Advanced Practice Provider, APRN or PA-C

About the Role

The Advanced Practice Provider (APP), APRN or PA-C, serves as an integral member of the multidisciplinary Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) team. This hospital-based role involves approximately 90% practice in the inpatient setting, rotating between the inpatient rehabilitation consult service and the acute inpatient rehabilitation unit.

Key Responsibilities

Consult Service Responsibilities

• Performing comprehensive rehabilitation consultations for patients from Neurology, Trauma, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, and General Medicine.
• Assessing functional deficits and rehabilitation needs.
• Developing individualized rehabilitation treatment plans.
• Making recommendations regarding therapy services, medical rehabilitation management, and rehabilitation candidacy.
• Assisting with disposition planning and determining the most appropriate post-acute rehabilitation setting.
• Collaborating with referring physicians, therapists, nursing staff, case managers, and families.

Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit Responsibilities

• Performing admission evaluations and facilitating admission processes.
• Participating in daily patient management and interdisciplinary rehabilitation care.
• Managing acute and chronic medical issues under collaborative physician supervision.
• Reviewing, reconciling, and adjusting medications.
• Educating patients and families regarding diagnoses, treatment plans, rehabilitation goals, and discharge recommendations.
• Coordinating discharge planning and ensuring appropriate follow-up care, referrals, and continuity of care.
• Collaborating with therapists, nursing staff, case management, and consulting services.

Patient Population

• Medically complex rehabilitation patients.
• Approximately 75% of the patient population consists of individuals with neurologic diagnoses, including:
• Stroke
• Traumatic and non-traumatic brain injury
• Spinal cord injury
• Neuromuscular disorders
• Additional patient populations include:
• Multiple trauma patients
• Amputees
• Patients with significant medical complexity requiring rehabilitation
• Orthopedic and musculoskeletal rehabilitation patients

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Strong collaboration with a team of physiatrists and advanced practice providers.
• Highly motivated, self-directed clinician with excellent clinical judgment, critical thinking skills, communication skills, and the ability to function effectively within an interdisciplinary team environment.
• Proficiency with the electronic medical record.

Qualifications

License/Registration/Certification

• Active RN, and APRN/APRN-FPA/APNP or other APRN license(s) in state(s) of practice.
• Active national board certification in area of clinical practice and populations served.
• Active DEA registration prior to hire.
• If Illinois practice: active Illinois Controlled Substance License prior to hire.
• Active BLS and/or ACLS, PALS, NRP as required by clinical practice prior to or within 6 months of hire.

Education

• Master’s Degree in Nursing

Experience

• No experience required.
• Previous experience in hospital-based practice is strongly preferred.
• Experience in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, neurology, and inpatient medicine would be particularly valuable.

Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrated high level of clinical proficiency.
• Excellent decision-making skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as an effective member of a health care team.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to evolving technology.
• Ability to effectively collaborate with and establish/build relationships with others.
• Proven organizational skills and ability to prioritize effectively.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to stand, walk, bend, stoop, and twist continuously throughout the workday.
• Must have functional speech, vision, touch, and hearing.
• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs from floor to waist.
• Must be able to lift up to 20 lbs over the head.
• Must be able to carry up to 40 lbs a reasonable distance.
• Operate all equipment necessary to perform the job.