Physician Assistant

Basic Responsibility

The Physician Assistant (PA) provides an advanced level of comprehensive health care to a specific patient population in collaboration with medical staff.  Follows established applicable medical standards, procedures, and practices, and gives specific patient care directions to nursing and other support staff.  Patients served include adolescent through geriatric.

Specific Responsibilities

The specific responsibilities of the Physician Assistant encompass but are not limited to the following:

• Performs medical examinations and evaluations, diagnoses, treatment, follow-up, consultations and health education appropriate for the patient’s age and situation.
• Obtains patient histories and develops patient care charges, ensuring completeness and accuracy of documentation.
• Orders, obtains and interprets appropriate diagnostic tests.
• Designs, orders and documents appropriate treatment plans/plans of care including prescriptions of medications based on a comprehensive review of HPI and diagnostic results.  
• Communicates plan of care with appropriate providers including the collaborative physician, the primary care provider, the referring provider, the nursing staff, and the case manager.
• Communicates plan of care with the patients and family members.  Provides patient and family instruction related to the plan of care, disease process, new treatment plans, and medication regimens. 
• Provides medical care for ill and injured patients in accordance with accepted standards of care.
• Provides health education to patients and families as required and appropriate.
• Documents medical findings and care provided in the patient’s clinical record, including information of laboratory and radiographic studies.
• Teaches health maintenance procedures and provides educational resources to patients as needed.
• Collaborates with physician or other health care team members regarding patients’ health needs, outcomes and effectiveness of care plan.
• May first assist the surgeon with cases on a determined basis.
• Assists with discharge planning.
• Initiates appropriate contact with other health care providers as required.
• Maintains the privacy and security of all confidential and protected health information.  Uses and discloses only that information which is necessary to perform the function of the job.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Establishes and maintains constructive working relationships with practice staff, doctors, patients and other individuals that are encountered in the course of conducting business.

Skills Required:

• Ability to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the patient population(s) served.  Ability to demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possesses the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's requirements relative to his or her population-specific and age specific needs.  
• Highly effective verbal and written communication skills are required to interact with patient families, departmental units, medical and nursing staff on all essential matters.   Demonstrated/documented effective interpersonal skills.
• Maintains updated hospital safety and other mandatory training.
• Updated immunizations as recommended per practice area.

Minimum education and work experience requirement:

• Master’s Degree in Physician Assistant Studies from a Physician Assistant educational program approved by the Texas State Board of Licensing or found by the Board to be substantially equivalent to the programs in Texas is required.
• Current State of Texas licensure as a Physician Assistant required.  
• Experience as a Physician Assistant in a clinic and surgical setting.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of standing, walking and moving
• Must be able to lift and hold 50 pounds at times
• Frequent exposure to sharp objects, chemicals, bloodborne pathogens and patient bodily fluids