JOB SUMMARY

The Nephrology Nurse Practitioner (NNP) works in collaboration with a multidisciplinary health care team. The NNP provides care in an outpatient clinic(s). The NNP has didactic education, clinical competency and national certification in the identified area of clinical practice enabling delivery of effective healthcare for assigned patients including the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illness. A Nephrology NP demonstrates an ongoing commitment to patient centered care and partners with individuals as well as families to promote engagement and shared decision making to assure optimal health, well-being and self-management of disease processes. Supported by advanced knowledge of nursing theory and application, the NP demonstrates evidence-based medical knowledge, clinical judgment, technical competence, professionalism, interpersonal communication skills, timely and compliant documentation, and life-long professional development and competency validation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Obtains and documents a health history; performs and documents complete, system-focused, or symptom-specific physical examination, assessment and plan of care.
• In collaboration, provides healthcare services for primary, acute and complex care of patients with kidney disease and hypertension and manages patient's overall care, identifying expected outcomes for diagnoses.
• Orders, performs, interprets and collects data using appropriate assessment techniques, relevant supporting diagnostic information and diagnostic procedures where indicated.
• Forms differential diagnoses and treats acute and chronic conditions, as appropriate.
• Prescribes and revises therapeutic interventions and medical regimens both pharmacologic (including immunosuppressive therapy) and non-pharmacologic necessary to achieve expected outcomes.
• Provides patient education and counseling in the areas of health promotion, maintenance, and disease prevention
• Utilizes evidence-based, approved practice protocols in planning and implementing care
• Initiates appropriate referrals and consultations
• Provides specialty specific consultation services upon request and within specialty scope of practice
• Facilitates the patient's transition between and within health care settings, such as admitting, transferring, and discharging patients.
• Provides care coordination and non-patient facing care such as communication with local community providers and review of medical records and results.
• Participates in team meetings and conferences to enhance an interdisciplinary approach to health care delivery
• Participates and leads chronic kidney disease and treatment options sessions for the CKD patients.
• Participates in post-hospital discharge follow up of patients with kidney disease