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Overview

As a patient-focused organization, University of Utah Health exists to enhance the health and well-being of people through patient care, research and education. Success in this mission requires a culture of collaboration, excellence, leadership, and respect. University of Utah Health seeks staff that are committed to the values of compassion, collaboration, innovation, responsibility, integrity, quality and trust that are integral to our mission. EO/AA

Responsible for providing care to patients who receive mechanical circulatory support as an advanced surgical treatment for heart failure. They facilitate the process of mechanical circulatory support therapy from patient identification and evaluation through implantation and post-implantation follow up. This position may be required to access and administer medications within their scope of practice and according to State Law.

Corporate Overview: The University of Utah is a Level 1 Trauma Center and is nationally ranked and recognized for our academic research, quality standards and overall patient experience. Our five hospitals and eleven clinics provide excellence in our comprehensive services, medical advancement, and overall patient outcomes.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Evaluates potential Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS) patients using predetermined criteria, schedules testing, compiles information and presents at multidisciplinary weekly team meetings.
• Educates MCS candidates and their caregivers of risks, complications, benefits, life-style changes, operation, maintenance, and ongoing care of their MCS equipment.
• Coordinates inpatient care in various areas of the hospital including intra-operative device management and post-operative preparation for discharge and follow-up needs.
• Coordinates long term management and follow-up care for outpatients post MCS implant.
• Collaborates with Primary Care Physicians and Advanced Practitioners to implement clinical interventions for all MCS patients throughout their care continuum.
• Participates in the development and maintenance of current education materials and provides ongoing education sessions to maintain staff competencies.
• Promotes the University of Utah Health Mechanical Circulatory Support Program to increase patient referrals; this may include participating in outreach meetings, travel, activities with payers and providers, and developing and maintaining relationships with community physicians and nurses.
• Participates in the gathering and entering of data for INTERMACS, the international database for MCS programs.
• Participates in program quality improvement monitoring, initiatives, and projects.
• Works closely with financial coordinators and insurance company case managers to provide MCS information to assist in obtaining procedural coverage approval.
• Oversees utilization of MCS resources within the program's budget and participates in planning for future budgets.
• May supervise and evaluate department support staff.
• Collaborates with heart Transplant Coordinators in providing care in pre-transplant phase for bridge to transplant MCS patients.
• At the discretion of department operational and patient care needs, this position is required to work rotating schedules, which may include variable hours, weekends, nights, and holidays to meet the staffing and patient care demands of a 24/7 complex health system. Regular, reliable, and punctual attendance during assigned shifts is considered an essential function of the role.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Demonstrated availability to work variable and rotating shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays, in a 24/7 patient care environment.

• Demonstrated ability to perform the essential functions as outlined above.

• Ability to provide care to the population served as described in the department's policies, procedures and guidelines.

• Demonstrated human relation, effective communication and critical conversation expertise.

• Demonstrated ability to function calmly and competently in high-stress situations.

• On-Call Responsibilities: Skills and desire to adapt to urgent situations and complete job duties even if they fall outside normal business hours.

Qualifications

Required

• Three years nursing experience within acute care setting in cardiovascular nursing, cardiac surgical nursing, critical care nursing, cardiac transplantation, and/or care of patients with ventricular assist devices / mechanical circulatory support devices.
• Basic computer skills and ability to chart in electronic medical record.

Licenses Required

• Current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Utah, or obtain one within 90 days of hire under the interstate compact if switching residency to State of Utah. Must maintain current Interstate Compact (multi-state) license if residency is not being changed to Utah.

• Current RQI Healthcare Provider eCredential through the University of Utah Health RQI system. The eCredential is to be obtained within 30 days of hire.

* Additional license requirements as determined by the hiring department.

Qualifications (Preferred)

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree in Nursing.
• At least 2-3 years inpatient in cardiology/cath lab/cardiac ICU
• Critical Care experience
• Impella, ECMO, CentriMag, or other MCS/VAD experience
• Exceptional multidisciplinary communication skills in high-stress, high-acuity situations

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Employee must be able to meet the following requirements with or without an accommodation.

• This position involves light work that may exert up to 20 pounds and may consistently require light work involving lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling or otherwise moving objects involving patient care or medical equipment.

Physical Requirements