PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT I - SURGERY

Cook County•Chicago, IL

About The Position

The Surgery Physician Assistant (PA), in collaboration with a Surgery Physician, provides care to a diverse surgery patient population and supports other surgery divisions as needed. The PA evaluates patients, develops assessment and treatment plans, and places orders in outpatient surgery clinics. The PA completes preoperative assessments, assists the Surgery Attending in surgery, and follows patients post-operatively. The role includes educating patients and families about wound care, diet, and exercise; ordering procedure supplies; and performing outpatient procedures such as casting, splinting, mole removal, and punch biopsies. The PA works flexibly and collaboratively to help ensure duties are completed and patients are prepared for surgery, while following the Physician Assistant Practice Act and Cook County Health policies. The position provides and manages direct patient care across preoperative, operative, and postoperative phases. Duties include assessing, diagnosing, and treating adult patients; conducting health-needs assessments; taking comprehensive histories and performing detailed physical examinations; ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests; communicating results and diagnoses; developing patient-management plans and continuity of care; and performing delegated diagnostic, therapeutic, and surgical procedures. The PA provides primary surgery care in an outpatient independent clinic, assists with minor surgery, and serves as first assist in major surgery. Care is delivered in a healthcare environment subject to hospital and department safety requirements, including personal protective equipment, hand hygiene, and applicable engineering and work-practice controls.

Requirements

Graduate of an Accreditation Review Commission (ARC) Physician Assistant program; proof must be provided at interview.
Board certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), or ability to obtain certification before starting employment.
Valid Physician Assistant license in Illinois, or ability to obtain the license before starting employment.
Valid Illinois Controlled Substances License (ILCS), or ability to obtain it within six months of starting employment.
Valid federal DEA licensure, or ability to obtain it within six months of starting employment.
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification; proof must be provided at interview.
Knowledge of proper hand hygiene, hand-washing techniques, and infection-control policies and procedures.
Thorough knowledge of Physician Assistant practices and principles and the ability to apply them in a clinical setting.
Knowledge and use of Microsoft Office applications and electronic medical records.
Excellent Physician Assistant clinical and technical skills.
Ability to perform mathematical calculations accurately when measuring and dispensing medication.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills to communicate with staff at all levels and patients from diverse cultures and age groups.
Strong customer-service and empathy skills.
Good computer, typing, phone, and email etiquette skills, with strong response times.
Analytical, organizational, problem-solving, critical-thinking, and conflict-management or resolution skills.
Attention to detail, accuracy, and precision.
Ability to communicate effectively while maintaining HIPPA protections for Protected Health Information (PHI).
Ability to multitask and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, stressful environment.
Ability to adhere to department policies and standards and use best practices.
Ability to maintain a professional demeanor and composure when challenged.
Ability to function autonomously and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Ability to see and hear clearly, including with correction.
Ability to tolerate exposure to unpleasant noise, odor, and temperature.
Must meet all required qualifications at the time of application filing and successfully meet Cook County Health credentialing standards, including applicable licensure, certification, or specialized training, by no later than two weeks before the start date.
Offers are contingent on satisfactory professional and employment references, healthcare and criminal background checks, appropriate licensure and certifications, and successful completion of a physical and pre-employment drug screen.
Foreign degrees, except those awarded in U.S. territories or Canada, must be credentialed by an approved U.S. credential evaluation service belonging to NACES or AICE; original credentialing documents must be presented at interview.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with physicians, fellows/residents, nurses, and allied health staff to provide high-quality care throughout the phases of surgery patient care.
Provide independent preoperative physical assessments, coordinate care, and manage patients with a variety of surgery indications.
Assess, diagnose, and treat adult patients; provide and manage direct patient care and conduct health-needs assessments.
Obtain comprehensive patient histories and perform detailed physical examinations to determine accurate diagnoses.
Order and interpret diagnostic tests and laboratory work, including imaging and blood tests; refer patients with abnormal results to a physician for consultation.
Inform patients of and effectively communicate test results and diagnoses.
Perform delegated diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, including casting, splinting, wound management, incision and drainage, suture and staple placement and removal, aspirations, and injections.
Perform primary surgery care in an outpatient independent clinic.
Prescribe and dispense legal drugs and controlled substances as delegated.
Communicate patient-care issues to the collaborating physician and offer research-guided recommendations for improvement initiatives when applicable.
Assist with minor surgery and serve as first assist in major surgery.
Develop and implement patient-management plans and provide continuity of care.
Perform procedures, treatments, and subspecialty-dependent modalities within the collaborating physician's scope to improve patient outcomes.
Provide pain management and use appropriate techniques and methods in anesthesia, advanced wound management, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, diagnostic radiology interpretation, and operative and perioperative care.
Educate patients and families about wound care, diet, and exercise.
Order necessary supplies for procedures and help ensure patients are adequately prepared for surgery.
Follow the Physician Assistant Practice Act and Cook County Health policies, as well as hospital and department safety requirements.