A pain management Advanced Practitioner Registered Nurse (APRN) provides patient care for people with chronic health issues or injuries that cause them pain. Your duties include examining patients, reviewing their medical history, and consulting with other care providers before deciding on a therapy or treatment program to help them manage their pain. A nurse practitioner has the qualifications to prescribe medication and change dosage if necessary.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Graduate of an accredited school of nursing
- Minimum of one year in Interventional Pain Management
- Must have completed 2000 hours
- Graduate of an accredited Nurse Practitioner Program
- Current Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Licensure
- Current Nurse Practitioner certification in specialty area
- Current CNOR/CRNFA (if applicable) certification
- Current provider card in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).
- Strong computer skills, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with patients, their families, and other medical staff members
- Providing consultation services to other medical staff members regarding cases where pain management is needed
- Conducting physical examinations and diagnostic tests to determine the cause of pain in a patient’s body
- Educating patients about pain management methods, such as diet and exercise changes, stress reduction techniques, or use of physical therapy devices
- Conducting research to identify new methods of pain management and new treatments for pain conditions
- Prescribing medication to treat pain conditions according to state regulations
- Providing postoperative care to surgical patients, including monitoring for complications, administering pain medication, and educating patients about their condition and treatment options
- Coordinating with other health care providers to ensure that patients receive appropriate treatment for their pain conditions
- Conferring with physicians about possible alternatives to narcotic pain medications for patients who are at risk of addiction or overdose
- Check voicemails and emails throughout the day and respond in a timely fashion.
- Pathophysiology of acute and chronic pain
- Complex pharmacologic therapies including chronic opioid therapy
- Neuro-musculoskeletal pathology
- Advanced radiographic imaging (i.e., MRI)
- Psychological pathology and relation to chronic pain
- Psychological pathology as possible manifestation of chronic pain
- Understanding of interventional spine procedures to include the following (if in Pain Management):
- Indications
- Understanding of spinal anatomy associated with intervention
- Understanding of pharmacology associated with intervention
- Understanding of potential complications associated with intervention
