The physician assistant (PA) is a licensed provider who has acquired a broad range of knowledge and skills through the successful completion of a physician assistant program. The PA is responsible for the assessment and management of various populations of patients, medical and/or surgical, including diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, development of appropriate plans of care and ongoing evaluation. The physician assistant works under the supervision of an attending physician and reports directly to the department administrator or chief physician assistant administratively.
The PA will perform in accordance with all state and federal regulations and institutional policies including but not limited to the BWH PA Scope of Practice, Prescriptive Guidelines, approved clinical privileges, and BWH PA policy.
The PA II position is designed for those physician assistants who have advanced clinical skills and who are experienced enough to take on additional clinical, administrative, and/or leadership responsibilities above that of a PA I. The PA II position entails those responsibilities defined by the department/division that will become part of the performance evaluation process.
There are five inpatient cardiology teams under the Department of Medicine. The Dexter Cardiology team is an Advanced Practice Provider team that is responsible for a census of 20 patients. There are three Advanced Practice Providers on from 7am- 7pm. In this responding clinician role, the PA2 wil be expected to round, write notes and orders, and respond to any emergency or nursing concerns throughout the day. The PA2 will be expected to participate in multi-disciplinary rounds with social work, care coordinators and care transition specialists. There is also an 11am-11pm role in which the PA2 will be responsible for admissions to the Dexter team, with the last admission being at 9:30 pm. This role will also assist the 7-7 providers in order to facilitate early discharges.
Qualifications
The appropriate candidate will have successfully completed a graduate level physician assistant program (Masters degree) accredited by the Accreditation and Review Committee for Physician Assistants (ARC-PA) or such other accrediting agency as may qualify a graduate to sit for the NCCPA certifying examination
BS/MS joint programs and those candidates with a BS and PA certificate are eligible, but ONLY for those who graduated BEFORE 1995
Must have at least two years of experience practicing as a PA to qualify for the PA II position
Certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) must be obtained prior to first day of employment
Must hold a current valid license or be eligible for licensure as a physician assistant in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Must have or eligible for, and maintain, a current DEA registration and Massachusetts Controlled Substance Registration
Must complete 100 hours of CME according to national and state regulations during each two year period of employment
Must complete the BWH Professionalism Program within three months of date of hire
Must complete the BWH Procedural Sedation Training if deemed necessary
Principle Clinical Duties and Responsibilities:
Provides direct care, counseling, and teaching to a designated patient population in the ambulatory, inpatient, operative, and/or procedural setting
Performs complete histories and physical examinations, as well as discharge summaries.
Orders, interprets, and evaluates appropriate laboratory and diagnostic tests
Develops appropriate plans of care and follow-up based on the outcomes of diagnostic, laboratory, and physical examination findings
Orders medications and writes prescriptions according to organizational and regulatory policies and procedures
Consistently provides high quality and timely documentation including admission and progress notes, procedure notes, operative notes and discharge summaries
Performs bedside procedures as are appropriate to the patient population
In some settings, the PA may first assist in the operating room or procedural areas
Practices cost effective medicine in an efficient manner, maximizing available resources
Discusses patient data with other physicians and professionals as appropriate in a multidisciplinary setting
Demonstrates expert clinical judgment skills to function in an independent role
Additional duties and responsibilities as required by the department/division
Will precept PA students and PA fellows and actively provide education to trainees
Non-Clinical Duties and Responsibilities:
Demonstrates professional collaborative and consultative relationships with other providers
Follows all designated prescriptive practices and monitoring requirements with the designated supervising physician and administrative report
Participates in departmental and organizational committees and programs as appropriate and attends all required meetings, in-services, and professional trainings
Maintains superior interpersonal and communication skills as a member of the healthcare team in order to collaborate effectively with patients, families, staff, and community health workers
Remains actively involved in continuing education with a commitment to self and departmental growth
Adheres to all established safety policies, procedures, and precautions; identifies potential or actual unsafe situations in the environment and takes measures to rectify the situation
Demonstrates understanding of procedures, policies, and documentation required to ensure compliance with hospital standards of care
The PA II shall be responsible for precepting PA students each year and/or managing the department/division PA student program.
Additional duties and responsibilities as required by the department/division
Additional Items
While the PA can expect a relatively predictable work schedule planned in advance whenever possible, scheduling variations may occur in order to cover clinical needs as they become apparent to the department/division/clinic. The PA may be asked to take call, pick up additional shifts, work variable hours, and/or provide backup coverage as needed. The hours of coverage for the inpatient service are 7am-11 pm and on a rotating basis.
The PA II shall provide leadership and participation in selected organizational committees, councils, and initiatives.
The PA II shall be capable of independently orienting, onboarding, and/or training new hire PAs within the department/division.
The PA II shall be actively involved in ongoing quality improvement and patient safety initiatives.
EEO Statement
BWH is an Equal Opportunity Employer. By embracing diverse skills, perspectives and ideas, we choose to lead. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment
