Nurse Practitioner – Geriatric

Overview

Opportunity: Adult Geriatrics - Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Join Tucson Medical Center’s New Geriatric Program. Tucson Medical Center in Arizona invites applications for the position of Adult Geriatrics - Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-ACNP) to collaborate closely with our Geriatrics Program Coordinator as part of our newly established Geriatric Program. We are seeking an accomplished and experienced ACNP with substantial inpatient expertise and a robust foundation in geriatric care.

Summary

In collaboration with a physician, provides comprehensive assessment of patient’s health status, evaluates assessment data, and makes treatment decisions.

Responsibilities

• Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment
  • Conducts thorough assessments of older adults, including medical, functional, cognitive, psychosocial, and nutritional domains.
  • Identifies geriatric syndromes such as delirium, falls, frailty, polypharmacy, depression, and dementia.
  • Develops individualized care plans in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team.
• Clinical Care and Management
  • Provides direct patient care, including diagnosis, treatment, and management of acute and chronic conditions common in older adults.
  • Initiates and monitors evidence-based interventions to prevent and manage complications (e.g., delirium, pressure injuries, infections).
  • Performs medication reconciliation and reviews for appropriateness, minimizing polypharmacy and adverse drug events.
• Care Coordination and Transitions
  • Coordinates care across the continuum (admission, hospitalization, discharge, and follow-up).
  • Facilitates safe and effective transitions by collaborating with case managers, social workers, primary care providers, and community resources.
  • Ensures comprehensive discharge planning, including patient/family education and post-discharge follow-up.
• Education and Staff Development
  • Educates nursing staff, physicians, allied health professionals, patients, and families on best practices in geriatric care.
  • Leads or participates in staff training sessions on topics such as delirium prevention, fall reduction, and communication strategies with older adults.
  • Serves as a resource and role model for age-friendly care.
• Quality Improvement and Program Development
  • Participates in the development, implementation, and evaluation of geriatric care protocols and pathways.
  • Collects and analyzes data on key quality indicators (e.g., falls, delirium, readmissions) to identify opportunities for improvement.
  • Leads or contributes to quality improvement initiatives and research projects.
• Advocacy and Patient-Centered Care
  • Advocates for the unique needs and preferences of older adults in the hospital setting.
  • Facilitates shared decision-making, advanced care planning, and discussions about goals of care.
  • Promotes dignity, autonomy, and respect for older patients and their families.
• Interdisciplinary Team Leadership
  • Acts as a liaison between patients, families, and the healthcare team.
  • Leads or actively participates in interdisciplinary rounds and case conferences focused on geriatric patients.
• Adheres to and supports TMCH values of integrity, community, compassion, and dedication. Adheres to TMCH organizational and department-specific safety and confidentiality policies and standards.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Must be certified as an ACNP.
• Experience: Preferred, one (1) year of related experience in an inpatient, acute care setting. Must have a strong geriatric background.
• L cassuring/Certification: National certification as a Nurse Practitioner or must be National Certification as a Nurse Practitioner eligible; must become credentialed at TMC through the Professional Staffing Office prior to appointment. Must have and maintain a current Arizona state license as a Registered Nurse and Nurse Practitioner including prescriptive authority. Must obtain and maintain a current Federal Drug Enforcement Administration License for prescribing controlled substances. Must obtain and maintain current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS); for Mental Health only CPI (Crisis Prevention Instruction) required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of nursing care and assessment best practices.
• Knowledge of regulations and policies as it relates to patient evaluation, care and information.
• Skill in evaluating comprehensive health assessments and evaluating results to ensure the most appropriate treatment option.
• Skill in providing the best practice patient care.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
• Ability to write reports, correspondence, and procedure protocols.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to inquiries or complaints from patients and/or their representatives, and the general public.
• Ability to work with concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions, and to apply mathematical operations to solve or analyze job-related situations.
• Ability to identify positive or negative variances from expected outcomes.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.