Physician Assistant V-Vascular Surgery

Independence Health System Careers•Greensburg, PA

20h•Onsite

About The Position

Evaluates, examines, diagnoses, and treats patients in collaboration with their supervising and/or substitute supervising physician according to established guidelines and protocols. Maintains and promotes the well-being of the patient, providing care in both the in-patient and out-patient setting. This role involves Monday - Friday work with a 1:4 weekend rotation. The position requires regular, consistent, on-site, and timely attendance. The Physician Assistant is responsible for ensuring that patient assessment and direct/indirect patient care delivered are in accordance with appropriate licensing board, hospital policies, procedures, and protocols, and all other professional standards of care. This includes systematic patient assessment, physical exams, documentation, and involving patients/families and other healthcare providers as appropriate. The role also involves managing physical and psychological patient problems, implementing and revising treatment plans, evaluating responses to medications and treatments, prescribing appropriate medications per guidelines, and seeking appropriate consultation. Additionally, the Physician Assistant develops an educational process for patient care activities that promote health, foster self-care, and improve outcomes, including patient readiness to learn, education on medications, resources, further care, immunizations, and acquiring/distributing educational resources. Effective communication with physicians and other healthcare providers is crucial for achieving desired outcomes and ensuring continuous patient care flow. This includes maintaining problem/medication lists, ensuring documentation completeness and accuracy, assessing patients, facilitating consultations, directing patients to appropriate care levels, and assisting in identifying resources. The role also requires participation in Performance Improvement activities to enhance patient care quality, customer service, and practice efficiencies, including identifying initiatives, assisting in chart reviews/audits, and supporting implemented initiatives. Leadership is demonstrated through problem-solving, critical thinking, delegation, accountability, functioning as a resource, patient advocacy, preceptor/mentor roles, assisting in cost reduction, and completing annual competency requirements. Patient safety is paramount, requiring adherence to infection control processes, utilizing two forms of patient identification, and practicing National Patient Safety Goals. The Physician Assistant also assists the department in complying with all regulatory agencies, participating in survey readiness, non-punitive medication reporting, narcotic accountability, and office emergency drills. The role includes performing procedures, assisting in surgery, and providing patient care as per established guidelines, including positioning patients, assisting surgeons, prepping and draping, maintaining sterile techniques, performing skin closures, monitoring patients, performing suture removal and dressing changes, and being available for emergency surgery call. Directing and providing appropriate pre and post-operative care is also a key responsibility, including performing history and physicals, providing preoperative teaching, conducting patient rounds, ordering appropriate testing, documenting findings, communicating with the supervising physician, preparing discharge planning, dictating discharge summaries, and providing patient/family counseling. Clinical responsibilities are performed to maximize patient care and outcomes, including assuming code team roles, facilitating timely treatment of abnormal findings, developing workflow patterns, and participating in outcome management. In the clinic setting, the Physician Assistant interviews, evaluates, and assesses patients, providing recommendations for treatment, adjusting medications, and educating patients/families. Collaboration with the supervising physician and treatment team is essential for desired outcomes and continuous patient care flow, including alerting the team to status changes, reviewing treatment goals, and communicating pertinent information. Documentation in the medical record is comprehensive, including mental status, screenings, assessments, medication changes, prescriptions, telephone contact, session times, and signed/dated entries. Leadership is demonstrated through problem-solving, critical thinking, accountability, functioning as a resource, patient advocacy, and preceptor/mentor roles. Participation in Performance Improvement activities and ensuring patient safety in compliance with policies are also key aspects of the role.

Requirements

Ability to perform the Essential Functions on the Physical Conditions chart.
Ability to perform the Essential Functions on the Working Conditions chart.
Minimum of 1-2 years surgical experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Evaluates, examines, diagnoses, and treats patients in collaboration with their supervising and/or substitute supervising physician.
Maintains and promotes the well-being of the patient, providing care in both the in-patient and out-patient setting.
Collects patient assessment data, performs systematic physical exams and history of present illness, and documents findings.
Manages the physical and psychological problems of the patient, implements and revises treatment plans, and prescribes appropriate medications.
Develops an educational process for patient care activities that promote health, foster self-care, and improve outcomes.
Communicates effectively with the physician and other healthcare providers to achieve desired outcomes and assure a continuous flow of patient care.
Participates in Performance Improvement activities designed to enhance the quality of patient care, customer service, or practice efficiencies.
Demonstrates Leadership by utilizing the concepts inherent to the practice of the professional nurse/physician assistant.
Provides for patient safety in compliance with hospital and physician practices policies.
Assists in the department's compliance with all regulatory agencies.
Performs procedures, assists in surgery, and provides care to the patient as per established guidelines.
Positions patients and assists surgeon in the operating room.
Preps and drapes the patient as per established guidelines.
Assists in surgery by performing tasks defined by the surgeon.
Assists and maintains sterile techniques through procedures.
Performs skin closures as directed by the supervising physician.
Monitors patients until clinically stable unless requested by the surgeon to perform other duties.
Performs suture removal and dressing changes as per supervising physician's directions.
Is available for call from home to assist in emergency surgeries.
Directs and provides appropriate Pre and Post-operative care.
Performs history and physicals as designated by the physician.
Provides preoperative teaching to patients and/or families.
Performs patient rounds ensuring accurate assessment, review of labs and diagnostic procedures, and reports overall progress to supervising physician.
Orders appropriate testing per established guidelines and as outlined by supervising physician.
Communicates with supervising physician in a timely manner regarding changes in the patient's progress, status, or critical test results.
Prepares for and develops discharge planning in conjunction with supervising physician.
Dictates discharge summaries timely and appropriate.
Provides counseling and instruction to patients and/or families as appropriate.
Performs clinical responsibilities in a manner that maximizes patient care and outcomes.
Assumes appropriate code team role during emergency situations and responds effectively.
Facilitates timely treatment of abnormal labs or other relevant findings.
Develops workflow patterns to facilitate patient transfers or discharges.
Participates in outcome management and Press Ganey scores.
Interviews, evaluates and assesses patients in the clinic setting.
Provides recommendations for treatment.
Evaluates patient's current status providing recommendations for ongoing treatment.
Assesses for alternate levels of care as necessary.
Adjusts medication as indicated.
Provides patient/family education regarding medication, rationale for use and possible side effects.
Collaborates with the supervising physician and/or substitute supervising physician and members of the treatment team to achieve desired outcomes and to assure continuous flow of patient care.
Alerts the treatment team to any significant changes in the patient's status.
Within prescribed time frames reviews treatment goals and objectives with patients making modifications as appropriate.
Communicates pertinent information timely and efficiently to the supervising or substitute supervising physician.
Documents in the medical record.
Records patient's current mental status.
Documents all screenings and assessments performed.
Records medication changes, prescriptions written and samples provided.
Documents patient's complaints, concerns and questions as appropriate.
Documents any/all telephone contact with patients, families, pharmacists or physicians.
Records beginning and end times of each session.
Signs and dates all documentation.
Demonstrates an ability to problem solve independently utilizing critical thinking skills and seeks assistance from immediate supervisor when appropriate.
Maintains accountability for actions taken.
Effectively functions as a resource person.
Acts as a patient advocate.
Performs effectively in the role of preceptor/mentor to new hires and/or students.
Assists in maintaining/decreasing organizational/departmental costs.
Completes all competency requirements annually.
Adheres to infection control processes, including standard precautions, to reduce the risk of acquiring or transmitting infections.
Utilizes two forms of patient identification before implementing any form of patient care.
Practices all National Patient Safety Goals.
Participates in continuous survey readiness for inspections and surveys.
Participates in the non-punitive medication reporting system.
Ensures accountability for narcotics per regulatory/organizational policies.
Participates in office fire, safety, utility, hazard, and disaster drills as required.