Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Lymphoma-Myeloma

Seeking an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) or Physician Assistant (PA) to join our team. The Lymphoma and Myeloma department is renowned internationally for the diagnosis, treatment and research of diseases focused on lymphoma, myeloma and blood disorders that affect the body’s blood and lymph systems. From caring for patients, to conducting cutting-edge clinical and translational research, our faculty and staff are dedicated to finding a cure for patients diagnosed with lymphoma or myeloma.

The ideal candidate will be a licensed PA or APRN, including new graduates, who demonstrates strong critical thinking skills to manage complex patient needs and coordinate care effectively. They are a proactive self starter with a genuine commitment to continuous learning, especially as new therapies and clinical innovations emerge. Prior experience in Oncology setting preferred. 

The schedule for this position will be 4 days/week – 10 hours/shift with rotating weekends (approximately every 6 weeks covering weekends).

MD Anderson offers employees:
•    Paid employee medical benefits (zero premium) starting on first day for employees who work 30 or more hours per week.
•    Group Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D and Disability coverage.
•    Paid time off (PTO) and Extended Illness Bank (EIB) paid leave accruals.
•    Paid institutional holidays, wellness leave, childcare leave, and other paid leave programs.
•    Tuition Assistance Program after six months of service.
•    Teachers Retirement System defined-benefit pension plan and two voluntary retirement plans.
•    Employer paid life, AD&D and an illness-related reduced salary pay program.
•    Extensive wellness, recognition, fitness, employee health programs and employee resource groups.
•    Opportunities for professional growth through Career Development Center and Mentoring programs.

JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES:

Patient Assessment:
* Provides quality patient care in relation to the patient’s prescribed diagnosis, treatment, age group, development and other identified needs.  This involves talking to patients and patient’s families.  Must be able to verbally communicate findings to physician and family members.
* Assesses health status by performing the medical history, physical examination and psychosocial assessment.  Must be able to communicate in a clear and understandable manner.  Must be able to visually read and write findings and to verbally communicate with patients and family members.
* Makes daily rounds on each patient and reports findings and test results to attending physician.  Must be able to visually check records and write findings.
* Monitors laboratory, clinical radiographic and procedural data for daily rounds.  Must visually evaluate data and prepare written information.
* Reviews the findings of the history and physical, pertinent laboratory data, radiographic data, plan for further diagnosis and therapeutic management as outlined in collaboration with the attending physician.  This involves sitting for extended periods of time and visually evaluating data from a computer.  
* Requires good perception and reading comprehension.

Intervention/Evaluation: 
* Prevents, minimizes and manages symptoms/toxicities/health abnormalities related to disease or treatment in collaboration with physician and other allied personnel.
* Evaluates health care provided and modifies care as needed (under the supervision of a physician if medical acts are required).
* Provides psychological support to patients and families.
* Provides health care throughout the disease process:  diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, palliative and terminal care.
* Facilitates use of agency resources.
* Facilitates communication between patient/family and interdisciplinary team and coordinates services related to patient care.  
* This may involve sitting at the computer for long periods of time and entering data via keyboard.
* Schedules consultations, diagnostic tests or procedures, future appointments for patients in coordination with the attending physician.
* Must be able to walk from one area of the hospital to another to pick up and distribute information.

Performance of diagnostic/therapeutic procedures: 
* Undergoes training of specific medical procedures at MDACC by a physician.
* Demonstrates competency of specific procedure under the direct supervision of a physician leading to certification to perform the procedure.
* Performance of medical procedures may include:  obtaining blood form arterial and venous punctures including central lines; venous catheters and heparin locks; administration of drugs as needed including intravenous, intraarterial, intrathecal, intraventricular, intrapleural and intraperitoneal; lumbar puncture, thoracentesis, bone marrow biopsy, multiple bone marrow aspirations, paracentesis or other medical procedures under the supervision of an M.D.  Must be able to bend body at waist and manipulate fingers in careful movements to draw blood specimens.  Must be able to grasp objects with fingers and palm and make repetitive movements with arms and hands and make receptive movements with legs and feet and maintain controlled steady arm-hand positions.
* Are certified and perform outpatient and/or inpatient Bone Marrow Aspiration (BMA) procedures

Educator: 
* Provides health education to the patient and his/her family (i.e., management of side effects, anticipatory teaching).
* Participates in formal and informal instruction of nursing students, professional nurses and other health professionals.  This may require standing or walking for long periods of time without sitting.
* Keeps self current by:  (1) attending continuing education programs related to the clinical area, (2) reviewing literature related to clinical area, (3) participating in professional nursing organizations, (4) communicating advances in nursing practice or health care in general n writing through publications and presentation of scientific papers.

Researcher: 
* Contributes to research efforts of department/section by:  (1) identifying clinical problems amenable to research methods and (2) initiating or collaborating in research projects.
* Applies pertinent research to clinical practice.

Consultation: 
* Provides consultation to colleagues and allied personnel.
* Collaborates with medical, nursing and other disciplines regarding plan of care, follow-up and evaluation.
* Recommends therapeutic measures for relief of symptoms.

Other duties as assigned.

COMPETENCIES
Analytical Thinking - Gather relevant information systematically; break down problems into simple components; make sound decisions.
Innovative Thinking - Approach problems with curiosity and open-mindedness; offer new ideas, solutions and/or options.
Inspire Trust - Show consistency among principles, values, and behavior; gain the confidence and trust of others.
Listen to Others - Listen to feedback and input carefully; demonstrate attention to others; acknowledge and listen to differing perspectives in a group.
Oral Communication - Express ideas clearly and concisely in groups and one-to-one conversations; create an environment with open channels of communication.
Medical Knowledge - Employee demonstrates medical knowledge as defined by position description.
Patient Care - Employee demonstrates population-based competencies (age-specific, population) that cross the continuum of care; Employee functions within their professional scope.
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement - Employee participates in on-going learning and demonstrates application of it in his/her role.
Professionalism - Employee demonstrates commitment to collaborative professional relationships with physicians and all members of the heath care team.
Systems-Based Practice - Employee demonstrates his/her impact on the system of care.
Team with Others - Initiate, develop, and manage relationships and networks; encourage collaboration and input from all team members; value the contributions of all team members; balance individual and team goals.
Written Communication - Convey information clearly and concisely through both formal and informal documents; adapt writing style to fit the audience.

Service Orientation:
Provide service to our stakeholders, including patients, caregivers, colleagues and each other, in a safe, courteous, accountable, efficient and innovative manner to include:
* Promoting collaboration and collegiality that demonstrates respect and professionalism to our stakeholders at all times
* Modeling safe, ethical behavior that mitigates risk to the institution through sound business practices, and adherence to MD Anderson’s Standards of Conduct, institutional policies and procedures
* Responding to requests in a timely manner while proactively communicating expectations for procedures, service arrival, or project deliverables to stakeholders
* Using the steps to HEAL (Hear, Empathize, Address and Learn) the relationship when service recovery is needed

Customer Focus:
Builds and maintains customer satisfaction with the products and services offered by the organization through skills demonstrated in communication, personalization of interaction, regulation of emotions, and proactive problem solving.

Performance Statement Examples:

Presents a cheerful, positive manner with customers either on the phone or in person. Shows interest in, actively listens to and responds in a clear and timely manner to customer's expressed needs.

Focuses on the customer's results, rather than own. Goes beyond basic service expectations to help customers implement complete solutions through personalized service that anticipates the customer's unspoken needs.

Delivers services when and where the customer needs them. Explores options when unable to deliver a requested product or service, and pursues solutions until the customer is satisfied by addressing the root cause of the issue. Problem solves with patient, family member, care giver or clinical team to aid in proactively resolving issues and concerns.

Provides to customers status reports and progress updates. Seeks customer feedback and ensures needs have been fully met.

Talks to customers (internal and external) with a pleasant tone to find out what they need and how satisfied they are with the service. Remains in control of own reactions and responds in a manner that demonstrates appropriate nonverbal cues and complements the customer's emotions in the situation. Recognizes when its is necessary to escalate situations to leadership to ensure customer satisfaction.