Nurse Practitioner - Heart Acquisition - Full Time 8 Hour Days (Exempt) (Union)

University of Southern California; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 168,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

Keck Medicine of USC seeks a Nurse Practitioner to provide advanced clinical care across heart transplant and MCS/VAD care, including pre‑transplant evaluation, waitlist management, and post‑transplant follow-up. The NP collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to ensure safe, high‑quality patient care in inpatient and outpatient settings.

The role includes comprehensive assessments, education, regulatory documentation, and participation in quality improvement initiatives, with potential on‑call

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in nursing from an accredited program (MSN).
• Minimum 5 years of clinical nursing experience.
• Current RN license in California; NP licensure in California.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive patient histories and physical examinations.
• Order and interpret diagnostic tests and lab work.
• Develop, implement, and monitor long- and short-range treatment plans.
• Coordinate care with transplant and MCS teams; participate in cross-coverage.
• Educate patients and families about care, devices, and medications.

Skills

Communication skills

English proficiency

Clinical nursing

Leadership

Education

MSN degree

Job description

The Nurse Practitioner (NP) has a specialized skill and knowledge related to the setting in which they practice and perform physical exams, collects and documents data, conducts approved diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, orders and schedules laboratory studies and professional consultations, prescribes appropriate interventions and medications, and provides direct patient care services, according to established evidence-based clinical practice standards. The NP contributes to excellence in patient care, research, teaching, consulting, and provides leadership to the organization and advance practice profession. Duties may include but not limited to obtaining patient health histories and complete physical examinations, documenting findings noting pertinent normal and abnormal findings, ordering and interpreting appropriate diagnostic and laboratory tests, and performing procedures as needed within specialty area. The NP also helps facilitate safe and efficient operational flow of the patient through their continuum of care. The NP will function as a part of inter-professional teams by communicating, planning, and implementing care directly with other healthcare professionals, including but not limited to physicians, pharmacists, office support staff, and other advance practice providers (APPs).

The Nurse Practitioner (NP) provides advanced clinical care for patients across the heart transplant and mechanical circulatory support (MCS/VAD) continuum, including pre-transplant evaluation, waitlist management, post-transplant follow-up, and durable VAD therapy. The NP works in collaboration with the multidisciplinary transplant and MCS teams to deliver safe, high-quality patient care in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Responsibilities include performing comprehensive clinical assessments, participating in selection committee activities, supporting cross-coverage across transplant and MCS services, contributing to staff and patient education, and maintaining accurate documentation and data to support regulatory and reporting requirements (CMS, TJC, INTERMACS, UNOS/UNet).

The NP participates in quality improvement initiatives, supports operational needs of the program, and may be required to provide on-call coverage as needed.

Essential Duties

Conducts in-depth interviews with patients and/or family, constructs comprehensive medical histories, performs initial and periodic physical examinations and explores patient’s interpretation of health needs. Identifies and treats patients’ diseases. Manages treatment of patients using critical and strategic thinking, analytical and planning skills while demonstrating effective organizational and time management skills. Identifies patient’s educational needs and provides health related information to enhance patient’s and family’s understanding of medical condition and related treatments. Instructs and counsels patients and families regarding care, medical problems, psychological problems and use of prescribed devices, treatments and drugs. Directly performs or orders appropriate diagnostic studies and interprets finished results. Develops and implements long and short-range treatment plans. Performs procedures and obtains informed consent for procedure that will be performed. Writes orders to initiate, increase, decrease or change medication. Initiates consultations as identified. Identifies records pertinent to progress of patients, updating and summarizing charts, changing orders when appropriate and notifying the responsible provider of changes in the patient's condition. When indicated acts as liaison with governmental agencies such as Center for Disease Control and National Institute of Health. Assists with medical research projects, following medical research protocols. Obtains investigational Review Board approval for treatment protocols. Researches community resources for referral of patients. Refers patients to most appropriate resource based on patients' medical needs and condition. Maintains compliance with established University and department policies and procedures, quality assurance, safety, environmental, infection control and complies with requirements of accreditation and regulatory agencies. Participates in in-service education programs and professional associations. Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Req Master’s degree Graduate from an accredited school of Nursing (MSN).
• Req 5 years Clinical nursing experience.
• Req Other certifications and experience as required per specialty area.
• Req Must have excellent communication skills, including the ability to speak, read and write English proficiently.
• Req Knowledge of medical procedures and conditions and ability to understand, follow and successfully perform duties.

Preferred Qualifications

• Pref 3 years Experience as NP in specialty area preferred.

Required Licenses/Certifications

• Registered Nurse - RN (CA Board of Registered Nursing)
• Nurse Practitioner - NP (CA Board of Registered Nursing)
• Nurse Practitioner Furnisher (CA DCA) Current license to furnish medications in the State of California.
• DEA Certificate Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Certificate issued by the U.S. Department of Justice for Schedule II-V controlled substances.
• NP Board Certified Possession of National Board Certification in Nurse Practitioner area of specialty accredited by Accreditation Board of Specialty Nursing (ABSNC) or National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).
• Exempt from NP Board Certification requirement if hired/transferred prior to 12/2011.
• If work in Hospital/Acute Care Setting must have Certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) or Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) upon hire.
• Grandfathered from Acute Care Certification requirement if hired/transferred prior to 12/2015.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) Healthcare Provider from American Heart Association.
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) Healthcare Provider from American Heart Association.
• ACLS as required by the NPs Job description for NPs in the Hospital/Acute Care Setting and Ambulatory Infusion Centers.
• Fire Life Safety Training (LA City) If no card upon hire, one must be obtained within 30 days of hire and maintained by renewal before expiration date. (Required within LA City only)

The hourly rate range for this position is $167,960.00 – $274.726.00. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

USC is an equal opportunity employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy.

USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law.

USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety.

Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying.

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities.

Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at [phone], or by email at [e-mail].

Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

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Keck Medicine of USC is the University of Southern California’s medical enterprise, one of only two university-based medical systems in the Los Angeles area.

Keck Medicine combines academic excellence, world-class research and state-of-the-art facilities to provide highly specialized care for some of the most acute patients in the country. Our internationally renowned physicians and scientists provide world-class patient care at Keck Hospital of USC, USC Norris Cancer Hospital, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, USC Arcadia Hospital and more than 100 unique clinics in Los Angeles, Orange, Kern, Tulare and Ventura counties.

Keck Medical Center of USC, which includes Keck Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Hospital, is among the top 50 hospitals in the country in 8 specialties, as well as the top three hospitals in metro Los Angeles and top 10 hospitals in California, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2024-25 Best Hospitals rankings.