Physician Assistant – Plastic Surgery – Northwest Surgery Center

The Physician Assistant position performs the increasingly independent and complex tasks of a routine and standardized nature, which would otherwise be performed by a physician. The incumbent in this position will provide advanced patient care in relation to the patient’s prescribed diagnosis, treatment, age group, development, and other identified needs. This position provides quality direct and/or indirect patient care clinically, administratively and/or academically. The incumbent in this position will provide direct plastic surgery services to patients within the education, training, and patient care parameters of the Department of Plastic Surgery. The duties of this position are carried out in accordance with policies established by the Executive Committee of the Medical Staff and consistent with the Texas State Board of Physician Assistants and Medical Examiners, and existing state laws.

The Physician Assistants will work in the full continuum of care – Outpatient, Operating Room (OR), and some Inpatient. Will work primarily in the outpatient clinics and provide first assistant support in the OR.

Position will be in the Northwest Houston Surgery Center. Training will take place in The Medical Center.

KEY FUNCTIONS

1. First and Second Surgical Assist

• Performs first- and second-assist duties in the operating room daily, or as needed, as directed by the physician.
• Demonstrates manual dexterity in the use of all instruments and equipment.
• First and second assist duties would include, but is not limited to, the use of a scalpel, needle-driver, forceps, and bovie cautery. able to tie suture with acceptable knot-tying techniques, both with hands, and with instruments. performs retraction, cutting suture, direct hemostasis, placing drains, and multi-level skin and donor site closures.
• Performs harvest of complex flaps, full and split thickness grafts, and placement of complex wound dressings.

2. Perioperative Patient Management

• Assesses patient before surgery and completes the H&P update in a consistently timely manner.
• Communicates and assists OR staff (Anesthesia, CRNA, Anesthesia Assistants, Nurse circulator, Scrub technician, Perioperative Nursing Assistants (PNA)).
• Ensures all necessary supplies, equipment, and medications are available. Assists in properly positioning the patient on the OR bed.
• Writes postoperative orders, and transitions with the patient to the PACU/ICU.
• Gives reports to PACU/ICU staff.
• Communicates with family members if assigned to do so.
• Performs post-operative checks on patients as assigned by attending.

3. Inpatient Care

• Makes daily rounds with or without faculty on in-patients, before clinic, conference, or OR duties, by walking from office to inpatient rooms.
• Performs a variety of inpatient patient care activities included but not limited to wound care and dressing changes, removal of drain and sutures, etc.
• Communicates, in a timely fashion, all physical findings and other pertinent information regarding the patient to attending and associated medical staff.
• Notifies other health care professionals (e.g. speech pathology or radiology) regarding required interventions, and complete in-patient consults as indicated.
• Facilitates communication between patient/family members and physician/interdisciplinary team; assists with patients’ problems, questions, concerns and provides support.
• Assists with discharge planning for inpatients and helps to anticipate family needs regarding adequate post-discharge care.
• Assists with arranging home health care, and other post-discharge allied health needs.
• Arranges follow-up care in the Plastic Surgery clinic by discussing with patient and completing electronic CSR.
• Responsible for inpatient consults when attending physician is unavailable.
• Completes and authenticates discharge summaries within 24 hours of discharge according to Medical Records standards.

4. Outpatient Care

• Performs assessment of the following patients in clinic: Consults, second opinions, preoperative and postoperative follow-ups.
• Obtains histories and physical of patients for preoperative history and physical exams or primary medical evaluations which are performed according to institutional standards set by Medical Records.
• Ensures that data is complete, accurate, current, and reflects clinical physiology/pathophysiology.
• Ensures that data collected is communicated to attending physician and associated medical staff in a complete, concise and organized fashion.

EDUCATION

Required: Master’s degree from an accredited Physician Assistant (PA) program by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), except for Physician Assistants who graduated from a PA program prior to 2013.

Preferred: Master’s Level Degree

LICENSE/CERTIFICATION

Required: All of the following:

• PA certification by the National Commission of Certification of Physician Assistants.
• Licensed by the Texas State Board of Physician Assistant Examiners.
• MAY BE REQUIRED: Eligible to be granted limited prescriptive authority by the State of Texas.
• Must meet the American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) , ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) or PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) if working in one of following department: Pediatrics – Patient Care (113100).

Preferred: None

EXPERIENCE

Required: None.

Preferred: Prior experience in a surgical practice or experience in plastic surgery.

Additional Information

• Requisition ID: 169706
• Employment Status: Full-Time
• Employee Status: Regular
• Work Week: Days
• Minimum Salary: US Dollar (USD) 115,000
• Midpoint Salary: US Dollar (USD) 144,000
• Maximum Salary : US Dollar (USD) 173,000
• FLSA: exempt and not eligible for overtime pay
• Fund Type: Hard
• Work Location: Onsite
• Pivotal Position: Yes
• Referral Bonus Available?: Yes
• Relocation Assistance Available?: Yes
• Science Jobs: No

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