Surgical Physician Assistant

**Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center**: Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health is committed to an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your uniqueness is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt’s mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.**Organization:**Ped Heart Institute Nursing**Job Summary:**The Surgical Physician Assistant (PA) First Assist or Nurse Practitioner First Assist (NP FA) works in collaboration with a multidisciplinary health care team. The PA/NP provides healthcare in the surgical setting to include the responsibilities of the first and second assist to the surgeon. Other responsibilities may include pre-operative history and physical, progress notes, and education for the patient/family. The PA/NP has didactic education, clinical competency and national certification in identified area of clinical practice, including first assist competency. The PA/NP demonstrates medical knowledge, clinical judgment, technical competence, professionalism, interpersonal communication skills, timely and compliant documentation, and is responsible for professional development and competency validation. The PA/NP has an advanced knowledge of surgical interventions and the responsibilities of a first assistant in the operating room..**Department Summary:**Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital has one of the most experienced pediatric heart surgery teams in the nation. Our heart surgeries range from closures of septal defects to very complex procedures, including Norwood, Glenn and Fontan procedures, and heart transplantation. We provide dedicated holistic resources to help children and families navigate their heart repair journey. The Pediatric Cardiac surgery program at Monroe Carell performs more than 400 operations each year. The Pediatric Heart Institute at Monroe Carell is consistently ranked among the best pediatric heart programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.* Nurse Practitioner First Assist (NP FA) or Physician Assistant (PA)* or Registered Nurse First Assist (RNFA)KEY RESPONSIBILITIES* Obtains and documents a health history; performs and documents complete, system-focused, or symptom-specific physical examination, assessment, and plan of care.* In collaboration, provides healthcare services for primary, acute, and complex care of patients and manages patient's overall care, identifying expected outcomes for diagnoses specific to the surgical area.* Performs first assistant role in the surgical environment (is there something from the FA job description)* Orders, performs, interprets, and collects data using appropriate assessment techniques, relevant supporting diagnostic information and diagnostic procedures where indicated.* Forms differential diagnoses and treats acute and chronic conditions.* May prescribes therapeutic interventions both pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic and surgical, needed to achieve expected outcomes.* Utilizes evidence-based, approved practice protocols in planning and implementing care.* Initiates appropriate referrals and consultations* Provides specialty specific consultation services upon request and within specialty scope of practice.* Facilitates the patient’s transition between operative area and appropriate unit or recovery areas.TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES* Health Systems and Policy Management (Advanced): Demonstrates sufficient fundamental proficiency in behaviors that reflect a commitment to continuous professional development, ethical practice, and a responsible attitude toward their patients, their profession and society. Participates in professional organizations and activities that influence advanced practice.* Clinical Knowledge and Practice (Advanced): Demonstrates established and evolving biomedical, clinical and social sciences, and the application of their knowledge to patient care and the education of others. Demonstrates knowledge of population focus but also other sciences that support his/her field of practice. Demonstrates knowledge of common and important health issues affecting society and other societies around the globe. Demonstrates commitment in maintaining current evidence based knowledge through continuous learning. Educates patients, families, students and other members of the healthcare team in clinical topics and application of clinical knowledge.* Patient and Family Centered Care (Advanced): Demonstrates care that is compassionate, appropriate and effective for the promotion of health, prevention of illness, treatment of disease and care at the end of life. Within scope of licensure and certification, manages previously diagnosed and undiagnosed patients. Uses health assessment skills to differentiate between normal, variations of normal, and abnormal findings. Employs screening and diagnostic strategies in the development of diagnoses. Prescribes medications within scope of practice. Manages health/illness status of patients and families over time and across the continuum. Provides patient-centered care and the patient or designee as a full partner in decision making. Creates a climate of patient-centered care to include confidentiality privacy, comfort, emotional support, mutual trust, and respect. Incorporates cultural and spiritual preferences, values and beliefs into health care. Preserves the patient's control over decision making by negotiating a mutually acceptable plan of care. Integrates ethical principles into decision making. Uses electronic health record to capture data on variables for the evaluation and management of patient care. Clearly documents findings, assessment and plan of care.* Interpersonal and Communication Skills (Advanced): Demonstrates interpersonal and communication skills that enable them to establish and maintain professional relationships with patients, families, and other members of health care teams. Communicates practice knowledge effectively both orally and in writing.* Practice-Based Scholarly Inquiry and Integration (Advanced): Demonstrates the use of scientific evidence and methods to investigate, evaluate and improve patient care practices. Anticipates variations in practice and is proactive in implementing interventions to improve quality. Uses best available evidence to continuously improve quality of clinical practice. Generates knowledge from clinical practice to improve practice and patient outcomes. Reviews data and evidences to improve advanced practice. Integrates knowledge from the humanities and sciences within the context of nursing science.* Professionalism (Advanced): Demonstrates behaviors that reflect a commitment to continuous professional development, ethical practice, and a responsible attitude toward their patients, their profession and society. Participates in medical center committees, professional organizations and activities that influence advanced practice. **Our Nursing Philosophy:** We believe highly skilled and specialized nursing care is essential to Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s mission of quality in patient care, education and research. We believe nursing is an applied art and science focused on helping people, families and communities reach excellent health and well-being. As a Vanderbilt University Medical Center employee, you make a difference to our patients and their families by bringing compassion and care to those in need of hope and healing. Please see our current #J-18808-Ljbffr