Physician Extender (NP II or PA II) - NHGRI

Within Leidos Biomedical Research Inc., the Clinical Research Directorate (CRD), various clinical support teams provide high-quality comprehensive and strategic operational support to the high-profile domestic and international clinical research initiatives of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Clinical Center (CC), National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). CRD's support services are strategically aligned with the program's mission to provide comprehensive, dedicated support to assist National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers in providing the highest quality of clinical research in compliance with applicable regulations and guidelines, maintaining data integrity, and protecting human subjects. For the scientific advancement of clinical research, CRD services include comprehensive clinical trials monitoring, regulatory, pharmacovigilance, protocol navigation and development, and programmatic and project management support for facilitating the conduct of 400+ Phase I, II, and III domestic and international trials on a yearly basis. These trials investigate the prevention, diagnosis, treatment of, and therapies for cancer, influenza, HIV, and other infectious diseases and viruses such as hepatitis C, tuberculosis, malaria, and Ebola virus; heart, lung, and blood diseases and conditions; parasitic infections; rheumatic and inflammatory diseases; and rare and neglected diseases. CRD's collaborative approach to clinical research and the expertise and dedication of staff to the continuation and success of the program's mission has contributed to improving the overall standards of public health on a global scale.

KEY ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES

The Clinical Research Directorate (CRD) provides clinical, medical and nursing support for the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), National Institutes of Health (NIH) effort of the drug efficacy study of ManNAc in GNE Myopathy.

• Completes in-depth documentation through written progress notes, dictation summaries, and communication with referring physicians according to medical record documentation requirements
• Participates in clinical rounds and conferences
• Administers and adjusts trial medication under the guidance of a physician and explains discharge instructions and medication regimens to patients and follow up with consulting service recommendations
• Orders, performs and interprets basic laboratory diagnostic/treatment tests and procedures
• Performs comprehensive health care assessments by obtaining health and family medical histories
• Completes physical examinations
• Performs clinical data recording and medical chart entries
• Obtains informed consent
• Maintains and completes medical records
• Places orders for medications and tests
• Performs retrievals from electronic medical information system
• Distinguishes between normal and abnormal findings and determine which findings need further evaluation and/or collaboration assessment
• Evaluates, modifies and revises care plan at appropriate intervals
• Assesses acute and non-acute clinical problems and toxicities
• Ensures compliance with applicable licensure/certification requirements, healthcare standards, governmental laws and regulations, and policies, procedures, and philosophy in nature
• Assists with extensive clinical trials programs focused on developing novel therapies
• Attends scheduled patient care rounds and didactic lecture sessions of the clinical team
• Demonstrates expertise in related healthcare, individual initiative, and independent judgment
• Counsels, supports, and educates patients and staff on matters relating to health and research studies/protocols
• Develops patient rapport and provide emotional support in helping patients cope with stress associated with illnesses
• Diagnoses and manages common acute or stable chronic health problems, injuries, and illnesses making assessments of acute and non-acute clinical problems and toxicities
• Dictates admission and discharge summaries
• Interprets and documents diagnostic tests and studies related to clinical trial interventions and patient conditions
• Ensures unusual problems are referred to physicians or an administrative supervisor
• Explains the plan of care/discharge needs to the incoming on-call resident as well as the patient's assigned case manager at sign out
• Independently evaluates patients in both the inpatient and outpatient clinic settings in coordination with a government attending physician
• Maintains and enhances clinical practice skills by attending/participating in and conducting staff development and continuing education programs
• Medically diagnoses common short term or stable chronic health problems, injuries, and illnesses
• Monitors and evaluate health effects related to new/ongoing protocol studies
• Monitors and grades side effects related to a variety of study interventions, including drugs and psychological behaviors
• Practices within boundaries established by the Nurse Practice Act or the State of Maryland and Medical Board of the Clinical Center
• Prescreens and recruits patients to the trials
• Promotes health maintenance and disease prevention programs
• Provides medical on-call services on a rotating schedule
• Provides medical evaluation and longitudinal follow-up of participants enrolled in clinical trials
• Reviews assigned patient resident reports and carries and answesr the resident pager
• Provides coverage for the post-call resident's patients, while working closely with the Inpatient/Fellowship staff
• Talks to new patients referred to our service about available protocols
• Writes prescriptions
• This position is located in Bethesda, Maryland

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• A Physician Assistant applicant must be a graduate from a physician assistant educational program, accredited by the Accreditation Review Committee on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) or its predecessors, at a college, university, or educational institution that is accredited by an accrediting body or organization recognized by the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education. Must have successfully completed the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) examination. Must be Maryland State Board eligible
• A Nurse Practitioner applicant must possess a degree/diploma from a professional nursing program approved by the legally designated State accrediting agency at the time the program was completed by the applicant. Must have active, current registration as a professional nurse in a State, District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States. Must have appropriate certification issued by the appropriate certifying body the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), or the American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC) as a Nurse Practitioner. Must be Maryland State Board eligible
• All applicants: Eligibility includes documentation of a pending Maryland license
• Foreign degrees must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency
• A minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible nurse practitioner experience or relevant physician assistant experience in a multi-disciplinary clinical setting, focused on oncology and preferably transplant as well
• Current certification in Advanced Cardio Life Support (ACLS) and/or Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Ability to work and communicate effectively as a team member and maintain a collaborative relationship with the Medical Director and various levels of medical staff
• Ability to assess acute and non-acute medical problems
• Professional mastery of clinical nursing knowledge of patient assessment and medical care, as well as knowledge of pharmacology
• Ability to develop patient rapport and provide emotional support in helping patients cope with stress associated with infectious disease illnesses
• Demonstrated knowledge of standards, policies/procedures and treatment by integration of that knowledge into the delivery of care
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Prior experience with clinical trials and/or immunotherapy clinical research and experience in an outpatient setting

Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) | Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran (M/F/D/V) | Drug Free Workplace (DFW)