Inpatient Advanced Practice Registered Nurse - General Internal Medicine

The primary purpose of the Inpatient Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in the Department of General Internal Medicine (GIM), Section of Consultative Medicine, is to promote and maintain the health of GIM patients across the care continuum while providing support to the inpatient consult service. This role is structured as a primarily weekend and holiday position to ensure consistent 7-day clinical coverage. That will work 4-10 hour shifts.

The ideal candidate is a highly skilled and compassionate Advanced Practice Provider with a strong foundation in internal medicine and a demonstrated ability to deliver comprehensive patient care within their scope of practice. They excel in performing detailed patient histories, physical examinations, and psychosocial assessments, and can effectively communicate findings to physicians, patients, and families with clarity and empathy.
 

This individual possesses advanced clinical judgment to manage both chronic conditions (such as diabetes, hypertension, and COPD) and common acute or episodic illnesses, as well as adverse events related to chemotherapy. They are adept at caring for acutely ill hospitalized surgical patients and demonstrate proficiency in ordering diagnostic tests, prescribing medications within delegated authority, and completing documentation accurately and promptly.

MD Anderson offers our 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

Key Functions
1. Provide Direct Medical Skills within Scope of Practice
Advanced Practice Providers in the Department of General Internal Medicine is responsible for assessing and conducting comprehensive patient history, physical examinations, and psychosocial assessments. This involves talking to patients and patients’ families. Must be able to communicate findings to physicians and family.
Has primary responsibility for working with department faculty physicians to assist in covering the General Internal Medicine services. Clinical aspects include but, are not limited to the following: manage chronic medical illnesses, such as diabetes, HTN, COPD, assess and manage any common acute and episodic illnesses such as constipation, cough, diarrhea, n/v, suspected or new DVT, asymptomatic PE, URI symptoms. Assess and manage adverse events or side effects of patients receiving chemotherapy in the ATC, as well as management of the acutely ill hospitalized surgical patient.
Perform and record histories, physical assessments and progress notes within 24 hours. For co- managed patients sign off and forward to the supervising physician for co-signature within 24 hours.
•    Order routine tests appropriate to the services provided under such orders.
•    Order patient medications and treatments within authorized limited prescriptive authority, consistent with institutional delegated prescriptive authority policies and procedures.
Assist with clinic and hospital related paperwork (radiology and nuclear medicine forms, placing patients on clinical pathway, writing/calling in prescriptions)
Retrieve and review labs, pathology results, radiology and other diagnostic reports
Facilitate communication with supervising physician, consultants to determine appropriate disposition of patients seen in Consultative Medicine by reviewing laboratory and/or diagnostic results, and care coordination with various specialties.
Independently initiate monthly assignments without supervision.  Understand and respond to telephone conversations with physicians and other members of the health care team, both within and outside of the institution.  Clearly write and communicate verbally, person-to-person, and over the phone.
·       Attend Monthly Consultative Medicine Meetings.
·       Attend Division of Internal Medicine Grand Rounds.
 

2. Education/Research/Collaboration
Provide patient and trainee education. Participate in clinical protocol clinical tasks, as needed. Commit to collaborative relationships with co-workers, patients, faculty, physicians, and all members of the health care team.
•    Deliver education to patients and their families.  Conduct in-service training for clinic and in-house nursing personnel regarding protocol requirements.  Act as liaison with patients, families, physicians, and other personnel.
•    Participate in trainee education, e.g. student Advanced Practice Nurses, house officers and medical students. Instruct coworkers in allied positions to record patient information and/or data entry.  May supervise personnel in related activities.
•    Participate and collaborate on clinical research protocols.  Interview patients and review the eligibility criteria to identify potential patients for protocol studies.
 

Demonstrate a service attitude by:
a.      Identifying new ways to provide better service to supervisors, peers, external employees, visitors, etc.
b.     Maintains pleasant and professional demeanor.
c.      Following up to make sure that the problem is solved.
 

Exhibit professional behavior at all times.
·       Perform other duties as assigned.