Full Job Description
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At UMass Memorial Health, everyone is a caregiver – regardless of their title or responsibilities. Exceptional patient care, academic excellence and leading-edge research make UMass Memorial the premier health system of Central Massachusetts, and a place where we can help you build the career you deserve. We are more than 16,000 employees, working together as one health system in a relentless pursuit of healing for our patients, community and each other. And everyone, in their own unique way, plays an important part, every day.
Position Summary:
UMass Memorial Medical Center is seeking a full-time Nurse Practitioner (NP) or Physician Assistant (PA) to join its dynamic Palliative Care program. This position focuses on delivering inpatient palliative care consultation services to patients with serious, life-limiting illnesses, including within the Emergency Department (ED). The role ensures high-quality, patient-centered care aimed at improving patients’ quality of life, supporting families, and collaborating with the inpatient and ED teams in managing complex, urgent symptom control, advanced care planning, and end-of-life decision-making.
As part of a large academic medical center, the candidate will work in an interdisciplinary environment, collaborating with referring physicians, nurses, social workers, and specialists to address both emergent and ongoing palliative care needs in a fast-paced setting. UMass Memorial Health, the largest health care system in Central Massachusetts, offers comprehensive resources, including state-of-the-art medical technologies, research opportunities, and clinical trials, while fostering an environment of compassion and patient-centered care.
Key Responsibilities:
Clinical Responsibilities:
- Provide comprehensive palliative care consultations for hospitalized patients and within the ED, focusing on urgent symptom management, psychosocial support, advanced care planning and timely transitions to hospice care when appropriate for patients with serious illness or at the end of life.
- Conduct thorough patient assessments, including history and physical exams, to evaluate palliative care needs in the emergency setting.
- Collaborate closely with the inpatient and ED teams (physicians, nurses, social workers, etc.) to develop and implement individualized care plans for patients experiencing complex, life-limiting conditions.
- Lead family and patient discussions, including crisis interventions, to address goals of care, prognosis, and treatment options.
- Educate and support patients and families in understanding illness trajectories, palliative care options, and decision-making, especially in critical care situations.
- Advocate for patient autonomy and decision-making aligned with patient values, particularly in high-stakes emergency scenarios.
- Maintain timely and accurate documentation in the electronic medical record (EMR) consistent with hospital policies.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration:
- Work collaboratively with hospital and ED teams and the palliative care team, ensuring coordinated care across both departments and specialties and with community-based hospice and palliative care vendors.
- Participate in daily interdisciplinary rounds, providing updates on palliative care consults and contributing to patient care planning.
- Serve as a liaison between the palliative care service and hospital departments and community vendors to enhance care continuity and quality.
Education and Advocacy:
- Provide education to hospital and ED staff and clinical teams regarding palliative care and hospice principles, including communication strategies for sensitive, end-of-life discussions in an emergency context.
- Assist in developing training programs that enhance the referring teams’ ability to address complex, urgent palliative care needs.
- Act as an advocate for integrating palliative care into routine inpatient and ED practices, ensuring timely and compassionate management of life-limiting illnesses in critical settings.
Program Development and Quality Improvement:
- Contribute to the development and expansion of the palliative care service within the ED, identifying areas for improvement and developing strategies for addressing ED-specific palliative care needs.
- Participate in quality improvement initiatives and monitor outcomes, recommending changes to improve care delivery for seriously ill patients in the hospital and ED.
- Help develop policies related to palliative care in the hospital and ED, ensuring compliance with hospital standards and regulatory requirements.
Leadership and Professional Development:
- Stay updated with advances in palliative care practice, particularly those relevant to emergent and critical care settings, including clinical guidelines, symptom management, and treatment modalities.
- Attend educational conferences, training, and professional development activities to advance palliative care expertise.
- Provide leadership in fostering a culture of palliative care within the hospital and ED, including role modeling best practices for patient-centered, compassionate care.
- Participate in research and evidence-based practices in palliative care, with a focus on improving care in hospital settings and the emergency department.
Education and Qualifications:
- Education: Master’s or Doctoral degree in Nursing or Physician Assistant studies from an accredited NP/PA program.
- Certification: Board certification as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) or Physician Assistant (PA) with current certification in hospice and palliative care (ACHPN for NPs and CAQ-PMHC for PAs).
- Licensure: Unrestricted license to practice as an NP or PA in Massachusetts.
- Experience: 3-5 years of experience in palliative care required. Experience in emergency medicine or critical care is a plus.
Working Conditions:
- Setting: consultation in inpatient settings (ICU, medical/surgical floors) including a focus on the emergency department.
- Hours: Full-time, Monday through Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm. Rotating holidays, weekend, and evening coverage may be required based on patient needs.
- Environment: Frequent interaction with patients and families in high-stress, emotionally charged situations, requiring the ability to manage complex decision-making in time sensitive scenarios.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.
We’re striving to make respect a part of everything we do at UMass Memorial Health – for our patients, our community and each other. Our six Standards of Respect are: Acknowledge, Listen, Communicate, Be Responsive, Be a Team Player and Be Kind. If you share these Standards of Respect, we hope you will join our team and help us make respect our standard for everyone, every day.
As an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, UMass Memorial Health recognizes the power of a diverse community and encourages applications from individuals with varied experiences, perspectives and backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity and expression, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.
If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at [email protected]. We will make every effort to respond to your request for disability assistance as soon as possible.