Piedmont Healthcare is recruiting an Advanced Practice Provider (APP) to join our busy Neurosurgery practice at Piedmont Atlanta. This is a full-time, primarily inpatient position working collaboratively with a multidisciplinary neurosurgical team.

The APP will play an integral role in the daily inpatient management of neurosurgical patients, including patients with complex spine and spinal deformity conditions.   Key responsibilities include hospital rounding, neurosurgical consultations, perioperative management, postoperative care, discharge planning, and coordination of care across the hospital.

This position provides the opportunity to work in a fast-paced, high-acuity neurosurgical environment within one of the largest healthcare systems in Georgia. The APP will work closely with neurosurgeons, other APPs, nursing, critical care, neurology, rehabilitation, case management, and other specialists to provide coordinated, high-quality care throughout the patient's hospitalization.

The position includes a rotating weekend coverage requirement as part of the Neurosurgery APP team.

Responsibilities

Day-to-day responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Inpatient Neurosurgical Care

• Serve as an integral member of the inpatient Neurosurgery service, with primary responsibilities centered on the care and management of hospitalized neurosurgical patients.
• Conduct daily hospital rounds, independently evaluate assigned patients, and collaborate with the attending neurosurgeons to develop and advance the plan of care.
• Perform comprehensive and focused histories, physical examinations, and neurological assessments.
• Evaluate new inpatient and emergency department neurosurgical consultations and communicate findings and recommendations with the attending neurosurgeon.
• Manage patients throughout their hospitalization, including preoperative, immediate postoperative, and ongoing postoperative care.
• Monitor neurological status, laboratory results, diagnostic imaging, medications, drains, wounds, and patient response to treatment.
• Recognize changes in neurological or medical condition and promptly initiate appropriate evaluation, escalation, and intervention.
• Enter appropriate orders for medications, laboratory studies, imaging, consultations, therapies, and other aspects of care within the APP's scope of practice and privileges.
• Write admission histories and physicals, consultation notes, daily progress notes, postoperative documentation, and discharge summaries.
• Coordinate transitions between the intensive care unit, intermediate care, acute care units, inpatient rehabilitation, and home.
• Facilitate timely discharge planning and coordinate post-discharge follow-up, medications, patient education, and outpatient services.
• Communicate regularly with patients and families regarding the plan of care, anticipated clinical course, procedures, discharge needs, and follow-up.

Perioperative and Surgical Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive preoperative and postoperative management for hospitalized neurosurgical patients.
• Assist with surgical and procedural care based on training, credentialing, and service needs.
• Ensure appropriate preoperative diagnostic testing, imaging, laboratory studies, consultations, and medical clearances are completed.
• Perform postoperative evaluations and monitor for neurological changes, wound complications, pain control issues, and other potential complications.
• Anticipate and identify potential postoperative complications and collaborate with the neurosurgeon and other specialists to initiate timely intervention.
• Help facilitate efficient patient progression from admission through surgery, postoperative recovery, rehabilitation, and discharge.

Inpatient Collaboration and Care Coordination

• Work closely with Neurosurgery physicians, APP colleagues, Neurocritical Care, Neurology, Hospital Medicine, Emergency Medicine, nursing, rehabilitation services, case management, and other consulting teams.
• Communicate relevant changes in neurological status, imaging findings, laboratory results, and clinical condition to the attending neurosurgeon.
• Participate in multidisciplinary rounds and patient-care discussions.
• Support quality, safety, and performance-improvement initiatives related to inpatient neurosurgical care.
• Promote efficient patient flow, appropriate length of stay, and safe transitions of care.

Coverage and Weekend Rotation

• Participate in a rotating weekend coverage schedule with the Neurosurgery APP team.
• Provide inpatient rounding and management of hospitalized Neurosurgery patients during assigned weekend rotations.
• Participate in first-call coverage for Neurosurgery patients as assigned and appropriate to the practice model.
• Assist with urgent inpatient and emergency department consultations during scheduled coverage periods.
• Ensure effective handoffs and continuity of care between weekday and weekend teams.

Outpatient Responsibilities

While the position is primarily inpatient, the APP may provide limited outpatient support based on practice needs, including:

• Postoperative follow-up visits.
• Preoperative evaluations and surgical readiness assessments.
• Coordination of care following hospital discharge.
• Patient and family education related to surgery and postoperative recovery.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3 to 5 years of Neurosurgery experience preferred, particularly in an inpatient, surgical, neurocritical care, trauma, or other acute-care environment.
• Strong neurological assessment and clinical decision-making skills.
• Experience managing preoperative and postoperative neurosurgical patients preferred.
• Ability to independently assess hospitalized patients, identify changes in clinical condition, and appropriately escalate concerns.
• Ability to function effectively in a high-acuity, fast-paced inpatient environment.
• Strong communication, documentation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and care-coordination skills.
• Willingness to participate in a rotating weekend coverage schedule.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited Physician Assistant or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse program.
• Bachelor's or master's degree as required for professional licensure.
• Current national certification applicable to the APP discipline.
• Current Georgia license or eligibility for Georgia licensure.
• Eligibility for hospital credentialing and clinical privileges.