Physician Assistant - Urology

Job Title

Some core duties include:

1. Obtaining medical histories and performing physical examinations.
2. Providing and coordinating medical care for assigned patients in any care setting, including establishing diagnoses, formulating and implementing care plans, and providing follow-up care.
3. Evaluating outpatients to determine the need for further health care.
4. Ordering diagnostic studies and other special tests, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computerized Tomography (CT) scans, etc.
5. Carrying out health promotion, disease prevention, and patient education activities.
6. Ordering or obtaining laboratory specimens.
7. Ordering ancillary services, such as, pharmacy, social services, physical medicine and rehabilitation therapies, prosthetic services, etc.
8. Ordering VA specialty service consults and initiating requests for non-VA medical care and consults in accordance with VHA and local facility policy and procedures.
9. Ordering patient care supplies.
10. Writing orders for or prescribing medications for care of veterans on the Urology service.
11. Other patient record entries by PAs, including medical histories, physical examinations, progress notes, service consults, compensation and Pension evaluations, and patient orders do not require physician co-signature unless specifically required by Federal law, VA policy, or the standards of applicable external accrediting bodies.
12. Obtaining and documenting informed consent for treatments and procedures for which the PA is responsible either as the provider providing treatment under Full Autonomy or Limited Autonomy, or participating as an integral member of the treatment team performing the procedure such as assisting the primary surgeon. The PA need not participate in the particular procedure the patient is scheduled to undergo as long as he is authorized to perform, participate in, or assist during the procedure and have sufficient knowledge and training in the treatment or procedure, its indications, risk and benefits, complications, and alternative treatments, to effectively counsel the patient.
13. Providing education and counseling of patients and families in preventive care, medical conditions, and the use of prescribed treatments and drugs.
14. Preliminary EKG interpretation.
15. Preliminary imaging interpretation.
16. Ordering appropriate pre-procedure & pre-operative antibiotics (IM, IV, or PO) and/or other medications.
17. Change dressings on surgical wounds.
18. Obtain specimens in surgery or clinic for patient care diagnostic or treatment purposes.
19. Perform other diagnostic or treatment procedures as qualified.
20. Ordering administration of blood products.

GU SURGERY EXPANDED RESPONSIBILITIES Responsibilities performed with full autonomy in the clinic and cystoscopy suite include:

1. Obtains informed consents for common GU surgeries and procedures about which the PA is familiar with including the indications and associated risks and benefits.
2. Triages symptoms and manages outpatients on the Urology service.
3. Assists other health care professionals assigned to the Urology section with the coordination of medical care.
4. Acts as a care coordinator for patients in the Urology section.
5. Monitors appointment management software to ensure accuracy in scheduling practices. Reviews all outpatient Urology clinic profiles for accuracy.
6. Provides peri- and post-operative teaching.
7. Performs pre-operative history/physical examinations.
8. Triages, assigns, and evaluates new patients referred to the Urology service.
9. Insertion of urethral catheters.
10. Urethral catheter placement over a wire.
11. Removal or exchange of suprapubic tubes/catheters.
12. Intracavernosal injections and teaching.
13. Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation.
14. Cryoablation of genital lesions with liquid nitrogen.
15. Removal of drains, ureteral stents, and nephrostomy tubes.
16. Administer oral medications.
17. Injection IV medications, start intravenous infusions of any variety, as long as hospital protocols regarding preparation of skin sites, checking of blood products, and attention to sterile techniques are followed.
18. Performing procedures:

• Cystoscopy
• Cystoscopy with ureteral stent removal
• Cystoscopy with basketing of stones/ foreign body
• Transrectal ultrasound
• Urodynamic studies

Responsibilities performed with limited autonomy include:

• Write discharge orders for outpatients (day surgeries).
• Removes intravenous and central lines.
• Insert intravenous lines.
• Performing procedures.
• Cystoscopy with biopsy and fulguration.

Responsibilities performed with supervised autonomy include:

• Prostate needle biopsy under transrectal ultrasound guidance.
• Placement of prostate fiducial markers under transrectal ultrasound guidance for planned radiation therapy.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized