Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant

Job Description

Job Description

Primary Function

The primary purpose of the position is to provide primary medical care services to patients in outpatient clinic and the emergency room.

Job Description

• Provides therapeutic health care services to patients and family members, in a community based primary care facility.
• Secures a health and developmental history from the patient or parent; records findings and makes critical evaluation.
• Performs or requests special screening and developmental tests and laboratory tests and interprets the results.
• Discriminates between normal and abnormal findings to recognize early stages of serious physical, emotional, or mental problems.
• Provides surveillance of adherence to medical regimens to stabilize chronically ill persons; adjusts regimens within established protocols recognizing when to refer the patient to the physician or other health team members.
• Plans with other professional, and agencies involved in providing services to families, and where appropriate, coordinates the health care given.
• Provides full range of emergency services or crises intervention in the absence of the physician, including lifesaving emergency procedures in order to stabilize a patient sufficiently to transport to a hospital facility.
• Provides health care and preventive services to healthy individuals, including guidance in nutrition, common illnesses, accidents, child growth and development, and child rearing.
• Makes home visits when indicated to implement a care plan based on family needs.
• Participates with consulting physician in planning, instituting, evaluating and revising program plan, assists in determining conditions, resources, and policies essential to delivery of health care services.
• Develops protocols for the facility in collaboration with other health care professionals.
• Serves in a teaching capacity in the development of other health care workers.
• Some evening, night, and weekend work is required.
• May be necessary to work when Administrative Leave is granted if patient care is compromised.
• As part of the assigned roles and responsibilities of this position the provider will be required to see both IHS eligible beneficiaries and non-eligible patients.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Education / Minimum Qualifications

If Nurse Practitioner :

If Physician Assistant :

All Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant applicants must :

Job Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Complexity of Duties

Job requires a thorough knowledge of medical diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment commensurate with mid-level provider certification. Also requires the ability to handle the problems of medically complex patients simultaneously. Work covers a range of patient care services from assessment through counseling, teaching, and treating the full spectrum of family practice medical care.

Supervision Received

Works under the medical direction of the Chief of Medical Staff and patient care protocols. Within these constraints, the provider will evaluate and treat most patients independently. Physician consultation is available on site for patients not fitting standard protocols or not responding to treatment. Works with medical staff to develop new patient care approaches, practices and procedures.

Responsibility for Accuracy

A high degree of accuracy is required in the proper care of patients. Undetected errors could have minimal to life threatening results. Work is reviewed retrospectively through quality audits.

Contact with Others

Has frequent contact with coworkers, other health professionals, and patients where tact, courtesy, and diplomacy are required to maintain positive relationships. Requires sensitivity to others while dealing with patients and their families. Purpose of contacts is to exchange information, gain assistance, and dispense data.

CIHA physicians, mid-level providers, dentists and nursing staff may deliver care in a variety of settings including those outside of the facility. Those settings may include but are not limited to community health fairs, community events, school sporting events, nursing homes, Tribal jails, patient’s homes, etc. The service provided will be clearly directed and supported by CIHA.

Confidential Data

The provision of medical care requires that the incumbent shall maintain strict appropriate confidentiality regarding all patient information. Will have access to patient records and highly confidential information. Must function with utmost integrity to safe guard this information. Complies with EBCI policy on confidentiality of patient records, Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority Confidentiality policy and HIPAA requirements. Violations of confidentiality regulations will be subject to disciplinary action.

Mental / Visual / Physical

Job duties can be mentally / emotionally stressful at times. Close mental concentration and attention to detail are required. Physical activities require the ability to walk, sit, reach, bend, and lift while assisting patients to walk, transfer, or turn. Must have visual acuity, manual dexterity, and the ability to speak and hear. Must be able to lift 30 lbs. The Cherokee Hospital provides 24 hour seven day per week services.

Environment

Works primarily in a hospital environment. The work environment involves moderate risks of exposure to infectious disease, radiation, electrical hazards, and irritant chemical, and explosive gases. Employee must strictly adhere to OSHA guidelines and protocol for maintaining sterile conditions.

Customer Service

Consistently demonstrates superior customer service skills to patients / customers by demonstrating characteristics that align with CIHA’s guiding principles and core values. Ensure excellent customer service is provided to all patients / customers by seeking out opportunities to be of service.