Family Nurse Practitioner

Description

PURPOSE: A WHN Nurse Practitioner ("NP") is responsible for providing primary and preventive healthcare services for WHN. In that capacity, the works with WHN's Medical Director, other WHN Providers and support staff, as well as other clinical providers in WHN's Service Area via referrals and consultations, to deliver appropriate, high quality care to WHN patients or Clientele participating in the various services and business that comprise WHN.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: (Note: An asterisk indicates an essential job function)

Clinical Duties & Responsibilities:

A. Outpatient Primary Care: as a WHN Clinical Provider, this professional shall deliver the following clinical services in outpatient settings: 

1. Medical Examinations*: 

     a. obtain a comprehensive medical history and physical data on patients; 

     b. perform a complete physical exam and records findings; 

     c. order and/or perform pertinent diagnostic tests and appropriate laboratory work;

     d. interpret, analyze and integrate data to determine appropriate health status as well as any diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, as needed; and

     e. synthesize data to determine preliminary diagnosis and a problem list. 

1. Care Plan Development *: In conjunction with the patient, the Nurse Practitioner will: 

     a. develop and implement a Care Plan that includes a holistic approach to health care as well as principles of prevention, designed to restore, maintain and promote health; and

     b. synthesize data to determine preliminary diagnosis and a problem list. 

1. Medical Care *: provide direct medical services to patients at all WHN clinic sites, as well as any hospital in which the Nurse Practitioner has clinical privileges, including but not limited to, the following: 

     a. continually reviewing and modifying patients' Care Plans throughout the course of treatment;

     b. when indicated, administering medications and injections, suture minor lacerations, performing minor office surgery, (including routine incision and drainage), wound care and debridement as well as any other procedures for which Provider has been privileged; 

     c. interviewing and advising patients regarding health and illness prevention; instructing patients and family regarding medications and treatment instructions; ensuring patients receive medical information and education, when indicated; 

     d. referring patients to other health care professionals for specialized services, as well as recommending community resources to meet the needs of patients and their families, and/or working with appropriate case managers to assist patients in obtaining care.

     e. managing medical and surgical emergencies;

     f. triaging patient telephone calls and provides consultation; 

     g. initiating contact with the Physician with whom the Nurse Practitioner has a Collaborative Practice Agreement whenever interaction with the Physician is necessary in order to for the Nurse Practitioner to effect patient management and job performance;

     h. providing monitoring and continuity of care between visits; 

     i. at the request of WHN's CEO, working with the community to promote preventative health care and offering community service programs; and

     j. collaborate with WHN's Director of Quality & Disease Management with regard to the organization's Clinical Performance Measures as it pertains to patient care and related documentation. 

1. Communication *: providing timely and pertinent communication with all WHN customers: patients, client companies, insurance carriers, claims adjusters, referral providers, or other referral sources, as appropriate.
2. Documentation *: maintaining daily office and hospital medical records and provider referral communication with all patients, examined and/or treated, according to WHN documentation standards. 

B. CALL COVERAGE *: The Nurse Practitioner shall participate in the call rotation with other clinical provider staff, (see item II.A. &. below). 

C. ATTENDANCE *: The Nurse Practitioner shall adhere to the current attendance policies of WHN.

Administrative Duties:

A. Administrative Responsibilities as a Medical Professional: the Nurse Practitioner shall provide administrative services and assistance in the following areas: 

1. Clinical Oversight *: as appropriate, provide technical expertise, medical direction and overall support to the clinical staff and support personnel at the assigned WHN clinic. In this capacity, the Nurse Practitioner will: 
2. be available during normal business hours to the staff at the assigned WHN site to address urgent or emergency situations that require input from the Nurse Practitioner; and
3. at the request of WHN's CEO, actively participates in one or more of the WHN's operational committees;
4. Clinical Protocols: at the request of WHN's CEO or its Medical Director, assist with the development of clinical protocols, care standards and or "best practices" (e.g., clinical coordination of care and oversight) related to the delivery or medical services at the WHN sites. 
5. Collaboration *: when indicated, work with appropriate administrative staff to help with the coordination of care or expediting care delivery with regulatory agencies or third-party payers. 
6. Continuing Education: at the request of WHN's CEO or its Medical Director, provide continuing education for in-service training purposes to clinical staff affiliated with the WHN. 
7. Work Relationships *: whenever appropriate, makes his or her best effort to promote favorable working relations with all social service agencies, local hospitals and/or health systems and with the general public.
8. Clinical Provider Relations: maintain effective relationships and communications with provider groups at connected with local hospitals like Johnson Memorial Hospital and Columbus Regional Medical Center, especially with the providers in the Emergency Departments of such hospitals. 
9. Clinical Coverage *: participate in an on-call schedule, in conjunction with other WHN providers, which ensures effective call coverage exists for WHN.
10. Professional Development: remain current and informed of new developments, research and practices within the Primary Care medicine, his/her subspecialty field of Family Practice and with issues related to Community Health Centers and/or Federally Qualified Health Centers. 

B. Other Administrative Responsibilities: Provider shall complete the following duties: 

1. Strategic Planning: at the request of WHN's CEO, help identify short and long-range goals to improve quality of care and service in order to achieve WHN's mission.
2. Program Development: at the request of WHN's CEO, participate in the development and implementation of new programs/services.
3. Quality Standards *: actively support and participate in the processes developed to ensure quality care and patient satisfaction. Also, participate in, cooperate with, and abide by WHN Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Standards and Procedures that have been implemented. 
4. Cost Management: Collaborate with WHN's Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and the Business Office staff to insure that timely billing activities and accurate reimbursement for services, as well as demonstrate ongoing support in all internal cost management efforts. 
5. Productivity: in conjunction with WHN's CEO or its CFO, assist with the establishment and monitoring of provider productivity measures based upon national and local standards of care. 
6. Staff Supervision: offer feedback and assistance to WHN CEO, or his designee', regarding the selection, orientation, training, evaluation, counseling, transferring and discharging of clinical personnel for the WHN.  

Other Duties & Responsibilities: in addition to the aforementioned duties, the Nurse Practitioner shall: 

A. shall demonstrate behaviors consistent with identified competencies and job requirements (i.e., skill validation, continuing education, age specific validation, mandatory in-service training sessions, safety training, annual TB testing, and corporate compliance program). 

B. adheres to the current attendance policies of WHN. 

C. Clearly communicate and continuously support WHN's Mission, Vision and Values.

D. Miscellaneous: 

• will prepare reports and other documentation as required;
• will attend meetings and training sessions as required; 
• will conduct all activities in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, standards, and WHN policies and procedures; and 
• will perform other verbal or written, specific assigned tasks related to the daily operations of the WHN, requiring similar or lesser skills and abilities, some of which are continuing, while others are occasional in nature. 

NOTE: The essential functions identified here are a representation of those duties required of this position and in no way are intended to be an exhaustive list.

Requirements

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: This position requires: 

A. maintaining a current license as a physician in the State of Indiana as well as the expertise to function as a primary care provider;

B. knowledge of the delivery of ambulatory medical care, plus an understanding of the daily clinical care process in a primary care service site;

C. good interpersonal skills when it comes to building and maintaining effective patient relations, effective collegial relationships and working successfully in a clinical team. 

D. knowledge of the principles of the Performance Improvement process within a medical setting;

E. knowledge of current community standards for outpatient primary care along with the principles and processes that comprise chronic disease management; 

F. knowledge of WHN's Clinical Performance Measures, WHN's standards of care, its best practices and its clinical protocols; 

G. a working knowledge of the Billing and Coding process associated with outpatient primary care;

H. knowledge of the rules and regulations related to HIAA and Corporate Compliance; and 

I. knowledge of, and skill with, a current electronic medical record, a practice management system, and a work-processing software system. 

Education, Experience & Training:

A. Education: a qualified candidate must: 

1. be a graduate of an accredited nursing school;
2. have successfully completed an approved Nurse Practitioner program as well as possess a Masters Degree in nursing from an accredited college/university; and
3. have received certification as a Nurse Practitioner by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners or an equivalent certifying organization. 
4. preferably have a minimum of three (3) years of direct clinical experience working in an ambulatory or primary care outpatient clinic;

B. Experience: a qualified candidate must: 

1. have a minimum of three (3) years of direct clinical experience working in an ambulatory or primary care outpatient clinic;

C. Training: a qualified candidate must: 

1. have a current nursing license for the State of Indiana;
2. have current CME commensurate with state and professional licensure requirements; and 
3. have a working knowledge of at lease one work processing software package (preferably MicroSoft Word), one spreadsheet development software package (preferably MicroSoft Excel or MicroSoft Access), AND one electronic medical record (EMR.)

Direction Of Others: Performs such duties as are customarily performed by clinicians holding similar positions at Community Health Centers of Federally Qualified Health Centers within the State of Indiana, and shall be accountable to WHN's CEO or his/her designee.

Welfare of Consumers: (Patients, Physicians, Employees): As part of WHN's clinical provider staff, the Provider is responsible for the patients he/she treats and the provision of outpatient, primary care services which meets established local community standards for Community Health Center services. The The Provider assumes major responsibility for establishing and maintaining positive relationships with other medical professionals as well as other clinical providers.

Equipment Used: Computer and standard office equipment. 

Mental Demand: This position has a high level of complex activities requiring independent thinking and problem- solving. It requires sustained mental attention, at times under difficult, distracting, and stressful circumstances. Excellent analytical skills and problem solving abilities are essential for success, as well as the ability and capacity to complete large amounts of detailed work. 

Communication: Good written and verbal communication skills needed, plus the capability of effectively and appropriately handling confidential information. Good interpersonal skills required, along with the ability to communicate effectively with internal customers -- i.e., employees, managers, physicians and clinical providers, volunteers and visitors, as well as external customers -- employers, vendors, regulatory professionals and the general public. Being be able to communicate on a one-on-one basis using appropriate grammar, vocabulary and word usage is essential as well as providing timely and accurate information given in a courteous and respectful manner. Requires strong customer service skills, ability to promote teamwork, and build effective relationships. 

Maintains daily contact with consumers/patients, client companies, third-party payers, referral sources, and clinical providers. 

Physical Effort: This position necessitates standing, walking, bending, balancing, reaching, twisting, writing, sitting, taking, hearing, handling, fingering, and seeing. It requires sitting for long periods of time. It also entails "light work" -- i.e., exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently. 

Working Conditions: Works in a clean, well-lighted, indoor office with no notable exposure to fumes, dust, or extremes in heat or cold. Will have frequent exposure to people with various illnesses and diseases, including communicable diseases, toxic substances, medicinal preparation and other conditions common to a medical practice environment. Category II: Occasional exposure to blood/body fluids.

Population Being Served By Position: Predominantly Adults and adolescents

This organization is an equal opportunity employer. In order to protect the right to equal employment opportunity, WHN does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, age, sex, national origin, creed, or qualified individuals with disabilities. 

The intent of the job description is to provide a representative summary of the major responsibilities and duties performed on the job. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job related duties and responsibilities that an incumbent may perform. Employees will be required to perform any other job-related duties required by their supervisor. 

A review of this description has excluded the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of fundamental job duties. All duties and requirements are essential job functions. 

Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills, and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbent will possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. 

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" employment relationship.