Physician Assistant-Peri Anesthesia PAC Clinic

Driscoll Children's Hospital•Edinburg, TX

4d•Onsite

About The Position

This role involves two distinct job descriptions: one for a Peri-Anesthesia APRN and another for a Physician Assistant. Both roles are within a PAC clinic and require a high level of patient care, adherence to hospital policies, and collaboration with supervising physicians. The APRN focuses on pre-operative patient optimization and care, while the Physician Assistant is involved in clinical research, overseeing participants' health and study conduct. The Peri-Anesthesia APRN facilitates professional leadership and specialized care for pre-operative patients to optimize outcomes and prevent surgical delays. Responsibilities include performing pre-operative physical assessments, obtaining history and physical information, ordering appropriate pre-operative laboratory testing and clearances, collaborating with anesthesiologists on medication orders, and managing data for the pre-op program. The APRN must maintain confidentiality, adhere to policies, function within their scope of practice, and possess excellent communication and clinical skills. The Physician Assistant (APP) provides assistance in clinical research, overseeing the clinical course of pediatric research participants under the direction of the principal investigator. Responsibilities include assessing physical health, administering treatments aligned with their scope of practice, overseeing study conduct, ensuring participant safety, and coordinating clinical research. The APP must also maintain confidentiality, adhere to policies, function within their scope of practice, and possess excellent communication and clinical skills.

Requirements

Master’s or Post Master’s Degree, required
Graduation from a Nurse Practitioners Program with practice authority in the State of Texas, required (for APRN)
Completion of an Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) approved program (prior to January 2001 - Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs), required (for Physician Assistant)
2-3 years of relevant experience, or combination of education and relevant experience in Pediatrics, Required (for Physician Assistant)
Advanced Practice Certification X Family Nurse Practitioner, Board Certified (FNP-C or FNP-BC)
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Board Certified - Primary Care (PNP or CPNP-PC)
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Board Certified - Acute Care (CPNP-AC)
Active and unencumbered nurse practitioner and registered nurse license in the State of Texas
Advanced specialty courses and ongoing education requirements as required by DCH
DCH Credentialing obtained within time frame required and continuously maintained ongoing
Must obtain DCH credentialing as an active member of medical staff and appropriate medical privileges, required
Current certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
Physician Assistant, Certified (PA-C), required
Active and unencumbered license in the State of Texas, required (for Physician Assistant)
Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program) Training in Good Clinical Practice, Protecting Human Research Participants, and Conflict of Interest in Research, required

Nice To Haves

1-2 years of pediatric experience, preferred (for APRN)
1-2 years in peri-operative or peri-anesthesia, preferred (for APRN)
Experience with clinical trials, Preferred (for Physician Assistant)

Responsibilities

Performing pre-operative physical assessments
Obtaining history and physical information for MRI cases
Assessing the need for and ordering appropriate pre-operative laboratory testing or pre-operative clearances
Collaborating with an anesthesiologist to determine pre-operative medication orders
Managing data for the pre-op program for research, outcomes and/or reporting purposes
Maintaining utmost level of confidentiality
Adhering to hospital policies and procedures
Functioning within scope of practice, under the supervision of an attending
Having excellent communication and customer service skills, proven excellence in clinical care and supervisory skills
Participating and assisting with coordination and continuity of care
Demonstrating business practices and personal actions that are ethical and adhere to corporate compliance and integrity guidelines
Writing appropriate orders (e.g., nursing care, medication orders, laboratory, and imaging/radiological examinations)
Reviewing pertinent abnormal findings in the patient's history, physical examination, radiological and laboratory data with supervising physician
Obtaining appropriate referral/consultation, additional laboratory or radiological studies as needed, and initiating appropriate medical intervention(s)
Performing and recording history and physical examinations (initial admissions and consults will be seen by attending prior to implementing plan of care)
Completing consultations approved by the supervising physician with follow-up as indicated
Ensuring testing has been completed, results verified, reviewing labs/studies and vital signs
Completing progress notes as indicated
Advising supervising physician of unexpected events, providing an accurate synopsis of events related to a major change in the patient’s condition and describing corrective measures already taken
Daily assessment of patient’s hospital course, writing notes of patient’s progress in chart as it pertains to the supervising physician and implementing indicated therapy as determined by the supervising physician
Serving as a resource for clinical staff
Interpretation and findings for both patient and family, family orientation and resources information
Coordination of meetings
Communication between the pre-op clinic and primary care physicians and/or specialist
Reviewing and recommending specialty services if needed to patient’s primary care provider
Coordinating all activity necessary for the pre-operative program
Scheduling and performing face-to-face patient interviews for high-risk patients (ASA 3+, high risk procedures)
Coordinating high-risk patient anesthesiologist review as deemed necessary
Consulting with anesthesiologist for decisions related to postponement/cancellation of a procedure
Assuring that all patient testing is completed, assessed, and reported three days prior to date of surgery
Acting as a liaison between the physicians and other staff
Maintaining a database of current patients
Assisting with the coordination of discharge planning and/or follow-up
Assessing physical health and administering treatments throughout the study aligned with scope of practice delegated responsibilities
Overseeing study conduct and assuring study participant safety
Working with clinical research coordination and reporting
Identifying, recruiting, and enrolling study participants, as well as maintaining study participant records
Determining study participant criteria
Assessing, performing, and documenting parent/patient education
Ensuring the safety of study participants, and maintaining communication with the patient/family and clinicians
Participating in investigator meetings and monitoring visits
Completing protocol-specific training as required by study sponsors
Conducting informed consent discussions and obtaining informed consent / assent for research in accordance with applicable regulations, IRB requirements, and institutional standards