Advanced Practice Provider (NP/PA/APP) Pediatric Critical Care-PICU

Bring your clinical judgment, procedural skills, and passion for pediatric care to a role where your expertise will make a meaningful difference for critically ill children and their families.

UVA Children's is entering one of the most significant periods of growth in its history, creating an exceptional opportunity for Advanced Practice Providers to help shape the future of pediatric critical care in Virginia. APPs joining the Pediatric Critical Care team will have the opportunity to help build and evolve programs, care for increasingly complex patient populations, mentor growing teams, and develop specialized expertise in medical and cardiac critical care. UVA Children's offers a highly specialized environment that includes congenital heart surgery, pediatric heart transplantation, VAD and ECMO support, and complex medical and surgical critical care. You will become part of a highly supportive interdisciplinary team while developing the autonomy and advanced competencies essential to pediatric critical care practice.

The Role

As a PICU Advanced Practice Provider, you will collaborate closely with attending physicians, critical care fellows, cardiac critical care fellows, APP colleagues, nurses, respiratory therapists, residents, and pediatric subspecialists. The environment is fast-paced and clinically complex, with a strong emphasis on communication, shared responsibility, and coordinated decision-making.

Your practice will span both medical and cardiac critical care, offering broad clinical exposure that builds versatility and depth as an advanced practice clinician. As your competencies develop, you will assume increasing responsibility for independent patient management while remaining supported by an experienced care team.

In this role, you will:

• Manage critically ill pediatric patients across medical and cardiac populations.
• Participate in interdisciplinary rounds, clinical assessment, treatment planning, and ongoing evaluation of patient response.
• Collaborate with Cardiac Surgery, Cardiology, pediatric subspecialties, nursing, respiratory therapy, and ancillary services.
• Care for medically complex patients, including transplant recipients and children requiring VAD or extracorporeal support.
• Perform advanced critical care procedures.
• Develop increasing clinical independence, procedural proficiency, and confidence in complex decision-making.
• Support patients and families through high-acuity episodes with compassion, clarity, and professionalism.
• Contribute to a team culture grounded in open communication, adaptability, kindness, and mutual support.

The APP team holds meaningful procedural ownership, including primary responsibility for PICC placement. Both experienced clinicians and new-graduate NPs and PAs with strong pediatric exposure, clinical potential, and a commitment to developing critical care expertise are encouraged to consider this opportunity. For Nurse Practitioner candidates, acute care certification is preferred.

Advanced Practice Provider Scope of Practice:

Clinical

• Provides expert evidence-based, top-of-scope care in their clinical practice
• Acts as part of a specialty team, collaborating with other clinicians as appropriate
• Provides health education to patients
• Maintains accurate, timely, and thorough documentation
• Ensures compliance with institutional and regulatory standards

Leadership

• Supports development of best practices and protocols in specialty
• Serves on committees and workgroups to enhance patient care
• Provides education to learners in the clinical space
• Mentors new team members

Administration

• Contributes to clinical quality improvement work
• Participates in professional governance through the APP Council
• Attends team development meetings at local and departmental levels

Professional

• Adheres to ASPIRE values in all professional interactions
• Maintains appropriate licenses, certifications, and specialty training competencies
• Participates in local, state, and national professional organizations

Background checks and pre-employment health screenings will be conducted on all new hires prior to employment. All safety-sensitive positions with direct patient interaction also require a drug screen.

Why UVA Health

This is an opportunity to practice within a nationally recognized academic health system while helping shape the future of pediatric critical care. UVA Health is actively expanding its pediatric cardiac critical care capabilities, giving APPs the opportunity to contribute to program growth, influence evolving services, and build specialized expertise.

The PICU team is distinguished by strong APP camaraderie, supportive faculty and physicians, and highly collaborative relationships across disciplines. Here, autonomy develops through deliberate onboarding, hands-on experience, and the support of colleagues committed to one another's success.

• Care for a distinctive patient population that includes transplant, VAD, and extracorporeal support patients.
• Build advanced procedural capabilities through procedures such as vascular access, intubations, and chest tubes.
• Help develop an expanding pediatric cardiac critical care program supported by institutional investment.
• Grow toward independent practice while maintaining close collaboration with experienced physicians, fellows, APPs, nurses, and specialty teams.
• Explore opportunities to develop deeper expertise in medical or cardiac critical care as the program evolves.
• Practice within an academic environment that integrates patient care, education, research, and clinical innovation.
• Join UVA Health Children's, part of a health system recognized for pediatric excellence and Magnet-level nursing care.
• Relocation assistance may be available for qualified candidates.

Qualified finalists may also experience the team firsthand through an onsite interview that can include faculty and APP discussions, morning rounds observation, and clinical shadowing.

APP Landing Page

Why People Love Living in Charlottesville

Located at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Charlottesville offers healthcare professionals a compelling combination of natural beauty, outdoor recreation, culture, food, and community. Residents can enjoy hiking, cycling, vineyards, live music, historic destinations, and the energy of a university community while maintaining convenient access to both neighborhood amenities and restorative outdoor spaces. It is a setting well suited to clinicians and families seeking a rewarding academic healthcare career alongside a balanced, connected lifestyle.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Education: Graduate of an accredited graduate school of nursing or physician assistant program with a master's degree.

Experience: Department and unit specific.

Licensure: License or license eligible as an Advance Practice Provider (Nurse Practitioner, and Physician Associate) as set forth by the state of Virginia. If Nurse Practitioner, license to Practice as a Registered Nurse in the Commonwealth of Virginia is required. Must demonstrate and maintain all credentialing and licensing requirements of UVA Health System, the Virginia Board of Medicine or the Virginia Board of Nursing, and appropriate certifying bodies. Current Basic Life Support (BLS) required. Current PALS/NRP, as required, specific to position. Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) as required, specific to position.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Job requires standing for prolonged periods, frequently bending/stooping, reaching (overhead, extensive, and repetitive); Repetitive motion: computer keyboard. Proficient communicative, auditory and visual skills; Attention to detail and ability to write legibly; Ability to lift/push/pull 50 - 100lbs. May be exposed to noise, radiation, radioactive materials, blood/body fluids and infectious disease.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Benefits Package: Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Retirement Savings
• Long-term and Short-term Disability
• Health Saving Plans, and Flexible Spending Accounts
• Certification and Education Support

UVA Health is a world-class Magnet Recognized academic medical center and health system with a level 1 trauma center. 2023-2024 U.S. News & World Report "Best Hospitals" guide rates UVA Health University Medical Center as "High Performing" in 5 adult specialties and 14 conditions/procedures. We are one of 70 National Cancer Institute designated cancer centers. UVA Health Children's is named by 2023-2024 U.S. News & World Report as the best children's hospital in Virginia with 9 specialties ranked among the best in the nation. Our footprint also encompasses 3 community hospitals and an integrated network of primary and specialty care clinics throughout Charlottesville, Culpeper, Northern Virginia, and beyond.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA's commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.