Stroke Nurse Practitioner - Stroke Program

Job Objective

The Stroke Nurse Practitioner is licensed to independently perform a variety of primary healthcare and intensive care services that require a high degree of clinical judgment in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of patients. Under the oversight from a physician and in accordance with standardized procedures and protocols the Stroke Nurse Practitioner serves as coordinator of the multidisciplinary team in the implementation of an established plan of care and is responsible for ensuring continuity of patient care, communicating the plan of care with patients and families, and facilitating discharge.

The Stroke Nurse Practitioner meets all the essential duty requirements of a Nurse Practitioner with experience in treating stroke patients. Additionally, the Stroke Nurse Practitioner must exemplify expert clinical skills, effective planning, leadership abilities, and ensure appropriate delivery of patient care according to the established standards. They must work effectively with an interdisciplinary team and possess strong communication skills.

• Stroke / Acute Care Administration
  • Rounds on acute care stroke patients with a focus on development and coordination of the plan of care.
  • Facilitates early discharge planning and problem solving of patient care issues in collaboration with the multidisciplinary Hospitalist team.
  • Reviews diagnostic tests, medications, and plan progress.
  • Assess and reassesses patient needs.
  • Documents in progress notes and writes orders, including medication orders, transfer and discharge orders and discharge summary in collaboration with the primary physician.
  • Serves as a liaison between the acute care stroke patient and the multidisciplinary team.
  • Responds to in‑patient units assisting in acute care stroke patient evaluation and resuscitation/stabilization.
  • Assists in procedures and performs procedures as credentialed.
  • Facilitates Performance Improvement and Patient Safety (PIPS) process. This may include monitoring trends in care and adherence to practice guidelines, identifying complications or deviations from standards of care and PI indicators for further review.
  • Participates in comprehensive stroke center research, research selection, analysis and distribution of findings, and assists with guideline development.
  • Serves as expert resource and consultant on latest evidence supporting cost‑effective, safe nursing practice.
  • Serves as resource to nursing personnel in the care planning of complex or unusual stroke patients.
  • Conducts comprehensive assessments using evidence‑based tools and techniques.
  • Analyzes the ethical impact of scientific advances, including cost and clinical effectiveness, on patient and family values and preferences.
  • Responds to all “Code Stroke” events in the Emergency Department as well as inpatient units.
• Stroke Team:
  Primary Focus
  • Respond to Code Stroke events in the main hospital, ED and Women and Infants Pavilion (WIP).
  • Evaluate and facilitate, with MD, treatment plan for stroke patients.
  • Working knowledge of proper level of care placement.
  • Provide expert consult for deteriorating patients in the main hospital, ED or WIP.
  • Round on all stroke inpatient care areas throughout the shift (main hospital, ED and WIP).
  • Respond to calls for change in patient’s condition relating to stroke.
  • Collaborates with Executive Director, Managers, and Educators to identify priority trends, patterns and opportunities to improve practice for stroke patients.
  • Leads or facilitates system‑wide initiatives and changes in practice for stroke patients.
  • Collaborates with teams to identify and resolve issues related to patient care, policies and procedures and resources as related to the stroke population.
• Stroke Team:
  Secondary Focus / Regulatory
  • Assist with bedside procedures as requested.
  • Collaborate with stroke program and education department leadership to develop and disseminate acute stroke continuing education programs.
  • Will collaborate with Stroke Manager, Education Specialist and or stroke coordinators on content and design for orientation, competency and education program development for stroke patients.
  • Promotes an environment that supports professional development and accountability.
  • Collects data required for clinical reports for the Hospital.
  • Facilitates compliance with regulatory agency standards, i.e. Joint Commission (TJC), CMS, OSHA