PA-Surgical Services

South Shore Health•Weymouth, MA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Physician Assistant (PA) evaluates, treats, and manages patients with surgical conditions under the medical direction of the MD Chair of Surgery and the Executive Director of APCs. The PA works as a member of the general surgery team alongside attending physicians, BWH surgical residents, and other PAs, and provides services appropriate to their training, experience, and skills under physician supervision. The PA follows applicable medical standards and medical staff rules, informs patients that they are not a physician, and participates in quality improvement and risk management programs. The role includes patient care, procedures, emergency response, documentation, medication ordering, and education of patients and clinical colleagues. The PA may not obtain surgical consents, autopsy permission, or organ donation permission. This is a full-time position with a schedule of three 13-hour shifts per week, on a day/evening rotation. The position is based at South Shore Health, 55 Fogg Road, Weymouth, Massachusetts.

Requirements

Graduate of a Physician Assistant training program recognized by the AMA and accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) (listed as preferred under Minimum Education).
Physician Assistant license/registration from the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Physician Assistants.
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification; the license/certification requirements specify AHA ACLS certification, including courses offered through SSH.
Practice under the supervision of a registered physician and in accordance with applicable medical standards and medical staff rules.

Nice To Haves

Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS).

Responsibilities

Evaluate, treat, and manage patients with surgical conditions under physician supervision.
Work as a member of the general surgery team with attending physicians, BWH surgical residents, and PAs.
Provide emergency medical services necessary to avoid disability or death until a doctor arrives.
Participate in the hospital’s quality improvement and risk management programs.
Complete medical records in a timely manner in accordance with medical staff bylaws, rules, and regulations.
Write admission orders and perform detailed histories and physicals for general surgery and trauma patients.
First assist in the operating room for general surgery coverage and other surgical subspecialties.
Perform daily patient rounds and follow up on patients and consults, including examinations, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, and ordering routine labs, diagnostic tests, and consults.
Perform procedures including phlebotomy; insertion and removal of chest tubes; management of pleurovacs, surgical drains, and percutaneous tubes; insertion and management of NGTs, DHTs, and Foley catheters; and simple wound closures.
Provide patient education and participate in education of surgical residents, fellow PAs, nurses, and students.
Perform BLS and ACLS measures as needed.
Serve as the primary responding clinician for nursing staff pages regarding patient care.
Write and sign progress notes, discharge summaries, and transfer summaries.
Write medication orders within approved medical staff and Massachusetts PA prescription regulations; renew or rewrite orders previously approved by the supervising physician.
Document verbal orders from the supervising physician as directed; provide verbal orders in emergencies.
Attend required safety education, respond completely and accurately to safety questions, operate assigned equipment and perform procedures safely, maintain work areas and equipment to department standards, and demonstrate proper body mechanics.
If serving as a manager or leader, provide for the safety of department employees.