Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant, Perioperative (Per Diem)

Cape Cod Healthcare•Falmouth, MA

About The Position

The Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant provides perioperative and general surgical services, including first assisting a general surgeon in elective and emergency surgery. The role may also provide first-assistant support for elective ENT, urology, and gynecology cases. Responsibilities include initial general surgical evaluation and treatment of emergency department patients already evaluated by an emergency room physician, preparation of patients for attending surgeon evaluation, and arranging consultations and testing for preoperative medical clearance. The position supports general surgical inpatients by responding to nursing calls, facilitating discharges, and completing documentation at an attending surgeon’s request. It coordinates emergency admissions and pre- and post-operative medical management with Hospital Physician Service physicians. Post-operative services may include wound debridement, wound care, and education at local Skilled Nursing Facilities. The practitioner works in close collaboration with the attending surgeon, who is the immediate physician supervisor, and follows that supervisor’s clinical priorities and scope of practice. The role also requires accurate and timely clinical documentation and billing, maintenance of certifications and medical staff privileges, effective teamwork, and compliance with hospital policies and standards for service excellence.

Requirements

Certified PA or licensed Nurse Practitioner approved by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA) of the American Medical Association.
Basic Life Support (BLS).
ACLS certification within 3 months of the position.
U.S. Department of Justice and Massachusetts Controlled Substance DEA registrations are required for prescribing practitioners.

Nice To Haves

Two years of surgical experience, including first-assistant experience in the operating room, preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as surgical first assistant to a general surgeon during elective and emergency surgery.
Provide first-assistant support for elective surgical subspecialty cases, including ENT, urology, and gynecology.
Perform initial general surgical evaluation and treatment, including physical examinations, for emergency department patients who have already been evaluated by an emergency room physician.
Prepare patients for evaluation and treatment by an attending general surgeon when appropriate.
Ensure adequate medical clearance for general surgical preoperative patients by ordering necessary consultations and testing.
Provide services for general surgical inpatients, including responding to nurses’ calls, expediting discharges, and completing documentation at an attending surgeon’s request.
Coordinate general surgical emergency admissions and the medical management of pre- and post-operative patients with Hospital Physician Service physicians.
Provide post-operative care in local Skilled Nursing Facilities at an attending surgeon’s request, including wound debridement, wound care, and education for staff, patients, and families as time allows.
Coordinate clinical services with general surgeons and defer to their decisions regarding clinical priorities and assignments.
Maintain complete and accurate documentation of clinical work and complete billing encounter sheets in a timely manner.
Maintain required certifications and Falmouth Hospital medical staff privileges as a surgical PE.
Collaborate closely with the attending surgeon serving as the immediate physician supervisor, and work within that supervisor’s scope of practice.
Work effectively under pressure, remain patient-focused, work independently, and recognize when and how to ask for help.
Communicate effectively and participate actively on the health care team, including process improvement and quality teams as requested.
Comply with Falmouth Hospital Medical Staff By-Laws and Rules and Regulations, Human Resource policies, and corporate compliance policies.
Provide service reflecting Falmouth Hospital’s CARES commitment to compassion, accountability, respect, excellence, and service.