Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner I (IKC) Department: Clinical Operations Position Type: Full-Time Care Delivery Model: Remote (Telehealth) - VA & PA preferred The Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner I (NP I) provides specialized, person- and family-centered care for adults living with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), and complex comorbid conditions. In this role, your primary mission is to connect patients with external palliative and hospice care aligned with their personal values and goals. You will identify eligible patients, lead goals-of-care discussions, facilitate orders and referrals within scope, and champion equitable access to concurrent hospice and dialysis care. Acting as a clinical leader, the NP I guides an assigned Interdisciplinary Team (RNs and LCSWs), driving collaborative care planning, case reviews, and seamless transitions across care settings while partnering across IKC to elevate clinical quality and program outcomes. About DaVita Integrated Kidney Care (IKC) DaVita Integrated Kidney Care (IKC) is DaVita’s dedicated value-based care division, providing holistic, comprehensive chronic care management to patients across the kidney care continuum—from chronic kidney disease (CKD) through end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and transplant. Operating as an extension of the clinic care team, IKC integrates specialized Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, and Care Coordinators to proactively support patients' clinical and psychosocial needs outside the dialysis clinic. By focusing on personalized care planning, symptom management, patient education, and seamless transitions of care, IKC strives to prevent avoidable hospitalizations, improve health outcomes, and enhance quality of life for our patients and their families Hospice & Palliative Care Transitions (35%) Coordinate external palliative care and hospice transitions from initial recommendation through start of care. Partner with hospice agencies, nephrology practices, dialysis clinics, and payers to champion and facilitate concurrent hospice and dialysis care. Ensure receiving organizations receive complete clinical records, track referral status, resolve transition barriers, and execute warm handoffs. Coordinate symptom management plans with nephrology, hospice, external palliative care, and primary care teams across transitions of care. Conduct in-depth assessments evaluating physical symptoms, functional/cognitive status, psychosocial and spiritual needs, caregiver support, health literacy, treatment burden, prognosis, and patient quality-of-life priorities. Review medical records, diagnostic/lab trends, medication regimens, and utilization history to create individualized care plans with the patient, family, and IKC IDT. Serious Illness Communication & Goals of Care (10%) Facilitate shared decision-making regarding dialysis initiation/continuation, modality changes, conservative kidney management, resuscitation, and life-sustaining treatments. Facilitate advance directives, healthcare proxy documentation, and portable medical orders (e.g., Provide clinical guidance to an assigned IDT (RNs, LCSWs), leading regular case reviews, care planning, clinical prioritization, and closed-loop communication. Partner with Care Coordinators, clinical operations, quality improvement, and leadership stakeholders to optimize workflows and integrate palliative care across the broader IKC care model. Documentation, Quality & Compliance (5%) Support clinical quality metrics (time to start of care, referral completion rates, and transition outcomes). Master’s or Doctoral degree from an accredited Nurse Practitioner program ( Required ). Current, unrestricted RN and APRN / NP license in state(s) of practice ( Required ). Current national board certification in an adult-focused population (e.g., Certifications & Registrations: Eligibility to obtain DEA registration and state controlled-substance authority as applicable ( Required ). Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (ACHPN®) certification ( Preferred ). Clinical Experience: Minimum of 5 years of Nurse Practitioner experience managing adults with serious or complex illness ( Required ). Experience in Palliative Care, Hospice, Nephrology, Geriatrics, or Complex Care Management ( Required ). Demonstrated expertise in serious illness communication, advance care planning, pain and symptom management (including controlled substances and renal dosing), and conservative kidney management ( Required ). Experience guiding interdisciplinary clinical teams (RNs, social workers) and navigating multi-stakeholder care coordination ( Required ). Credentialing: Ability to become credentialed with DaVita Kidney Care, Medicare, and commercial payers ( Required ). Technical & Administrative Skills Proficiency with Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems (Cerner and EPIC) and ability to demonstrate functional proficiency within 90 days ( Required ). Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) ( Required ). At DaVita, we strive to be a community first and a company second. Individuals are recruited, hired, assigned and promoted without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. If a candidate is hired, they will be paid at least the minimum wage according to their geographical jurisdiction and the exemption status for the position. 17.13/hour For location-specific minimum wage details, see the following link: DaVita.jobs/WageRates DaVita offers a competitive total rewards package, which includes a 401k match, healthcare coverage and a broad range of other benefits. Colorado Residents: Please do not respond to any questions in this initial application that may seek age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You may also redact this information from any materials you submit during the application process.