Acute Care Nurse Practitioner – Cardiac Surgery Step-Down | Los Angeles, CA

Location & Practice Overview

This full-time advanced practice opportunity is based in Los Angeles, California, within a hospital-based cardiothoracic surgery service. The position is assigned to the cardiac surgery step-down setting, where the APP supports the care of patients recovering after surgical treatment. The original recruitment listing identifies the facility as a major academic hospital but does not disclose its name or street address. Candidates should confirm the specific campus, reporting location, and clinical team during the recruitment process.

Responsibilities

• Assess patients recovering from cardiac surgery and evaluate their clinical progress within the step-down setting.
• Contribute to ongoing treatment planning and day-to-day management within the APP's authorized scope of practice.
• Recognize changes in postoperative status and communicate relevant findings to the responsible clinical team.
• Coordinate care with cardiothoracic clinicians and other members of the inpatient team.
• Maintain accurate clinical documentation and support continuity of care during the inpatient recovery process.
• Participate in appropriate care transitions and discharge planning as part of the unit's established workflow.

The central responsibility is the ongoing management of postoperative cardiac surgery patients after transition to step-down care. Specific procedures, prescribing duties, patient census, and independent practice privileges should be confirmed with the hiring organization rather than assumed from the general position description.

Qualifications & Requirements

This opportunity is intended for an experienced advanced practice clinician with a background in cardiothoracic care. The source listing specifically identifies acute care nurse practitioner education and certification requirements, along with prior cardiac surgery step-down experience.

Physician Assistant applicants should verify their eligibility directly with the recruiter because the published educational and certification criteria primarily describe the nurse practitioner pathway. The original listing does not provide a separate PA qualification checklist.

Compensation & Benefits

The advertised annual salary range is $145,000–$225,000. The recruitment listing also identifies health and dental insurance, a matching 403(b) retirement plan, and relocation assistance. The source does not explain how compensation is determined within the range or specify eligibility conditions for each benefit.

• Advertised annual salary: $145,000–$225,000
• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Matching 403(b) retirement plan
• Relocation assistance

Before accepting an offer, candidates should request details about the salary determination process, benefit enrollment, retirement matching terms, relocation eligibility, and any applicable repayment conditions.

Schedule & Work Environment

The advertised schedule consists of three 12-hour shifts per week. Coverage includes rotating nights, weekends, and holidays. The role is based in an inpatient cardiac surgery step-down unit rather than a remote or routine outpatient setting.

Patient Population & Clinical Setting

The advertised assignment serves patients recovering from cardiac surgery who receive care in a step-down unit. This setting is distinct from an operating room and from the highest-intensity phase of intensive care, although patients may still require close observation and coordinated management during recovery. The original listing does not specify the age distribution, daily census, procedure mix, or proportion of elective and emergency cases.

Clinical Focus & Key Services

The clinical emphasis is the continuity of care following cardiac surgery. Within the step-down environment, the APP's work is centered on interpreting the patient's evolving clinical status, supporting treatment decisions, and coordinating appropriate follow-up within the inpatient team.

The listing does not confirm specific procedural privileges, device-management duties, or independent rounding responsibilities. Applicants should clarify these expectations during the clinical interview.

Role Highlights

The position offers a defined specialty assignment for an APP whose experience aligns with cardiac surgery recovery. The most relevant differentiators are the focused clinical remit, the advertised three-shift weekly pattern, and the opportunity to work within a hospital-based cardiothoracic service.

• A dedicated cardiac surgery step-down assignment rather than a broadly described general medicine role.
• A minimum experience threshold that helps candidates assess whether their cardiothoracic background is relevant.
• An advertised annual salary range and a listed benefits package that can be reviewed with the recruiter before proceeding.
• A three-shift weekly schedule, with rotating coverage requirements that candidates can discuss before accepting an offer.

About the Hiring Organization

The position is advertised through Palm Health Resources / Palm Careers for a major academic hospital facility in Los Angeles, California. The original public listing describes the clinical service and compensation but does not identify the hospital by name or provide a street address. Candidates should therefore distinguish the recruitment contact from the healthcare facility where the work would take place. The hospital's identity, campus location, reporting structure, and specific APP team should be confirmed directly with the recruiter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Acute Care Nurse Practitioner – Cardiac Surgery Step-Down in Los Angeles, CA

This full-time Acute Care Nurse Practitioner opportunity in Los Angeles, California, focuses on inpatient recovery following cardiac surgery. The advertised salary is $145,000–$225,000 annually, with a schedule of three 12-hour shifts per week and rotating nights, weekends, and holidays. Applicants should have at least one year of cardiothoracic NP/PA experience involving preoperative or postoperative care, with cardiac surgery step-down experience specifically requested. The recruitment listing names Palm Health Resources / Palm Careers but does not disclose the hospital's identity or exact street address.

Is This Cardiac Surgery Step-Down Position Right for You?

Before pursuing this role, compare your recent clinical experience with the stated cardiothoracic requirement and confirm that your training matches the position's credentialing pathway. During the recruiter conversation, ask which cardiac procedures and postoperative cases the team manages, what clinical decisions the APP handles independently, and how the night and weekend rotation works. Request clarification of the hospital location, onboarding process, salary placement criteria, and relocation terms. These details can help you determine whether the position fits your clinical background and practical needs before committing to an interview.