Job Summary:

Location: Nebraska Methodist Hospital ICU
Address: 8303 Dodge Street, Omaha.

Work Schedule: 12 hour shifts. Rotating weekdays/weekends/holidays. Rotating Days/Nights. Provides primary health care for patients.

Responsibilities:

Essential Functions

Provides primary health care for patients by utilizing the process of assessment and diagnosis of health status, development and implementation of treatment plans and follow-up and evaluation plans of patient outcomes.

• Obtains patient's medical and history information, data collection is prioritized according to immediate condition or needs.
• Determines patient's mental status.
• Collaborates with physicians and other disciplines as appropriate and provides regular and consistent feedback.
• Uses new or additional data to form a treatment plan.
• Incorporates research into clinical practice as appropriate.
• Performs advanced assessments on complex patients and develops specific interventions to prevent iatrogenic complications.

Provides patient and family education regarding proper use of medication and health/illness prevention to ensure adequate knowledge/awareness by interviewing and advising specifically to patient needs and recommending appropriate community resources.

• Demonstrates sensitivity to family regarding need for patient information on a timely basis.
• Works collaboratively with physicians and other team members to provide appropriate patient education geared to the patient's needs and family's ability to provide care.
• Uses adult learning principles for teaching purposes being careful to check for understanding and being available for follow-up questions.
• Recommends references and resources such as printed materials, online, community and other information sources to fulfill the family's need for education.

Prepares prescription orders/inquiries/renewals to facilitate patient care by writing orders for drugs and controlled substances and relaying information to pharmacy.

• Implement interventions consistent with the established plan of care in a safe and appropriate manner.
• Apply established therapeutic practices to patient's problem.
• Prescribe medications according to Controlled Substance Registration Certificate issued by the DEA.
• Generates referrals to appropriate services as needed to further diagnose and/or progress of care.

Administers medication and immunizations to ensure patient health by injection, inhalation or oral methods.

Perform patient consultations/physical exams to determine the assigned patient's needs independently and under physician direction.  Includes obtaining patient medical history, checking vital signs, performing tests relevant to patient condition and recording findings.

• Obtain patient's medical and psychosocial history; perform physical exam and determine patient's mental status.
• Collaborate with physicians and other clinical disciplines as appropriate. Provide teaching and patient education specific to the patient's health care problem.
• Order appropriate ancillary tests.

Develops preliminary diagnosis to prescribe diagnostic and therapeutic procedures by ordering appropriate laboratory tests, interpreting data, and utilizing principles of prevention.

• Uses appropriate assessment techniques & diagnostic information. Performs tests relevant to patient condition and record finding.
• Order appropriate ancillary tests.
• Derives diagnosis from the assessment data and diagnostic information as data becomes available.

Provides appropriate care specific to the age of the patient to ensure understanding and comfort level of treatment as outlined in the "Age Specific Criteria".

• Demonstrates ability to identify opportunities for and give individualized customer service/patient care according to customer/patient needs.
• Right Task
• Right Person
• Right Communication (clear, concise, correct, complete)
• Right Feedback

Maintain a professional behavior in attitudes, demeanor, and interactions to achieve organization's mission.

• Communicates effectively with physicians, staff and patients.
• Is approachable and professional in working with other health professionals, patients and their family.
• Maintains a professional appearance, behavior, and work environment.
• Initiates action to correct, prevent and /or minimize risk(s) to the patient, family or hospital/clinic employees (i.e. falls, needle sticks, patient concerns).
• Communicates to appropriate personnel regarding unresolved issues. Serves as a role model in the provision of emerging care.
• Serves as a reliable/knowledgeable resource for staff.
• Participates in meetings, research on special projects and professional organizations.
• Serves as a liaison between patient, family, physician and hospital staff.

Perform technical skills competently and independently to assure patient safety.

• Is accountable to learn new skills and equipment within areas' specifications and time frames.

Complies with the bylaws, rules and regulations of the organization as they pertain to Physician Assistants.

• Knows and follows organization policy & procedures.
• Follows Medical Protocols for professional discipline.
• Maintains certification/licensure.
• Follows guidelines of regulatory bodies (FDA etc.).

Maintains complete patient records.

• Documents data appropriately.
• Documents treatment plan of care that is individualized, appropriate and reflects patient's needs.
• Documents interventions.
• Documents consultations with other practitioners/physicians.

Evaluate patient care to determine response to care/interventions for optimal patient outcome.

• Evaluate the patient's capabilities and/or limitations related to nursing and medical interventions.
• Recognize and address patient and family capabilities and limitations (physical and mental).
• Return patient telephone calls.
• Monitor outcomes and documents patient response to interventions.
• Performs telephone triage to determine patient special needs by recording patient condition, providing appropriate consultation and scheduling appointments when needed.
• Seeks out new treatment methods necessary to ensure patient progress.

Participates in performance improvement and outcome management.

• Meets regularly with medical director for chart reviews.
• Identifies concerns in patient care & follows up according to hospital policy.
• Participates in patient satisfaction and other quality improvement initiatives.
• Participates in tracking of variances in care.
• Utilizes advance knowledge of study design, reliability/validity and statistical versus clinical significance to develop protocols and change nursing practice.
• Assures Medicare and IRB compliance with research studies.
• Facilitates and/or participates in care conferences to provide insight in to the medical plan of care and in-depth review of disease processes.
• Leads debriefing sessions for the multidisciplinary team after the care conference.

Schedule:

Work Schedule: 12 hour shifts. Rotating weekdays/weekends/holidays. Rotating Days/Nights. 

Job Description:

Job Requirements

Education

• Graduated from an accredited program for the education of Physician Assistants approved by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) required. 

Experience

• A minimum of three years clinical experience required.
• Experience in the acute care and/or clinic setting as a Physician Assistant preferred.

License/Certifications

• Current, valid, and maintained Physician Assistant (PA) license in the state working without restrictions required. 
• Current American Heart Association or American Red Cross Basic Life Support (BLS) strongly preferred at time of hire, required within 3 months of hire.
• Current American Heart Association Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) required.
• Current Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Certification by ANCC or AACN

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

• Strong interpersonal skills necessary to effectively communicate and interact with patients, family members, hospital personnel, and co-workers.
• Ability to perform numerous tasks at once.

Physical Requirements

Weight Demands

• Medium Work - Exerting up to 50 pounds of force.

Physical Activity

• Occasionally Performed (1%-33%):
  • Climbing
  • Crawling
  • Kneeling
  • Sitting
• Frequently Performed (34%-66%):
  • Balancing
  • Carrying
  • Crouching
  • Distinguish colors
  • Keyboarding/typing
  • Lifting
  • Pulling/Pushing
  • Repetitive Motions
  • Stooping/bending
  • Twisting
• Constantly Performed (67%-100%):
  • Fingering/Touching
  • Grasping
  • Hearing
  • Seeing/Visual
  • Speaking/talking
  • Standing
  • Walking
  • Reaching

Job Hazards

• Not Related:
  • Electrical Shock/Static
• Rare (1%-3%):
  • Radiation Alpha, Beta and Gamma (particles such as X-Ray, Cat Scan, Gamma Knife, etc)
  • Radiation Non-Ionizing (Ultraviolet, visible light, infrared and microwaves that causes injuries to tissue or thermal or photochemical means) NICU only
• Occasionally (34%-66%):
  • Equipment/Machinery/Tools
  • Explosives (pressurized gas)
  • Physical hazards (noise, temperature, lighting, wet floors, outdoors, sharps) (more than ordinary office environment)
• Frequent (67%-100%):
  • Chemical agents (Toxic, Corrosive, Flammable, Latex)
  • Biological agents (primary air born & blood borne viruses) (Jobs with Patient contact) (BBF)
  • Mechanical moving parts/vibrations