Physician Assistant-Surgery

Default Work Shift:

Varies (United States of America)

Hours:

36

Salary range:

$73.63 - $111.85

Schedule:

Full Time

Shift Hours:

12 Hour employee

Department:

Surgical Services APPs

Job Objective:

Provides direct patient care and support to multidisciplinary health team working within the scope of practice of a Physician Assistant (PA). Serves as a clinical expert through patient education, interdisciplinary collaboration, and consultation, while maintaining program excellence and professional growth. Develops and fosters strong provider relationships. Committed to cost-effective care management, optimizing resource utilization, and enhancing patient experiences through continuous process improvement. Provides direct patient care while collaborating with a multidisciplinary healthcare team to ensure high-quality, evidence-based outcomes.

Job Description:

Education:

Required: Master of Science in Physician Assistant (MSPA) or Doctor of Physician Assistant (PA) program completion of an accredited program if hired after July 1, 2023

Licensure/Certification: 

Required: Active and unrestricted CA licensure as a Physician Assistant (PA); Current board certification or board eligible as an PA by a nationally accredited organization; National Provider Identifier (NPI); Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association (AHA); Current Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) from AHA

Experience:

Preferred: PA experience in surgical services setting across a broad spectrum functioning as a First Assistant

Reports To: Clinical Supervisor, Clinical Manager, Clinical Director, Associate Vice President-Surgical Services
Supervises: N/A
Ages of Patients: Pediatric, Adolescent, Adult, Geriatric
Blood Borne Pathogens: High Potential

Skills, Knowledge, Abilities:

Ability to autonomously assess, diagnose, and develop treatment plans for patients across the lifespan, Ability to be flexible in response to unexpected change in work volume, Ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary team to provide care and facilitate transition throughout continuum of care, Ability to establish good working relationships and work in a professional manner with patients, physicians, and co-workers, Ability to function in a high volume environment, analyze situations quickly and accurately, and take appropriate action, Ability to maintain high degree of confidentiality, Ability to problem solve independently, Ability to provide an excellent customer service experience for patients, Ability to work independently and exercises a high degree of initiative, judgment and discretion, Knowledge of anatomy and physiology, Strong understanding of evidence-based practice, medical guidelines, and state and federal healthcare regulations, Written and verbal communications skills

Essential Responsibilities

1. Demonstrates compliance with Code of Conduct and compliance policies and takes action to resolve compliance questions or concerns and report suspected violations.
2. Evidence-Based Patient Management: Utilizes the medical model to assess, diagnose, and manage patient care, integrating best practices and clinical guidelines to ensure optimal health outcomes.
3. Scope of Practice & Collaboration: Provides care in alignment with the Physician Assistant Practice Act, scope of service, and hospital policies, consulting with physicians and specialists as needed for comprehensive patient management.
4. Quality Improvement & Professional Engagement: Actively participates in quality assurance and performance improvement initiatives, contributing to hospital and clinic efforts to enhance patient safety, care efficiency, and clinical outcomes.
5. Resource Optimization & Cost-Effectiveness: Demonstrates responsible utilization of healthcare resources, aligning clinical practice with institutional budgetary goals while maintaining high-quality care standards.
6. Regulatory & Professional Compliance: Meets Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE) and Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE) standards as outlined in the Medical Staff Bylaws, adhering to all PA Practice Agreements, policies, and protocols relevant to Eisenhower Health.
7. Intraoperative Assistance: Acts as the primary assistant to surgeons during procedures, performing tasks such as tissue retraction, suctioning, suturing, and hemostasis to facilitate efficient and safe surgical operations. 
8. Patient Positioning: Collaborates with the surgical team to position patients appropriately for surgery, ensuring both patient safety and optimal access for the surgical procedure. 
9. Surgical Environment Preparation: Assists in setting up the operating room by ensuring all necessary instruments, supplies, and equipment are available and sterile, adhering to aseptic techniques and protocols.
10. Postoperative Duties: Participates in postoperative care by applying dressings and assisting in the transfer of patients to recovery areas.
11. Provides intra-operative exposure and retraction, retracts tissues or organs by use of the hand, places and holds surgical retractors, packs sponges or laparotomy pads into body cavities to hold tissues or organs out of the operative field, Sutures tissue, using instruments and suture material.
12. Provides intra-operative exposure and retraction, retracts tissues or organs by use of the hand, places and holds surgical retractors, packs sponges or laparotomy pads into body cavities to hold tissues or organs out of the operative field, Sutures tissue, using instruments and suture material.
13. Manages all instruments in the operative field to prevent obstruction of the surgeon’s view.
14. Correctly approximates tissue layers; approximates tissue appropriately to avoid excess tension and tissue necrosis; ties knots firmly to avoid slipping; uses staples, clips or other devices to approximate tissue; handles tissues and manipulates instruments to perform superficial dissection, aspirating and sponging of blood and other fluids from the operative site, placing suture ligatures in the muscle, subcutaneous and skin layers, placing hemoclips or other ligating devices on bleeders.
15. Maintains aseptic technique according to the policies and procedures of Surgical Services.
16. Anticipates surgeons needs by review of preference card and procuring appropriate supplies prior to start of case.
17. Remains attentive to the progression of the case in order to anticipate surgeon’s needs.
18. Properly disposes of all sharps and biohazardous waste.
19. Assists with putting away supplies and room turnover.
20. Uses judgment when opening and using supplies to ensure cost effectiveness.
21. Contributes to maximum efficiency of the surgical line up in order to adhere to surgical start times.
22. Participates in preoperative assessment and planning for surgical patients specific to PA activities (e.g. anatomical exposure, wound closure) in collaboration with perioperative team members.
23. Positions the patient provide access to the operative site while maximizing patient safety and comfort, protecting the patient from injury.
24. May require taking call and working at alternate sites.
25. Performs other duties as assigned.