Cardiac Surgery Physician Assistant (Long Beach and Huntington Beach, CA)

Position Summary

The P.A. in Cardiovascular Surgery assists the supervising surgeon in the management of patients, and performs diagnostic and therapeutic procedures under the supervision of the surgeon. The P.A. works closely and assists the surgeon in providing quality, efficient, and continuous and cost-effective care during the patient's hospitalization.

PAs play an integral role in the global management of cardiothoracic surgery patients, including all aspects of peri-operative care from performing patient histories and daily rounds to invasive surgical procedures, including the critical retrieval of vascular tissue in coronary bypass procedures.

CT PAs often fill the role as first assistant and primary care PA on all adult and pediatric cardiac cases. They also exhibit extensive knowledge of artificial cardiac devices, ventilators, and the pharmacologic effects of vasoactive/cardiotonic drugs. Most CT PAs provide patient care expertise in the postoperative acute care units, step-down units and regular floors.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities of the Job

Job Specific Competencies:

·        Assist NP and MD with pre, peri, and post-op orders, examine patients to obtain information about their physical condition.

·        Instruct and counsel patients on the surgical prep process and post op care as needed in collaboration with the NP

·        Interpret diagnostic test results for deviations from normal.

·        Make tentative diagnoses and decisions about management and treatment of patients.

·        Obtain, compile, and record patient medical data, including health history, progress notes, and results of physical examination.

·        Perform therapeutic procedures, such as chest tube insertion/removal, suture/stable removal, removal of temporary pacer wires, and wound care.

·        Prescribe therapy or medication with physician approval.

·        Visit and observe patients on hospital rounds, updating charts, ordering therapy, and reporting back to physician.

·        Provide physicians with assistance during surgery or complicated medical procedures.

·        Be available for On-Call after hours and weekends as scheduled.

·        Be at work and be on time.

·        Follow company policies, procedures, and directives.

·        Interact in a positive and constructive manner.

·        Prioritize and multitask.

Principle Duties and Responsibilities:

Preoperative Care

·        Perform and record history and physical examinations as needed.

·        Write appropriate admission orders (including nursing care, medication orders, laboratory and radiological examinations, and obtain consultations approved by the surgeon).

·        Review pertinent abnormal findings in the patient's history, physical examination, radiological, and laboratory data with the surgeon, and obtain appropriate consultation, additional laboratory or radiological studies as needed, and initiate appropriate medical intervention.

·        Record in progress notes pertinent findings from history, physical examination, laboratory studies, and radiological examination.

·        Evaluate unstable patients and initiate emergency management (of conditions such as unstable angina, evolving myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, hypothermia, hypertensive crisis, hemorrhage, chest trauma, etc.).

·        Collaborate with the NP and MD to schedule surgical cases including, adding urgent or emergency cases as needed.

·        Assist NP with STS data collection as needed

·        Patient education as needed.

Intraoperative Care /Post-Operative Care

·        First and second assist the surgeon in the operating room to completion of case daily.

·        Saphenous vein harvest.

·        Place indwelling catheters, such as Foley, intravenous, and arterial catheters.

·        Assist in preparation of patient for procedure.

·        Closure of chest as delegated by the attending surgeon.

·        Monitoring and transport of patient to ICU.

Postoperative Care

·        Write appropriate postoperative orders including general and specific nursing care, respiratory therapy and ventilator settings, medications, including inotropes, parenteral vasodilators and controlled substances for analgesia and sedation, laboratory, and radiological studies.

·        Attend the patient in the early postoperative period reviewing laboratory and radiologic data and making appropriate interventions.

·        Initiate treatment of postoperative complications such as hemorrhage, hypovolemia, hypotension, hypertension, arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, seizures, stroke, pneumothorax, hemothorax, cardiogenic shock, renal failure, etc.

·        Advise the attending surgeon of unexpected events, providing an accurate synopsis of events related to a major change in the patients condition and describing corrective measures already taken.

·        Daily assessment of patients postoperative course, write note of patients progress in chart as it pertains to the supervising physician- and implement indicated therapy as determined by the supervising physician.

·        Complete discharge summaries.