Under the co-leadership of the Neuro ICU Medical Director and Director of Nursing, the Lead Advanced-Practice Provider (aLead APPa) shall have 24/7/365 accountability in the oversight of the APP program a including but not limited to daily operations, regulatory compliance, quality and performance improvement, and patient-family experience. The Lead APP shall provide Nursing leadership, clinical supervision, and education/professional development for APPs within the Neuro ICU, which are presently Nurse Practitioners, but may include Clinical Nurse Specialists and/or Physician Assistants. Within the Nurse Practitioner scope of practice determined by New Jersey licensure and in collaboration with a board-certified/-eligible physician, the Lead APP is accountable for supervising, planning, implementing, coordinating, and evaluating the delivery of APP care of the Neuro ICU patient population. Implementing this care shall include the Lead APP providing direct clinical care as needed. The Lead APP will participate in site-level and system-wide committees for both the Neurosciences service line and Nursing Shared Governance, and likewise foster engagement by their direct-report APPs.

Essential Job Functions:

• Functions as a leader and an expert advanced practice provider; and assumes responsibility and accountability for the expert applications of the nursing process and the delivery of patient care.
• Consistently demonstrates professional skills and abilities, utilizes knowledge base and exemplary leadership and educational skills to direct and supervise the clinical performance of others, demonstrates motivation and creativity, and serves a catalyst for effective change at all levels.
• Supervises and assumes responsibility for promoting maximum growth and development of APP staff supervised, supports clinical research, participates in strategic planning, both long and short term and assures patient advocacy.
• Together with the medical director and nursing leadership, provides training and on-boarding of new APPs joining the Neuro ICU team to maintain the highest quality of care.
• Provides ongoing evaluations and educational programs for the APP team, including new-hire onboarding, to ensure consistency in delivering evidenced-based, clinically excellent care.
• Develop, implement, and maintain professional and institutional standards to support outcome-based care and evidence-based nursing practice.
• Ensure that the overall management program supports patient, clinical service objective, patient management, and excellence in the delivery of patient care services.
• Develop, implement, and oversee the APP inpatient quality initiatives program that promotes both clinical and financial excellence.
• Provide operational and clinical oversight to Neuro ICU APPs to ensure that all day-to-day activity supports clinical excellence.
• Work closely with leadership throughout the Neuroscience Department, Nursing Administration and other hospital departments including the transfer center, medical director/s of neurosurgery, neurology, medicine and anesthesia programs, pharmacy, peri-operative team and other hospital and clinical departments to ensure that the highest expectations of all regulatory and professional standards are met.
• Demonstrate integral involvement in the Nursing Department performance improvement/quality assurance program and hospital Critical Care Committee. Maintain, review, and update all specialty policies in accordance with faculty practice and hospital, professional and regulatory standards.
• Support the overall strategic goals of the service line, hospital, and system. Contribute to an environment of care where patients, families, staff and others are treated with respect, dignity and in a professional manner, and promote a culture committed to diversity and inclusion.
• Assess patient care needs and monitors patient satisfaction. Address and resolve patient complaints in a timely manner.
• Identify, respond to, and investigate potential and actual risk management issues.
• Coordinate patient care delivery, and patient flow.
• Maintain environmental safety.
• Coordinate activities and interact effectively with other departments and medical staff to manage the patient care environment.
• Provide timely status reports of results of quality monitoring including identification of patterns and trends that require actions.
• Manage the practice staffing to ensure a safe, appropriate staffing plan to all personnel.
• Maintain the team schedule to ensure 24/7/365 APP coverage of Neuro ICU.
• Manage timekeeping and payroll processes.
• Conduct monthly Neuro ICU APP staff meeting, and ad hoc meetings/huddles as needed.
• Support the clinical leadership in the development of interdisciplinary standards relevant to scope of practice. Provide a practice environment that encourages a team culture and response to the provision of patient care services.
• Encourage and facilitate professional growth and development of staff. Facilitate the flow of information from other departments to staff.
• Promote a positive environment that encourages staff to participate in the identification of areas of opportunity for improvement in patient care and all related processes.
• Participate in pertinent Shared Governance councils a namely the local and system Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) Council a and pertinent activities related to the hospital maintaining designation in the American Nurse Credential Centeras Magnet Recognition Program(r).
• Perform other duties per operational needs, within scope of APP practice.