Full Job Description
GENERAL SUMMARY/ OVERVIEW STATEMENT:
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.
This is an ambulatory position with anticipated schedule of 4 ten-hour shifts Monday through Friday. No nights or weekends. Our PAs see both new and follow-up patients independently in the urology clinic. During the onboarding process, the PA will work 5 shifts per week, Monday through Friday.
The PA will work within the Urologic Oncology division. This PA will see patients with a variety of urologic malignancies including renal, prostate, bladder, testicular. The PA will also provide general urology care to patients. The PA will work closely with attending physicians and assist in coordinating multidisciplinary care. Role includes foley catheter management, wound care, drain removals, intravesical instillations. There is opportunity for professional development and advanced urology skills such as cystoscopy, prostate biopsy once clinical fundamentals are mastered.
Work locations will include BWH Main Campus, Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Foxboro location.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
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
- 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
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
- Additional duties and responsibilities as required by the department/division
For all positions that include direct patient care, indicate with an “X” the age(s) of all patient populations served
No Direct Patient Care
All age groups
Adolescence (13 to 17 years)
Neonates (birth to 1 month)
Young Adult (18 to 25 years)
x
Infant (1 month to1year)
Adult (26 to 54 years)
x
Early Childhood (12 months to 5 years)
Senior Adult (55 to 64 years)
x
Late Childhood (6 to 12 years)
Geriatric (65 years and up)
x
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
- Master’s in PA studies preferred, Bachelor’s in PA studies accepted in rare circumstances with multiple years of highly relevant clinical experience.
- BS/MS joint programs and those candidates with a BS and PA certificate are eligible, but ONLY for those who graduated BEFORE 1995
- 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
SKILLS/ ABILITIES/ COMPETENCIES REQUIRED:
The PA shall demonstrate the following clinical knowledge, skills and competencies:
- Clinical skills and knowledge as well as professionalism of the PA candidate are assessed by a surgical attending under the direction of the Division Chief.
- If a candidate does not pass the competency assessment, surgical attendings will provide feedback on additional development needs. Re-assessment is possible after 6 months of focused development.
- The attending physician(s) performing the assessment will complete a competency assessment (designed by dept/division). The candidate is responsible to provide example cases, which he or she has cared for patients with the most common diagnosis.
Physical and mental abilities required:
- Must be energetic, quality driven and have proven ability to be a productive member of a cohesive team of peers, dedicated to providing optimum patient care.
- Must exercise the highest degree of professional judgment under the direct supervision and guidance of a licensed physician.
- Must maintain a professional attitude towards patients and exercise such mature independent originality in solving problems not covered by existing guidelines, within legal limits, to meet the needs of the patients.
- Must maintain a professional attitude towards patients at all times and an excellent and collegial working relationship with other personnel involved in patient care.
- Must demonstrate understanding of procedures, policies and documentation required to ensure compliance with hospital standards of care.
The PA shall demonstrate the following professional knowledge and skills:
- Proficient with BWH computer systems as needed to independently perform daily tasks such as order entry, EMAR, lab tests and results, incident reporting, BICS, etc.
- Consistently provide high quality and timely documentation, including admission notes, progress notes, discharge summaries and dictation.
The PA shall demonstrate appropriate direct patient care:
- Must have broad knowledge of the medical environment, surgical practices, and performance goals of BWH and the division of urology.
- Must exercise the highest degree of professional judgment under the direction and guidance of a licensed physician.
- Must be able to accept instruction and guidance and assume responsibility in complex teamwork concept.
- Must be able to administer such care and treatment and exercise such independent originality in solving problems to meet the needs of patients.
EEO Statement
Brigham and Women’s Hospital is an Affirmative Action 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.