The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Nursing and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

Under limited supervision, serves as a leader and coordinates an advanced level of comprehensive health care of a specific patient population in collaboration with the medical staff. Takes a leadership role in the Comprehensive Ventricular Assist Device Program. 

Principal Responsibilities and Tasks

The following statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification.  They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by personnel so classified. 

1.    Serves as the clinical expert for nursing and advanced practice providers for the care of the VAD population. 
2.    Provides regulatory leadership to maintain The Joint Commission Ventricular Assist Device Program.  Facilitates formal communication channels for organizational stakeholders to ensure compliance with regulatory standards.  
3.    Evaluate outcomes for the VAD population via the STS and Intermac database. Ensure data is accurate and submitted promptly. 
4.    Actively participates with Quality Management in developing and implementing clinical practices. Facilitates change to meet organizational goals within the service line. Develops and implements strategies to reduce costs and increase patient satisfaction.  Through formal multidisciplinary committees, identify and facilitate opportunities for improvement for the VAD population. Leads performance improvement activities to improve care. 
5.    Actively participates in and leads a discussion of quality results and patient feedback, problem-solving, and development of plans to improve quality of care and service.  Follows up and supports colleagues' efforts to implement improvement action plans. Ensures required data analysis is current and shared with stakeholders.  
6.    Partners with cardiology and cardiac surgery colleagues to develop policies and procedures related to patient care by following established applicable nursing, medical, and ISHLT guidelines for the care of the VAD population.  Functions as a clinical expert and participates in writing new protocols, standards, and procedures. 
7.    Develop internal and external programs to enhance VAD awareness to ensure the safe care of the VAD population.  Facilitates VAD awareness within the community through collaboration with Emergency Medical Services. 
8.    Models appropriate judgment in the follow-up of patient care issues, including the use of physician, nursing, and/or administrative chain of command.  Models effective leadership behaviors in the Program Manager role.  Facilitates learning for other staff to become more effective in their role.  Provides coaching and team building to increase employee productivity and satisfaction.  Serves as a resource to staff for problem-solving.
9.    Maintains an outpatient VAD clinic and establishes practices to ensure appropriate follow-up of the VAD patient.    
10.    Provides overall clinical supervision, including work assignments, training, and evaluation per UMMC and specific departmental policies and procedures.

Additional Responsibilities: 
A.    Interviews and recommends hiring of VAD staff. 
B.    Conducts the annual performance evaluations of staff and recommends disciplinary measures when necessary.
C.    Identifies learning needs of staff. Orients new staff members. Develops department-level education, including in-services and teaching materials. 
D.     Promotes professional development of staff
11.    Acts as a liaison with nursing, medical staff, and quality management.
 

1.    Master of Science Degree with completion of Nurse Practitioner program. 
2.    Registered and currently recorded with the Maryland Board of Examiners of Nurses and Certified as a Nurse Practitioner in the State of Maryland.  Certified in area of specialty.  
3.    Four years’ experience as a Nurse Practitioner is required. Lead or supervisory experience is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

1.    Highly effective verbal and written communication skills are required to interact with patient families, departmental units, medical and nursing staff on all essential matters.  Demonstrated/documented effective interpersonal skills.
2.    Demonstrated ability to promote professionalism through involvement in professional organizations, teaching, research, publishing, and/or certification in area of specialty.
3.    Ability to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the patient population(s) served.  Ability to demonstrate understanding of the principles of growth and development over the life span and ability to assess data reflective of the patient's requirements relative to his or her population-specific and age-specific needs.

Patient Safety

Ensures patient safety in the performance of job functions and through participation in hospital, department or unit patient safety initiatives.

1.    Takes action to correct observed risks to patient safety.
2.    Reports adverse events and near misses to appropriate management authority.
3.    Identifies possible risks in processes, procedures, devices and communicates the same to those in charge.

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