Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant: Duke Neurosurgery - Complex Spine

Duke University; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Duke Spine Center at Duke University in Durham, NC seeks an Advanced Practice Provider (Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant) to deliver direct patient care in collaboration with physicians and other APPs for neurosurgical/spine disorders. Primary hours are Monday–Friday, 7:30 AM–5:00 PM, with in-hospital rounding and occasional clinics.

Candidates should have NP or PA credentials per role, BLS, and NC licensure.

Qualifications

• Nurse Practitioners: Master7s degree in Nursing and active NP license in NC.
• Physician Assistants: Bachelor7s degree; Master7s degree preferred; NC licensure required.

Responsibilities

• Take patient histories, perform exams, and document findings in the EMR.
• Order and schedule labs and imaging; explain procedures to patients and follow up on results.
• Assist in diagnosing medical/surgical problems and provide appropriate treatment.
• Monitor patient progress and communicate with supervising physician about care plans.
• Participate in teaching students and residents and engage in clinical research.

Skills

BLS certification

Neurosurgery/Orthopaedics experience

Education

Nurse Practitioner: Master7s degree in Nursing

Physician Assistant: Bachelor7s degree required; Master7s degree strongly preferred

Job description

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Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant: Duke Neurosurgery - Complex Spine

Work Arrangement:

Requisition Number: 274422

Regular or Temporary: Regular

Location: Durham, NC, US, 27710

Date: Oct 8, 2026

As a part of Duke Health's outpatient clinic network, you will enjoy competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits plans, convenient work hours, and many opportunities for career advancement. Become a part of a team that values and invests in you.

Duke Advanced Practice Highlights:

• The nation's first Physician Assistant Program was created at Duke in 1965 and is consistently ranked No. 1 in the country.
• The Duke School of Nursing is consistently ranked as one of the top nursing schools and their MSN and DNP programs offers eight advanced practice registered nurse majors and specialty certifications, as well as post master's certificates and certification alignment programs.
• Commitment to ongoing learning for APPs through annual CME funding and access to high-quality Duke CME offerings including APP Grand Rounds and a professional advancement program. APPs are leaders in multiple arenas within Duke.
• Duke offers APPs opportunities to practice within team based integrative care in a tremendous variety of specialties. APPs are expected to work to top of scope in order to contribute to Duke's missions which include clinical practice, education, and research.
• Practice locations can include Duke Health's three hospitals or over 140 primary care and specialty care clinics throughout North Carolina.
• Flexibility to float to various locations within and around Wake County, including but not limited to Morrisville, Cary, North Raleigh, Apex, and Garner, as needed to support operational demands and ensure seamless patient care.

Job Location

Duke Spine Center - Duke Clinic - 40 Duke Medicine Circle - Durham, NC

Job Summary

We are seeking an Advanced Practice Provider in our Duke Department of Neurosurgery at the Duke Spine Center located in Durham, NC to provide direct patient care services in collaboration with physicians and advanced practice providers to patients with neurological, spinal disorders. The most common diagnoses we encounter are spine tumors, complex spinal deformity, and chronic back pain.

Primary hours will be Monday through Friday 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM with hours flexible to meet the needs of the patients. Independent clinics one to two days per week. Joint clinic with provider weekly. Initial patient encounters will include new and post-op patients. Flexibility needed for in-hospital consults and rounding.

Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Independently take patient histories, conduct physical examinations, and record the data in the patient's record; write progress notes; prepare patient workups and summaries noting pertinent positive and negative findings; obtain psychosocial history relevant to patient care; and assume responsibility for developing therapeutic relationships with patients.
• Order and schedule laboratory studies and diagnostic procedures; explain necessity, preparation, nature and anticipated effects of scheduled diagnostic and therapeutic procedures to the patient; and assume responsibility to follow-up on the results of these studies and procedures and relay critical information to the supervising physician.
• Perform diagnostic procedures to assist the supervising physician in diagnosing medical and surgical problems; prescribing necessary treatment and services for quality patient care; and recording the normal and abnormal data for review by the supervising physician.
• Monitor progress of patients in both the inpatient and outpatient settings; report progress to supervising physician; and maintain record of each patient's progress, consulting with supervising physician when patient's progress does not meet anticipated and/or predetermined criteria.
• Participate in basic science and clinical research projects conducted by supervising physician. Participate in teaching students and residents in techniques and procedures which are unique to specific clinical setting.
• Analyze clinical practice patterns to provide the best medical care and to increase effectiveness and efficiency.
• Communicate verbally and in writing all pertinent patient information to supervising physician, nursing staff as well as other relevant healthcare providers.
• Provide timely documentation in the electronic medical record of all relevant data including results of diagnostic tests; laboratory results; patients' condition and response to therapies/interventions and communications with physician/advanced practice provider colleagues.
• Provide timely response to patients Maestro Care and phone messages.

Job Hours

Primary hours will be Monday through Friday 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM with hours flexible to meet the needs of the patients.

Job Eligibility Requirements

Education

• Nurse Practitioners: Work requires completion of an accredited Nurse Practitioner program, with a Master's degree in Nursing.
• Physician Assistants: Completion of an accredited Physician Assistant program. A Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree strongly preferred.

Certification

• BLS required.

License

• Nurse Practitioners: Must have current or compact RN licensure in the state of North Carolina. BLS required. National certification as an NP required prior to or within 6 months of employment.
• Physician Assistants: Must be licensed in the state of NC and be certified as a Physician Assistant by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

Experience

• APP with experience in Neurosurgery or Orthopaedics preferred.

Duke is an Affiniti Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas- an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

Nearest Major Market: Durham
Nearest Secondary Market: Raleigh

Read more about Duke's commitment to affirmative action and nondiscrimination at hr.duke.edu/eeo.