Position Classification Description: Nurse Practitioner

Summary

Under general supervision, provides independent acute and/or routine medical care to a specified population. Provides consultation and advice to others as a highly-specialized practitioner. May supervise support staff in an out-of-hours or remote clinical setting.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Obtains detailed history and develops patient care charts; performs physical examinations and evaluations on assigned patients; assesses and treats medical problems and provides direct patient care to a specified patient population.

2. Assists in providing pre-op and post-op care; writes appropriate orders, including those for narcotics, stimulants, and depressant drugs.

3. Performs emergency lifesaving procedures in cases such as cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, massive hemorrhage, or similar emergencies.

4. Practices safety, environmental, and/or infection control methods.

5. Supervises and/or coordinates the activities of patient care and support staff within the clinic.

6. Writes progress notes on patients' charts indicating patient status and treatment procedures performed; maintains other records as required.

7. Provides health education to patients, families and/or community health practitioners and groups; may train, work with, and supervise new nurse practitioners in specific clinical activities.

8. Enhances professional growth and development through participation in educational programs, current literature, in-service meetings, and workshops.

9. May perform clinical research related to specific operations.

10. Performs miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Job Requirements

* Bachelor's degree; no previous experience required. Certification/Licensure Eligible for New Mexico certification as a Physician's Assistant OR State of New Mexico Certified Nurse Practitioner or certification pending, as documented by temporary certificate.

* Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

* Knowledge of clinical operations and procedures.

* Knowledge of drugs and their indications, contraindications, dosing, side effects, and proper administration.

* Ability to maintain quality, safety, and/or infection control standards.

* Ability to perform medical examinations using standard medical procedures.

* Knowledge of CPR and emergency medical procedures.

* Ability to clearly communicate medical information to professional practitioners and/or the general public.

* Ability to educate patients and/or families as to the nature of disease and to provide instruction on proper care and treatment.

* Knowledge of current and emerging trends in technologies, techniques, issues, and approaches in area of expertise.

* Knowledge of patient care charts and patient histories.

* Ability to react calmly and effectively in emergency situations.

* Knowledge of OR, pre-op and/or post-op procedures.

* Knowledge of related accreditation and certification requirements.

* Ability to make administrative and procedural decisions.

* Skill in preparing and maintaining patient records.

* Knowledge of primary care principles and practices.

* Ability to supervise and train employees, to include organizing, prioritizing, and scheduling work assignments.

* Ability to observe, assess, and record symptoms, reactions, and progress.

Conditions of Employment

* CPR Certified.

* May be required to submit to annual TB and rubella screening.

* Must pass a pre-employment criminal background check.

* May be subject to credentialing process; must maintain credentialed status, if applicable.

* Must maintain certification status.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

* Moderate physical activity. Requires handling of average-weight objects up to 25 pounds or standing and/or walking for more than four (4) hours per day.

* Work environment involves exposure to potentially dangerous materials and situations that require following extensive safety precautions and may include the use of protective equipment.

* Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment.

* Will work with blood or blood-borne pathogens and will require OSHA training.