Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant - Medical Oncology & Palliative Care in Laurinburg, NC

As a part of Duke Health’s outpatient clinic network, you will enjoy competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits plans, convenient work hours, and many opportunities for career advancement. Become a part of a team that values and invests in you.

Duke Advanced Practice Highlights:

• The nation’s first Physician Assistant Program was created at Duke in 1965 and is consistently ranked No. 1 in the country.
• The Duke School of Nursing is consistently ranked as one of the top nursing schools and their MSN and DNP programs offers eight advanced practice registered nurse majors and specialty certifications, as well as post master’s certificates and certification alignment programs.
• Commitment to ongoing learning for APPs through annual CME funding and access to high-quality Duke CME offerings including APP Grand Rounds and a professional advancement program.  APPs are leaders in multiple arenas within Duke.
• Duke offers APPs opportunities to practice within team based integrative care in a tremendous variety of specialties.  APPs are expected to work to top of scope in order to contribute to Duke’s missions which include clinical practice, education, and research.
• Practice locations can include Duke Health’s three hospitals or over 140 primary care and specialty care clinics throughout North Carolina.

Job Location     

Scotland Cancer Treatment Center, 500 Lauchwood Drive, Laurinburg, NC

Job Summary

Advanced Practice Provider (APP) with dual accountability to Duke Palliative Care and the Duke Cancer Network (DCN) who will practice at the Scotland Cancer Treatment Center located at 500 Lauchwood Drive in Laurinburg, NC.  The APP will focus on palliative care in oncology and other diseases. The APP will work with the team to manage patients under their care, participate in clinical trials as appropriate, and collaboratively identify opportunities to improve the program and provide education. Primary hours will be Monday through Friday, day shift, with hours flexible to meet the needs of the patients

Dual Accountability to: Duke Palliative Care & Duke Cancer Network

Job Duties & Responsibilities

• In collaboration with attending physician(s), the NP/PA performs triage, physical exams, collects and documents data, conducts diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, orders and schedules laboratory studies, diagnostic procedures and professional consultations, prescribes appropriate interventions and medications, coordinates the care of patients, and provides direct patient care services. 
• Analyze clinical practice patterns so as to provide the best medical care and to increase effectiveness and efficiency.
• Communicate verbally and in writing all pertinent patient information to supervising MD, oncology & palliative care leaders, nursing staff, home health agency, and other relevant healthcare providers.
• Provide timely documentation in the medical record of all relevant data including results of diagnostic tests; laboratory results; patients’ condition and response to therapies/interventions; communications with physician colleagues.
• Support the clinical practice of Duke Palliative Care as well as the DCN hematology/oncology providers
• Identify, coordinate and implement Quality Improvement activities
• Supervise other DCN or palliative care APPs as requested
• Participate in DCN research and educational efforts
• Complete additional duties as identified by the Medical Director or DCN leadership, to enhance the delivery of patient care and promote oncology standards within the Duke Cancer Network oncology clinics.

 Description of Work/Job Responsibilities (NPs will maintain “Scope of Practice & Collaborative Practice Agreement)

The following description of responsibilities reflects the major duties of the job but does not describe minor duties or other responsibilities which are assigned from time to time.

Coordinates clinical practice and clinical program services

• Manages a direct-care caseload, under the supervision of a physician, to accomplish strategic objectives of Duke Cancer Network
• Collaborates with healthcare team to assess, diagnose, plan, set priorities, establish realistic outcomes, and evaluate the effectiveness and cost efficiency of patient care
• Serves as role model for critical thinking and patient care skills for clinical colleagues
• Demonstrates and encourages competence as an NP or PA with excellent patient care skills
• Has established legal prescriptive authority for identified population
• Coordinates and facilitates clinical care programs for Duke-affiliated palliative care & oncology programs

Develops and implements Quality Management Program initiatives

• Collaboratively identifies areas for improvement within DCN affiliated cancer programs
• Develops tools to measure and report on current practice
• Collects and analyzes qualitative and quantitative data utilizing appropriate
• medium (e.g., written report and/or presentation with narrative text and graphics)
• Presents findings and recommendations to stakeholders utilizing appropriate medium (e.g., written report and/or presentation with narrative text and graphics)
• Collaboratively develops plan(s) to improve performance and assists with and/or oversees implementation, as appropriate.  Develops and implements measurable outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness of improvement initiatives
• In collaboration with the Medical Director, may design, implement and report QA and PI efforts related to a broad range of clinical activities

Assists in the design and execution of educational programs

• Assess educational needs of DCN affiliate organizations and staff as requested
• Assist with implementation and evaluation of educational programs for the communities served by the DCN
• Serves as role model and preceptor for healthcare learners  
• Assesses and develops patient/family educational interventions

Promotes, participates, and engages in research.

• Complies with all regulatory and educational requirements related to human subjects research
• Incorporates clinical research findings in the development and implementation of standards of care
• Participates in the facilitation, establishment and implementation of clinical research activities at Duke Cancer Network affiliate sites
• Participates in interdisciplinary research activities
• Considers open research protocols as patient treatment options when caring for patients
• Performs background research on patient care topics independently and/or as assigned (e.g. the best antibiotic for febrile neutropenia prophylaxis). Presentation of this research, in the appropriate medium, to the DCN community is an integral part of the research

Enhances the professional image of PAs and NPs

• Serves as professional model of an advanced practitioner
• Participates in leadership activities (meetings, committees) at Duke, DCN, and affiliated sites
• Participates in professional or volunteer organizations
• Remains current with trends and changes in practice that influence organizational planning through continuing education, research, and other activities
• Participates in organizational meetings and conferences that focus on clinical practice (e.g. quarterly Provider meeting, quarterly Faculty meeting, etc.)

Assists with the administrative functions of the Duke Palliative Care and Duke Cancer Network as requested

• Assists with orientation of new providers:  Faculty, other APPs and fellows
• Could be requested to participate in and lead employee evaluations for other APPs in the network under the direction of the Medical Director
• Assists team with patient scheduling and coverage scenarios which require advanced decision making across multiple clinical locations and multiple providers
• Could be requested to coordinate the provider schedules for all locations
• Takes leadership for special projects such as QOPI, or implementation of special services such as survivorship programs
• Coordinates collection and presentation of annual provider quality data for CPDC practices, for the School of Medicine appointments and for the network providers.

Prescriptive authority must be maintained per Duke’s standards for prescription and safe opioid prescribing as well as current legal standards at all times based upon practitioner’s licensing.

Job Eligibility Requirements

Education           

• Nurse Practitioners:  Work requires completion of an accredited Nurse Practitioner program, with a Master's degree in Nursing.
• Physician Assistants:  Work requires completion of an accredited Physician Assistant program. A Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree strongly preferred.

Certification 

• BLS required.

License                

• Nurse Practitioners:  Must have current or compact RN licensure & NP approval to practice in the state of North Carolina. BLS required. National certification as a NP required.
• Physician Assistants:  Must be licensed in the state of NC, and be certified as a Physician Assistant by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. BLS required.
• Both: Must demonstrate and maintain credentialing and licensing requirements of the Duke Health Integrated Practice and Duke Health. 
• The position requires the candidate to have current DEA licensure.
• Ability to provide documentation and necessary references for credentialing at Duke and Duke Cancer Network affiliates. 

Experience          

• 1+ years of oncology or palliative care APP experience preferred

Job Hours

Monday-Friday, day shift, with flexibility to meet clinic needs

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.