Physician assistant - Orthopedics

Department of Veterans Affairs•Stockton, CA

70d•Onsite

About The Position

Sign-on bonus available for highly qualified candidates. This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until December 29th, 2025. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be November 3rd, with subsequent cut-off dates every 5 days. Eligible applications received after that date will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. The Physician Assistant functions as an agent of his/her physician supervisor(s) and not as an independent practitioner. The appointed physician supervisor(s) understands their duties as supervisor so there is no ambiguity as to who is responsible for the action of the PA at any time or in any circumstance. Every order given by a PA, including those to be carried out by members of the nursing staff is considered as coming from the supervising physicians or designee. The orders must be within the scope of practice of the PA. All progress notes, consultation requests, reports of histories and physical examinations that are performed by The Physician Assistant will clearly identify his/her as a physician assistant. The PA will identify the assigned physician supervisor at the end of a notation. All procedures/duties specified in the Scope of Practice performed by the PA can be conducted after competency is determined through observation and training by the physician supervisor. The Physician Assistanthas limited prescription transmittal authority to initiate and refill drug therapy per treatment protocols for specific non-critical disease entities. An individual formulary has been developed and is attached. He/She is authorized to write patient specific transmittal orders for medications as directed by the physician supervisor. The Physician Assistant is authorized to perform the following tasks on a regular and ongoing basis: Perform initial histories and physical examinations on new patients (inpatients, outpatients, Urgent Center). The supervising physician, who will note concurrence, will review these or addendum as indicated. Manage limited acute and limited chronic health problems accordant to PA Guidelines and credentials of supervising surgeon. Examine outpatients and inpatients to determine the need for further health care. Order diagnostic studies such as laboratory tests, x-rays, electrocardiograms (EKGs), CT scans, MRI's, Ultrasound. Initiate and expedite requests for consultations. Dictate notes or enter notes into CPRS. Provide patient/family education and counseling in preventive care, medical conditions, and use of prescribed treatments and drugs. Draw blood specimens for testing and perform other comparable procedures as needed. Perform arthrocentesis and Joint/peri-articular injections as indicated. Reduce and/or splint and/or cast closed fractures. Perform wound evaluations, suture removal and dressing changes. Remove superficial implants such as drains, pins and foreign bodies. Advanced wound care and management. The Physician Assistant is authorized to perform the following duties after direct consultation with the physician supervisor or designee. During the performance of these duties, the physician supervisor must be available for immediate consultation via telephone and if summoned, a staff physician must be physically present at the place where the procedure is being performed, within 15 minutes. Casting, splinting and casting removal. Incision and drainage of superficial abscesses with and without local anesthesia. Wound care and local debridement. Suturing of superficial clean lacerations. Knee joint aspiration and medication injection, elbow, shoulder, wrist, and ankle Excision of superficial benign lesions and cysts.

Responsibilities

Perform initial histories and physical examinations on new patients (inpatients, outpatients, Urgent Center). The supervising physician, who will note concurrence, will review these or addendum as indicated.
Manage limited acute and limited chronic health problems accordant to PA Guidelines and credentials of supervising surgeon.
Examine outpatients and inpatients to determine the need for further health care.
Order diagnostic studies such as laboratory tests, x-rays, electrocardiograms (EKGs), CT scans, MRI's, Ultrasound.
Initiate and expedite requests for consultations.
Dictate notes or enter notes into CPRS.
Provide patient/family education and counseling in preventive care, medical conditions, and use of prescribed treatments and drugs.
Draw blood specimens for testing and perform other comparable procedures as needed.
Perform arthrocentesis and Joint/peri-articular injections as indicated.
Reduce and/or splint and/or cast closed fractures.
Perform wound evaluations, suture removal and dressing changes.
Remove superficial implants such as drains, pins and foreign bodies.
Advanced wound care and management.
Casting, splinting and casting removal.
Incision and drainage of superficial abscesses with and without local anesthesia.
Wound care and local debridement.
Suturing of superficial clean lacerations.
Knee joint aspiration and medication injection, elbow, shoulder, wrist, and ankle Excision of superficial benign lesions and cysts.