Advanced Practice Provider (ACNP/ PA) Neurocritical Care
Pittsburgh Critical Care Associates a private practice intensivist group is hiring advanced practice
providers to work in the neurocritical care unit at UPMC Altoona
UPMC Altoona is a 397-bed Level 2 Trauma Center and regional referral center for the University
of Pittsburgh Medical Center and is expanding its stroke services to offer comprehensive, multidisciplinary
care for patients with severe neurological injuries
Expanded services include a newly renovated 7-bed neurointensive care unit (neuroICU)
Program Model
Pittsburgh Critical Care Associates (PCCA) currently provides intensivist and APP coverage 24-hours a
day, 365-days a year in the 14-bed MICU, 12-bed SICU and 7-bed CVICU.
TIt is anticipated that the neuroICU will be staffed by a neurointensivist and three neurocritical care APP’s. The neuroICU team will be supported by the established PCCA intensivists who are present inhouse 24-hours a day.
PCCA supports the refined multidisciplinary MD/ APP intensivist team model of care to provide
expanded critical care services. The intensivist in collaboration with the APP’s function as intensivist
teams.
APP Schedule
Each neurocritical care APP will work 12 hour block shifts: days 7am to 7pm and nights 7pm to 7am.
26 weeks a year. This is a total of 2,200 hours that each nurse practitioner would work. The APP’s
have the flexibility to coordinate schedules with each other and choose to work blocks of days and
nights and combinations of both provided that the schedule is coordinated with each other and the
scheduling coordinator.
Facilities
UPMC Altoona is a 397-bed Level 2 Trauma Center and is currently an accredited stroke center.
Surgical services include trauma, neurosurgery, open heart (Center for Cardiac Care), orthopedic, and
all basic surgical specialties. The Emergency Department sees approximately 40,900 patients annually.
Intensivist services are provided by Pittsburgh Critical Care Associates in the 14-bed MICU, 12-bed
SICU, 7-bed CVICU and 7-bed neuroICU.
UPMC Altoona has the largest service area in the state—serving over 20 counties in West-Central
Pennsylvania, it is centrally located between Danville, Hershey, Johnstown, and State College. Penn
State Milton Hershey Medical Center (2.5 hours east) and UPMC Presbyterian (2 hours west) are the
closest comprehensive stroke centers.
Location
UPMC Altoona is 40 minutes from State College in Pennsylvania, 2 hours from Harrisburg and 2
hours from Pittsburgh. This city is the tenth most populous in the state and situated in the Allegheny
Mountains at the base of Brush Mountain in Pleasant Valley. Each day, 60-80 trains pass through the
city, some traveling along the famous Horseshoe Curve. The city is also home to Penn State Altoona.
The downtown area is located in the heart of the emerging I-99 Innovation Corridor. Interstate 99
provides access to the Pennsylvania Turnpike to the south and Interstate 80 to the north; and U.S. Route
22, which provides east-west service and direct access to Pittsburgh and Harrisburg (each roughly 2
hours away). The Altoona-Blair County Airport provides commercial air service, offering daily flights to
Washington Dulles International Airport
Compensation
The neurocritical care APP’s will be employees of Pittsburgh Critical Care Associates, Inc private
physician group. Full-time APP’s will work 2,200 hours a year and will be paid an hourly rate. Any
additional hours worked will be paid at the same hourly rate. In addition to the salary PCCA will
provide a comprehensive benefits package, including malpractice, family health insurance up to
$1,200 per month, employer-contributed retirement fund (pension plan), employee directed 401k
plan, and reimbursable CME.