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, multi-disciplinary
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.
It 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 in-house 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, employercontributed
retirement fund (pension plan), employee directed 401k plan, and reimbursable CME.
