"Nurse Practitioner I - Gastroenterology/Bariatric Surgery"

Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation's top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide.

To learn more about UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.

The Department of Surgery is currently recruiting for the position of Nurse Practitioner I, which requires a highly competent, independent, yet team-oriented individual specializing in surgery. This role entails immersing oneself in the management and coordination of all outpatient surgical care specifically for the Gastrointestinal and bariatric Surgery services.

In our pursuit of excellence, we are seeking a skilled nurse practitioner with prior nursing experience in gastrointestinal and bariatric surgery to join our dedicated team at the academic medical center. The primary focus of this position is to deliver exceptional outpatient care through patient evaluations, follow-ups, and management of colorectal and gastrointestinal conditions, ensuring comprehensive and high-quality treatment. This role does not include operating room responsibilities.

The successful candidate will actively participate in the academic and educational activities of the department, staying abreast of the latest advancements and contributing to the growth of medical knowledge. You will play a vital role in providing specialized care to patients with digestive disease surgical conditions. Monthly travel to a clinic in San Bernardino County may be required, typically 1-2 times per month.

We are looking for a candidate who possesses exceptional clinical skills in management of gastrointestinal and bariatric surgery patients. The successful candidate will have prior nursing experience in management of this patient population for 3-5 years, strong sense of compassion, and the ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team. Candidates with knowledge in weight management and the use of GLP-1 for weight loss would be preferred. The Nurse Practitioner I will contribute to the overall success of our institution by providing outstanding patient care, participating in educational endeavors, and upholding the highest standards of excellence.

Responsibilities:

• Patient Care: Conduct outpatient evaluations for patients with gastrointestinal surgical conditions, including pre- and post-operative assessments. Evaluate patients pre- and post-operatively, ensuring accurate documentation of findings and interventions and weight management for morbidly obese patients using state-of-the-art GLP 1 medications. Collaborate with the interdisciplinary healthcare team, including attending physicians, residents, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, to optimize patient outcomes. Provide patient education, counseling, and support to enhance understanding and compliance with treatment plans.
• Documentation and Communication: Maintain accurate and detailed electronic medical records, including patient history, physical examination findings, diagnostic results, treatment plans, and progress notes. Communicate effectively and professionally with patients, families, and healthcare team members to provide timely updates on patient status, treatment plans, and any changes in the care plan. Collaborate with the surgical team to ensure seamless continuity of care during transitions, such as transfers to the intensive care unit or other specialty services.
• Education and Research: Participate in the academic and educational activities of the department, including teaching medical students, residents, and fellows. Stay up to date with the latest advancements and evidence-based practices in gastrointestinal and colon and rectal surgery through continuous learning and professional development. Engage in research initiatives and quality improvement projects to contribute to the advancement of patient care and digestive disease surgical outcomes.
• Compliance and Quality Assurance: Adhere to all applicable regulations, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance with legal, ethical, and professional standards. Participate in quality assurance and performance improvement activities to enhance patient safety and optimize clinical outcomes. Comply with institutional guidelines for infection control, patient privacy, and other relevant standards.

The Nurse Practitioner will participate in the comprehensive care of patients in the ambulatory setting and provide multi-disciplinary care coordination, treatment, education, monitoring, and communication with patients and referring physicians. A Nurse Practitioner is an Advanced Practice Provider (APP) who possesses the advanced education, knowledge, clinical skills and experience necessary to provide advanced nursing care in their area of specialization.

This position may perform: Functions as appropriate to their 'scope of practice' (In general, the 'scope of practice' includes the management of chronic stable medical conditions, routine care, acute or critical care, and medical and surgical procedures per their approved standardized procedure). Familiarity with state statute for their licenses is necessary. Approved privileges are unique to each person and are unlikely to include ALL privileges. The NP professional may provide patient care in age groups based on educational preparation and at all Health licensed settings and affiliates. The NP has responsibility for the standards of care for their specified patient population and evidences self-direction and accountability both to quality of care and in the development of their role within the all Health locations and affiliates. Advanced Practice Practitioners (APP) are required to be credentialed to practice and be privileged through Medical Staff to function in their clinical role. Credentialing and approval of privileges must be completed prior to the first working day. The NP is accountable to, evaluated, and provided feedback by the supervising/collaborating physician, physician designee(s) in the same clinical specialty, or the Administrative Manager.

Required: Educational training and/or experience to support setting and patient population. Ability to obtain UCIMC Allied Health Professional Privileges prior to hire. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships across the program and UCI Health System. Ability to exercise diplomacy and flexibility in interacting with physicians, nurses, other paramedical personnel, administrators, emergency and law enforcement officers. Must demonstrate customer service skills appropriate to the job. Skill to clearly communicate medical information to a broad variety of people, both in person and over the telephone. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Writing skills to prepare clear medical reports, laboratory data and progress notes. Ability to maintain a work pace appropriate to the workload. Must possess the skill, knowledge and ability essential to the successful performance of assigned duties. Ability to be trained in the use of specialized medical equipment and procedures. Demonstrates an understanding of and adheres to privacy, confidentiality, and security policies and procedures related to Protected Health Information (PHI) or other sensitive and personal information. Demonstrated prior nursing experience in management of gastrointestinal/bariatric surgery patients in outpatient clinic settings. Demonstrated knowledge in management of bariatric surgery patients using the latest GLP-1 medications. Successful completion of an accredited Nurse Practitioner Program. Current, active, unrestricted California Registered Nurse license. Current, active, unrestricted California Nurse Practitioner license. Current, active, unrestricted Furnishing license and DEA registration. Active National Provider Identifier (NPI). NP National Board Certification (Beginning February 2018): Adult Gerontology Acute Care AGACNP-BC or ACNPC-AG OR Family/Individual FNP-BC or FNP-C. Current BLS certification.

Preferred: Familiarity with UC policies and procedures. Bilingual in Spanish and/or Vietnamese. Knowledge of ePIC, Windows and MS Office software applications (Excel, Word, Quest, Access, Power point and Outlook). WOCN certification.