General Physician Assistant-ELM-12270-001

Physician Assistant - Acute Pain Service

Under the direct supervision of the Acute Pain Service (APS) attending physician(s), the Physician Assistant provides diagnostic, therapeutic, and consultative pain management services to inpatients at Elmhurst Hospital Center. The PA is a core clinical member of the APS, managing the daily consult service, continuous peripheral nerve and epidural catheter infusions, patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), and multimodal analgesia protocols across surgical and medical services. The PA works closely with the APS attending, pharmacy, nursing, and primary teams to deliver consistent, protocol-driven acute pain care and to support the Department's opioid-stewardship and Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) initiatives.

Responsibilities

Consultative & Clinical Pain Management

• Respond promptly to inpatient consults for acute and complex pain management, including postoperative, trauma, and medically complex patients.
• Perform focused pain-related history and physical examinations; review relevant labs, imaging, and medication history.
• Formulate and present multimodal analgesia plans in collaboration with the APS attending; place and adjust orders within scope of practice.
• Round daily on all active APS patients (catheters, PCAs, complex consults) and communicate plans to primary teams and nursing.
• Triage and prioritize new consults and urgent pain issues throughout the shift, including recognition of complications requiring attending escalation.
• Evaluate pain perioperative pain patients upon arrival in the PACU.

Continuous Catheter & Infusion Management (Peripheral Nerve / Epidural)

• Coordinate placement logistics for peripheral nerve and epidural catheter infusions, including pharmacy orders, pump and tubing setup, and PACU sign-out per departmental workflow.
• Round on all indwelling catheters daily: renew medication orders, replace infusion bags, reprogram pumps, and document wasted volume with nursing per protocol.
• Confirm active intralipid orders and equipment availability on the patient's floor for the duration of the infusion.
• Coordinate catheter discontinuation with the primary team and nursing, including anticoagulation holds where applicable; ensure equipment is returned and cleaned per protocol.
• Maintain the shared Epidural/Peripheral Nerve Catheter patient list and ensure timely removal upon discontinuation.

PCA Management

• Review and adjust PCA orders for opioid-naive and opioid-tolerant patients using standardized APS parameters.
• Monitor PCA patients for efficacy, side effects, and safety per Pasero Opioid-Induced Sedation Scale (POSS) and departmental protocol.
• Support pharmacy and nursing with troubleshooting of PCA orders, pump programming, and formulary questions.

Procedural Support

• Assist the APS attending with PACU- and floor-based pain procedures (e.g., peripheral nerve blocks, catheter placements), including patient preparation, timeout, and post-procedure monitoring.
• Participate in procedural scheduling and coordination with PACU nursing and scheduling staff.
• Assist with outpatient pain management clinic and interventional procedures.

Documentation & Care Coordination

• Maintain complete, accurate, and timely documentation using departmental Epic SmartPhrases and dot-phrase templates.
• Document wasted controlled-substance volume, complications, and sign-off communications per hospital and DEA requirements.
• Serve as a liaison between the APS, primary services, pharmacy, and nursing to ensure continuity of pain management care.

Program Development & Coverage

• Support ongoing development of APS clinical protocols, order sets, and quality/outcomes tracking.
• Assist in instruction of residents, students, and nursing staff rotating through or interfacing with the APS.
• Participate in departmental quality improvement activities related to consult volume, opioid utilization, and length of stay.

Miscellaneous Duties

• Dependent on departmental staffing needs, the appropriate candidate may be required to participate in other areas of care in Pain Management and within the Department of Anesthesiology. This may include, but is not limited to, outpatient pain management clinic, preoperative anesthesiology assessments, and management of post-operative patients in coordination with Anesthesiology Attendings.

Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited Physician Assistant program (Bachelor's or Master's level).
• Minimum one year of clinical experience; experience in acute pain management, anesthesiology, or another acute-care inpatient setting preferred.
• Current NYS PA License/Registration
• NCCPA Certification
• DEA Registration
• NPI Number
• ACLS/BLS Certification
• Infection Control Certificate
• Proficiency with Epic, including SmartPhrases, SmartLists, and Epic messaging; MS Office Suite (intermediate).
• Relevant clinical competence in acute pain management; new PA graduates must demonstrate current knowledge of clinical process and its application.
• Ability to maintain effective interpersonal relationships and communicate clearly with patients, families, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team, displaying effective communication and critical thinking under time pressure.
• Visual, physical, auditory, and cognitive ability to assess patient status, including acutely ill patients with a broad variety of diagnoses.
• Ability to walk, stand, and respond quickly across inpatient units, PACU, and procedural areas for extended periods.
• Proficient use of data entry, retrieval systems, and electronic medical record documentation.

Employer Description

Strength through Unity and Inclusion

The Mount Sinai Health System is committed to fostering an environment where everyone can contribute to excellence. We share a common dedication to delivering outstanding patient care. When you join us, you become part of Mount Sinai's unparalleled legacy of achievement, education, and innovation as we work together to transform healthcare. We encourage all team members to actively participate in creating a culture that ensures fair access to opportunities, promotes inclusive practices, and supports the success of every individual.

At Mount Sinai, our leaders are committed to fostering a workplace where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to grow. We strive to create an environment where collaboration, fairness, and continuous learning drive positive change, improving the well-being of our staff, patients, and organization. Our leaders are expected to challenge outdated practices, promote a culture of respect, and work toward meaningful improvements that enhance patient care and workplace experiences. We are dedicated to building a supportive and welcoming environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and advance professionally. Explore this opportunity and be part of the next chapter in our history.

About the Mount Sinai Health System:

Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with more than 48,000 employees working across eight hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, more than 300 labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it. Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients' medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. The Health System includes more than 9,000 primary and specialty care physicians; 13 joint-venture outpatient surgery centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and more than 30 affiliated community health centers. We are consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals, receiving high "Honor Roll" status, and are highly ranked: No. 1 in Geriatrics, top 5 in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, and top 20 in Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Neurology/Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology/Lung Surgery, Rehabilitation, and Urology. New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked No. 12 in Ophthalmology. U.S. News & World Report's "Best Children's Hospitals" ranks Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital among the country's best in several pediatric specialties. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is ranked No. 11 nationwide in National Institutes of Health funding and in the 99th percentile in research dollars per investigator according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Newsweek's "The World's Best Smart Hospitals" ranks The Mount Sinai Hospital as