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University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner - Neurosurgery (Spine)

Nurse PractitionerIncludes weekendsFull-Time Full Practice Authority

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.

Posted 7mo ago

Job Description

The Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics is actively recruiting an advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) with a background and interest in pain management with a specific focus in the care of neurosurgical conditions of the spine.

As the ARNP, you will coordinate with the attending surgeon and resident team to ensure that patients can receive their diagnosis and begin their treatment quickly.

As the ARNP you will spend time with patients in the ambulatory clinical setting, make follow-up phone calls, prepare patients for surgery, and follow patients through surgery on their road back to full recovery.

The Department of Neurosurgery view our ARNP/PAs as skilled professionals which are important to our practice and shall be well equipped and have the autonomy to see patients and support our physicians both independently and in a team setting. Having a physician and an advanced provider working in tandem allows us to provide better overall care for our most complex patients.

Basic Function

Function as an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner and change agent incorporating the primary role of nurse practitioner and the supporting roles of consultant, educator, researcher and administrator to support quality care and positive patient outcomes.

Exercise autonomy in medical decision-making for the Neurosurgery service. Function independently and as a member of an interdisciplinary team to plan, deliver, and evaluate health care for the Neurosurgery inpatient and outpatient population. Perform direct patient care.

Assist in educating healthcare students, residents and fellows as they rotate through the respective departments and divisions. This position will work the full continuum of care from inpatient, outpatient, pediatrics and adult patient populations.

Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities

  • Assure clinical competency and expertise in area of specialization.
  • Function independently and/or as a member of an interdisciplinary team to plan, deliver and evaluate health care for a defined patient population.
  • Collaborate with nursing staff/nursing administration to monitor and evaluate the quality of patient care.
  • Perform medical diagnostic, therapeutic procedures, and prescribe, dispense or deliver medications when a collaborative practice agreement is in place.
  • Maintain effective working relationships with faculty, staff, students and the public.
  • Demonstrates a willingness to carry out responsibilities and a positive approach to accomplishing work
  • Listens to feedback without defensiveness and uses it to enhance communication effectiveness.
  • Promotes a safe, respectful environment in which concerns can be addressed effectively.
  • Participate in development and implementation of divisional and departmental quality assessment/improvement/research programs and processes.
  • Responsible for administrative activities and special projects as assigned.
  • Contribute toward the achievement of divisional and departmental goals.
  • Participate and contribute to activities that enhance clinical expertise and nursing knowledge.
  • Participate in professional nursing activities in the department, hospital, community and professional organizations.
  • Maintain effective working relationships with faculty, staff, students and the public.
  • Paygrade: 11 SEIU Pay Plan | University Human Resources - The University of Iowa
  • Percent of time: 100%25

The University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center—recognized as one of the best hospitals in the United States—is Iowa's only comprehensive academic medical center and a regional referral center. Each day more than 12,000 employees, students, and volunteers work together to provide safe, quality health care and excellent service for our patients. Simply stated, our mission is: Changing Medicine. Changing Lives. ®

Education Requirements

Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) - A Master’s degree is required. A Master’s degree in Nursing is preferred. If a Master’s degree is in a related field, a Baccalaureate degree in Nursing is required.

Certifications Required

  • ARNP - Current license to practice nursing in Iowa is required.
  • Licensure as ARNP in state of Iowa is required or eligibility to be licensed by date of hire is required.
  • Active DEA license or ability to apply for such license prior to or upon hire.
  • Active BLS certification.

Must comply with registration and licensure requirements as specified by the State of Iowa and The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.

Experience Requirements

  • Ability to effectively communicate in verbal and written forms required.
  • Reasonable (1-3 years) experience in area of clinical practice is required or previous experience in specified hospital specialty area or demonstrated knowledge of area of clinical practice.
  • Demonstrated experience providing clinical care to neurosurgical patients is required.
  • Ability to function with a high degree of autonomy to make independent decisions while actively collaborating with multi-disciplinary health care members providing care for highly complex patients.
  • Ability to provide critical thinking and analytical skills required.
  • Ability to comprehend and follow policy, procedure, guidelines and protocols required.
  • Flexibility and dedication to team involvement and supporting organizational goals.

Please attach a resume as part of the application process. Job openings are posted for a minimum of 7 calendar days. This job may be removed from posting and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process.

For additional questions, please contact Lydia Davidson at lydia-davidson@uiowa.edu.

Key Responsibilities

The Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner will function as a change agent, incorporating roles as a consultant, educator, researcher, and administrator to support quality care and positive patient outcomes within the Neurosurgery service. This role involves exercising autonomy in medical decision-making and performing direct patient care across the full continuum for both inpatient and outpatient neurosurgical populations.

Requirements

A Master’s degree is required for this role, preferably in Nursing, along with current or eligible licensure as an ARNP in Iowa, an active DEA license, and active BLS certification. Candidates must possess reasonable experience (1-3 years) in the clinical practice area or demonstrated knowledge, specifically including experience providing clinical care to neurosurgical patients.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Patient Care CoordinationSurgical PreparationInpatient CareOutpatient CareAdult Patient CareInterdisciplinary TeamworkDiagnostic ProceduresMedication Prescription

Surgery — Nurse Practitioner Career Context

Of the 50 active Nurse Practitioner listings this role was benchmarked against, 22% are remote, 54% have no call, 60% require no weekends.

Nurse Practitioner pay on WeekdayDoc is up 1.1% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Nurse Practitioner by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed paynot listedNurse Practitioner median $139k (middle half $129k–$159k)292 comparable listings, Oct 2026
Cost of livingIowa index 87.8US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Nurse Practitioner listings in Iowa174 active14,257 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 22% remote · 54% no call · 60% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Nurse Practitioner pay trend+1.1% vs prior quarter—through Sep 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

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Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

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CME allowance
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Sign-on bonus
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Loan repayment
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Work-life snapshot

median 3.9this job 1.5
Below most Surgery (NP) listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 331 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes weekends
University of Iowa logo

About University of Iowa

Hospitals and Health Care
Iowa City, Iowa
5,001-10,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
Retirement Plan
Paid Time Off
CME Allowance

Living in Iowa City

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$293k
Typical market rent
$1,713/mo
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
91.5
State income tax
Up to 6%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026).

BEA 2024 · Iowa City, IA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.