This is a unique opportunity to be the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)/Physician Assistant (PA) for a world-class eye cancer treatment center. Our patients fly in from around the US to Northwestern Medicine for this specialized eye cancer care. By joining the Ocular Oncology team, you have the opportunity to diagnose and treat life- and vision-threatening diseases while preserving quality of life. You would be caring for, educating, and treating oncology patients during their hardest and most challenging points in their disease process. Having a diagnosis of cancer and possible vision loss can be a devastating experience. Our mission is to bring hope, as we offer them the leading treatment options with a focus on wellness for the body, mind, and spirit.
We treat the full spectrum of eye cancers, including ocular melanoma, lymphoma, and metastatic disease to the eye and provide treatments including plaque brachytherapy, proton therapy, photodynamic therapy, surgical excision, cryotherapy, eye chemotherapy and clinical trials. Although eye cancer is rare, we see a large volume of these cases as a tertiary/quaternary referral center. Being the APRN/PA for the Ocular Oncology team requires an individual who is compassionate, organized, dependable, willing to learn new skills, and who has an attention to detail. The Ocular Oncology team is dedicated to maintaining an energetic, positive, and supportive working environment. There is substantial interdisciplinary collaboration with medical oncology, radiation oncology, neuro-oncology, cytology/hematopathology, to name a few as well as other providers with whom we collaborate. Being a kind, thoughtful, reliable, and committed team player is required for this position. Having open and honest communication with care team members is critical. Communicating clearly in both writing (comprehensive clinic notes) and one-on-one communication is needed. We hope you see this opportunity as we do – the chance to be part of something truly remarkable – providing world class eye cancer care.
This position is located on the main campus downtown Chicago and Evanston Campus. Ad hoc to Evanston location – max 20% per week. This position is ~80% outpatient and ~20% inpatient.
Schedule: Monday through Friday; during business hours
- Occasional phone or video call checkups for certain post-operative patients or urgent cases on weekends or after hours
The daily duties of this role include treating patients in the clinic, assisting with minor procedures and counseling patients. The ideal candidate has ambulatory experience in oncology and ophthalmology (though not required), should be comfortable with care coordination across multidisciplinary teams and capable of handling a wide range of responsibilities throughout the day including patient care and procedures.
Responsibilities:
- Prepare for each clinic day by ensuring all needed imaging, referring provider notes, pathology over-reads, CT/MRI/PET have been received for each patient.
- Pre-chart patient notes through a comprehensive review of medical charts, referring provider notes, imaging, and laboratory data as outlined by the director of ocular oncology.
- Conducts thorough medical histories, performs complete physical examinations (where indicated), initiates appropriate labs, orders radiology tests or other specific tests required for evaluation of illness, and scrutinizes lab data on new and former clinic patients and hospital admissions to establish a record of the patient's current health status and to develop a working diagnosis and treatment plan.
- Provides information and answers patient questions regarding their disease and care plan, with basic recommendations.
- Promote positive mindset of ongoing improvement and development for best team health and patient care.
- Must be able to work with collaborating physician.
- First-assist in eye surgeries for Dr. Bowen
- Performs and interprets, at least to the point of recognizing deviations from normal, common laboratory, radiologic, ophthalmic imaging/ultrasounds and other routine diagnostic procedures used to identify pathophysiologic processes as privileged by NM Credentialing Board and communicates findings with patients.
- Performs routine procedures such as injections, immunizations, suturing and wound care, managing simple conditions produced by infection or trauma, assisting in the management of more complex illness and injury which may include assisting surgeons in conducting operations and taking initiative in performing evaluation and therapeutic procedures in response to life- threatening situations, as privileged by NM Credentialing Board.
- May prescribe and monitor medications as allowed by prescriptive authority through applicable state Board of Nursing/Medicine and NM policy.
- Performs specialized procedures, including blood draws, designated IV starts, and eye procedures directed by the physician, following approval by NM Credentialing Board.
- Educates patients regarding their disease, treatments, related drug and treatment side effects and hazards, as well as surveillance and aftercare.
- Assist in developing patient education material.
- Participates in medical team rounds/tumor board; collaborates with nursing, medical and other healthcare team members regularly to ensure quality patient care.
- Refers patients to specialists as appropriate for consultation or for specialized health resources and treatment.
- Ensures continuity of care by serving as a liaison between patient and other members of the multi-disciplinary care team or with other specialty areas as necessary.
- Performs clinical research and assists in writing publications.
- Assists in data analysis.
- Facilitate patient transportation and hotel stays for certain treatments.
- Prompt response to patients in epic or provider calls
- Help maintain good organization
- Participates in quality monitoring through the review of records and treatment plans for patient outcomes on a periodic basis to assure quality care.
- Facilitates appropriate length of stay, discharge planning and compliance with regulatory standards for inpatient management.
- May serve as clinical preceptor for PA/APRN students and other health professionals.
- Other duties as assigned.