Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant Long Term Care Pocahontas, AR

Description

The Long-Term Care Advanced Practitioner (APP) is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) or Physician Assistant (PA) who serves as a dedicated clinical partner within skilled nursing, long-term care, and post-acute facilities.

The APP serves as a consistent clinical presence within the facility, supporting resident care delivery, clinical decision-making, and overall medical management alongside the medical director. The AP practices with a high level of clinical autonomy while working in close partnership with facility leadership, nursing staff, attending physicians, and interdisciplinary care teams.

Specifically, the Long-Term Care APP’s primary focus areas include:

• Stabilizing medically complex residents within the facility environment
• Reducing potentially avoidable hospital transfers and ED utilization
• Supporting facility regulatory and clinical quality performance
• Improving condition change response time and clinical escalation pathways
• Enhancing communication with residents, families, and care teams
• Supporting efficient and appropriate healthcare resource utilization

Responsibilities

Advanced Resident Clinical Management

• Perform comprehensive and ongoing clinical assessments for long-term care and post-acute residents.
• Diagnose and manage acute and chronic disease processes common to LTC populations
• Order and interpret necessary diagnostic, laboratory and radiographic data.  
• Develop, implement, and adjust individualized care plans in collaboration with facility teams.
• Provide advanced management of high-risk LTC clinical conditions including:
• Infection management and sepsis risk mitigation
• Wound care management
• CHF, COPD, and advanced chronic disease optimization
• Dementia and behavioral health symptom management
• Polypharmacy and medication risk reduction
• End-of-life and goals-of-care discussions when appropriate

Facility Clinical Integration & Operational Partnership

• Function as a consistent clinical presence within assigned facilities.
• Collaborate with facility leadership to support clinical workflow optimization and communication pathways.
• Assist with new admission clinical stabilization and transition-of-care management.
• Participate in interdisciplinary care planning and complex case review.
• Provide clinical education and support to facility nursing staff when appropriate.
• Support facility initiatives aimed at reducing readmissions and improving resident stability.

Regulatory, Survey, and Quality Performance Support

• Practice in alignment with federal and state long-term care regulations.
• Support facility clinical documentation readiness for survey and audit activity.
• Participate in root cause review of hospital transfers and adverse clinical events.
• Support infection prevention and clinical quality improvement initiatives.
• Contribute to performance improvement efforts tied to facility quality measures.

Documentation, Compliance, and Clinical Accountability

• Maintain accurate, timely, and compliant clinical documentation.
• Follow AMC clinical protocols and documentation standards.
• Maintain all licensure, certification, and continuing education requirements.
• Maintain compliance with HIPAA, OSHA, and infection control standards.

Independent Clinical Decision-Making

• Practice with strong independent clinical judgment within scope of licensure.
• Escalate care appropriately to collaborating physicians or specialists.
• Prioritize resident safety and early intervention for condition changes.

Technology and Data Utilization

• Utilize EHR and clinical documentation systems effectively.
• Participate in telehealth or virtual care models when appropriate.
• Utilize available clinical data to support risk identification and care planning.

Other

• Attends scheduled department staff and clinical meetings. 
• Exercises utmost diplomacy and tact to provide excellent customer service for patients, practices confidentiality and privacy protocols in accordance to company policies and HIPAA requirements. 
• Regional travel between facilities may be required.
• Other duties as assigned.

FLSA Status: Exempt

Benefits

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee discounts
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In-person clinical care delivery within long-term care and post-acute facilities

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• MSN, DNP, MPAS, DMSc, or equivalent advanced degree.
• Currently registered/licensed in applicable State. Must maintain an active license in good standing throughout employment.
• Board Certification (AANP/ANCC/NCCPA).
• DEA and BLS certification. 
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills required: ability to deal with the public, patients, and fellow staff in a pleasant and professional manner. 
• Knowledge of professional medical practice and care to give and evaluate patient care. 
• Knowledge of organizational policies, regulations, and procedures to administer patient care. 
• Knowledge of medical equipment and instruments to administer patient care. 
• Ability to interpret, adapt and apply treatment protocol guidelines and procedures. 
• Ability to recognize medical condition requiring consultation with the collaborating physician, and to work with the collaborating physician, in person or by phone, on these and other cases outside the scope of established protocols. 

Preferred Qualifications

• 2+ years of clinical experience preferred; LTC/SNF/geriatric experience strongly preferred.
• Long-Term Care, Skilled Nursing, or Geriatric experience strongly preferred.

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
• lift up to 20 lbs over the head
• carry up to 40 lbs a reasonable distance.
• push/pull with 30 lbs of force.
• perform a sliding transfer of 150 lbs with a second person present.
• operate all equipment necessary to perform the job.
• Will be exposed to the following hazards: mechanical, electrical, chemical, and radiation as well as blood and body fluids; therefore, protective clothing and equipment (i.e., goggles, lead apron, gloves, gowns, etc.) must be worn as necessary.