Introduction

Lead Advanced Practice Provider (PA) – Cardiothoracic Surgery

Good Samaritan University HospitalWest Islip, New YorkFull-Time | Call Rotation Required

Position Summary

The Lead APP serves as the clinical leader for the Cardiothoracic Surgery Advanced Practice Provider team, providing direct patient care while overseeing daily clinical operations, staffing, education, and workflow. This role collaborates closely with physician leadership and hospital administration to ensure high-quality, efficient, and patient-centered care throughout the surgical continuum.

Primary Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership

• Serve as the clinical resource and leader for the Cardiothoracic Surgery APP team.
• Mentor, coach, and support APPs through onboarding, education, and ongoing professional development.
• Assist with scheduling, staffing coordination, and daily workflow management.
• Foster collaboration between physicians, nursing, APPs, and ancillary departments.

Clinical Practice

• Perform comprehensive preoperative assessments, history and physical examinations, and risk stratification.
• Manage cardiothoracic surgery patients throughout the perioperative continuum.
• Conduct daily rounds in the ICU, step-down, and inpatient units.
• Evaluate and manage post-operative patients, including chest tube management, pacing wires, anticoagulation, wound care, pain management, and discharge planning.
• Participate in first assisting in the operating room, endovascular and radial harvesting as appropriate.
• Respond to urgent patient care needs and participate in call coverage.

Quality & Program Development

• Lead quality improvement and patient safety initiatives.
• Develop and implement evidence-based clinical protocols and best practices.
• Monitor operational and clinical performance metrics to improve patient outcomes and departmental efficiency.
• Support regulatory compliance, accreditation standards, and documentation excellence.

Collaboration

• Partner with Cardiothoracic Surgeons, Cardiology, Critical Care, Nursing Leadership, Case Management, Rehabilitation Services, and other multidisciplinary teams.
• Serve as the liaison between APP staff and physician leadership.
• Promote a culture of teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Previous Cardiothoracic Surgery supervision experience preferred

Required

• Master's or Doctoral degree from an accredited Physician Assistant program.
• Current New York State PA license.
• National certification - NCCPA
• Current BLS and ACLS certifications.
• Minimum of five years of cardiothoracic surgery or cardiac surgery PA experience.
• Previous leadership, supervisory, mentoring, or precepting experience.
• Excellent clinical judgment, communication, and organizational skills.

Preferred

• Experience managing post-operative cardiothoracic surgery patients in the ICU and inpatient setting.
• Experience with quality improvement, workflow optimization, and APP program development.

Job Details

• Supervises APPs in their service
• Assignment of on-call schedule, as well as vacation/holiday time for APPs in their service.  Also completes monthly schedules and payroll
• Responsible for the daily assignment of APPs to those operative cases which require surgical assistants
• Actively participates with the Human Resource Department in the recruitment of APPs for their service. 
• Assists in the completion of job evaluations for current APPs in their service
• Serves as a representative of the Service with various departments/groups in the hospital, i.e., Administration, Nursing, Pharmacy, Attending Staff, etc. to help resolve problems
• Assumes responsibility for the overall efficient functioning of the service to include the compilation of necessary statistics
• Responsible for the development of case protocols for presentation at the Monthly Performance Improvement conferences specific to their service
• Performs chart reviews and investigations as requested.
• Makes recommendations regarding more efficient/effective functioning of the APPs regarding staffing, on-call, etc.
• Responsible for the compilation of monthly in and out-patient admissions and surgical statistics, and preparation and presentation of protocols of those cases with Q.I. issues requiring review at the monthly Departmental PI meeting
• The Lead may designate any of these responsibilities to another APP on the service during the absence of the Lead from the hospital
• Other duties may be assigned in addition to those listed as necessary