3. Develops plans of care with individualized interventions and completes patient care procedures correctly.
• 4. Conducts in-depth interviews with patients and/or family, constructs comprehensive medical histories, performs initial and periodic physical examinations and explores patient’s interpretation of health needs. Identifies and treats patients’ diseases. Manages treatment of hospitalized patients.
• 5. Directly performs or orders appropriate diagnostic studies and interprets finished results including lab studies, professional consults and approved diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
• 6. Leads and conducts patients rounds to help in the development and/or implementation of treatment plans in collaboration with the designated supervising physician and/or primary physicians.
• 7. Performs procedures as indicated after completing appropriate proctoring per medical staff.
• 8. Writes orders to increase, decrease or change medication..
• 9. Prescribes appropriate interventions and medications and provides direct patient care services in the stepdown settings, according to established protocols and utilizes evidence-based clinical practice standards.
• 10. Identifies and records pertinent progress of patients, updating and summarizing charts, changing orders when appropriate and notifying the responsible physician of changes in the patient’s condition.
• 11. Instructs and counsels patients and families regarding preventive care, medical problems, psychological problems, and the use of prescribed treatments and drugs.
• 12. Maintains compliance with established University and department policies and procedures, quality assurance, safety, environmental, infection control and complies with requirements of accreditation and regulatory agencies.
• 13. Participates in in-service education programs and professional associations. Provides leadership to the organization and nursing profession.
• 14. Responsible for responding to emergency codes (i.e.: RRT, Condition H, and Code Blue alerts) when assigned to emergency response teams.
• 15. Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree Graduate from an accredited school of Nursing (MSN).

• Must be able to intubate patients (or willing to perform this function once trained) and manage critical situations and codes.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 5 years Clinical nursing experience with 2 years of Critical Care experience.
• 2 years Nurse Practitioner experience in the hospital setting.
• 2 years Critical CareNurse Practitioner experience.

Required Licenses/Certifications:

• Registered Nurse - RN (CA Board of Registered Nursing)
• Nurse Practitioner - NP (CA Board of Registered Nursing)
• Nurse Practitioner Furnisher (CA DCA) Current license to furnish medications in the State of California.
• DEA Certificate Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Certificate issued by the U.S. Department of Justice for Schedule II-V controlled substances.
NP Board Certified Possession of National Board Certification in Nurse Practitioner area of specialty accredited by Accreditation Board of Specialty Nursing (ABSNC) or National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). If work in Hospital/Acute Care Setting must have Certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) or Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) upon hire.
• (*Grandfathered from Acute Care Certification requirement if hired/transferred prior to 12/2015.)
• Basic Life Support (BLS) Healthcare Provider from American Heart Association
Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) Healthcare Provider from American Heart Association
• ACLS as required by the NPs Job description for NPs in the Hospital/Acute Care Setting and Ambulatory Infusion Centers
• Fire Life Safety Training (LA City) If no card upon hire, one must be obtained within 30 days of hire and maintained by renewal before expiration date. (Required within LA City only)

The hourly rate range for this position is $66.98 - $95.00. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.