Nurse Practitioner (Nursing Home)

Quick Facts

• Role: Nurse Practitioner providing primary care in nursing homes
• Focus: Assessment, care plan development, clinical management, and continuity of care

Description

The Nurse Practitioner provides primary health care to long term care patients, including assessment and development of a plan of care in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team. The role includes direct patient care, evaluation of plan effectiveness, independent decision-making about nursing needs, and collaborative decisions with physicians about health regimens under the direction of the Senior Medical Director.

Responsibilities

• Obtain complete health history and record findings
• Perform physical examinations and functional/mental status evaluations
• Order, evaluate, and record appropriate laboratory and diagnostic tests
• Identify and describe behavioral patterns linked to chronic illness and developmental/lifestyle/family relationships
• Differentiate normal vs abnormal findings related to aging, pathology, lifestyle, and family relationships as influenced by chronic illness
• Use clinical judgment to manage changes in chronic health status and determine when consultation/referral is needed
• Interpret screenings and selected diagnostic tests
• Provide preventive care, episodic care, and arrange referrals as needed
• Manage common self-limiting/episodic health problems within scope and current practice guidelines
• Manage stabilized chronic illnesses in collaboration with physicians within guidelines
• Prescribe and adjust medications within prescriptive authority and current practice guidelines
• Recommend symptomatic treatments and non-prescription medicines
• Provide instruction, counseling, and guidance to patients and families for health maintenance and illness care
• Monitor patients in the nursing home to ensure continuity of care and assist with discharge planning

Requirements

• Master’s Degree in a Nurse Practitioner program (Family, Adult, or Geriatric)
• ANCC certification
• Current New York State license as a Nurse Practitioner
• National Board certification required
• Advance Practice Nurse Prescriber license required
• DEA registration required
• Bilingual (Spanish speaking) is a plus