Physician Assistant - PRN

JOB SUMMARY:

Hiring for Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital, Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital, and Vanderbilt Bedford County Hospital locations!

Vanderbilt is an amazing place to be, and our Faculty Physicians, Advance Practice Providers and Nurses are an amazing group of talented, caring individuals who love what they do and care for each other. Come and join our amazing team!

This PRN Physician Assistant (PA) role functions within the acute care hospital setting. Advance Practice Providers (APPs) - both Physician Assistants (PAs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) alike, work in collaboration with and are an integral member of a multidisciplinary health care team. The APP functions primarily as a hospitalist in the Emergency Department setting, managing the care of acute/complex chronically ill patients. The APP typically is on an interdisciplinary team providing patient care from triage to discharge. The APP has a strong foundation in evidenced based practice/education and provides an environment of safe quality care. The APP demonstrates an advanced level of medical and nursing knowledge, clinical/technical competence, sound clinical judgment, professional communication skills, timely and compliant documentation, and is responsible for professional development and competency validation.

Department/Unit Summary:

VUMC's Department of Emergency Medicine is a leader in clinical care, education and research. The Department has over 50 staff and 100 faculty across seven divisions: airway management; emergency medicine services; global emergency medicine; medical photography; emergency medicine research; simulation; and ultrasound. As the only adult and pediatric Level 1 trauma center in Central Tennessee, VUMC's combined emergency departments see over 135,000 patients annually, approximately 20,000 of which are seen at the Vanderbilt Bedford County Hospital Emergency Department. The Department of Emergency Medicine physicians currently provide services at Vanderbilt University Adult Hospital, the Emergency Department of the Nashville Veterans Administration Medical Center, Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital (VWCH), and effective, July 1, 2022 the Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton and Vanderbilt Bedford County Hospitals.

The department is ranked in the top ten nationally by NIH funding. With an extensive research infrastructure, the department is a leader in designing innovative department-based research and garners high accolades in both its industry and federally funded studies. Faculty and researchers in the department produce numerous peer-reviewed publications and are well regarded by their peers nationally and globally. Recently, in partnership with the Institute for Medicine and Public Health (IMPH) and the Center for Health Services Research, the Department established a Center for Emergency Care Research and Innovation (CERI) to help determine the best care for patients who experience trauma or require emergency services even before going to a hospital. CERI's goal is to provide the infrastructure and resources to further develop collaborations of clinical investigators and to recruit and to mentor junior and mid-career investigators and research staff. CERI is expanding existing collaborations between and among investigators in the Divisions of Emergency Medicine; Trauma and Surgical Critical Care; Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care; as well as other divisions in the Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, Biostatistics and Health Policy. Education is a priority for the department. There currently are 39 residents in this highly regarded and sought-after program. Much of the residency program's stellar reputation rests on the efforts of faculty members and upper-level residents who view excellent teaching as a core component of their responsibilities. The fourth-year medical student rotation is the highest rated required clinical rotation in the medical school. Currently, the Department offers fellowships in emergency medicine services and event medicine; ultrasound; simulation; global emergency medicine; sports medicine; and emergency medicine education.

View how Vanderbilt Health employees celebrate the difference they make every day:

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. It is a place where your diversity -- of culture, thinking, learning and leading -- 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.

VUMC Recent Accomplishments

Because we are committed to providing the best in patient care, education and research, we are proud of our recent accomplishments:

* US News & World Report: #1 Adult Hospital in Tennessee and metropolitan Nashville, named to the Best Hospitals Honor Roll of the top 20 adult hospitals, 10 nationally ranked adult specialty programs, with 3 specialties rated in the top 10 nationally, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt named as one of the Best Children's Hospital in the nation, with 10 out of 10 pediatric specialties nationally ranked.

* Healthcare's Most Wired: Among the nation's 100 "most-wired" hospitals and health systems for its efforts in innovative medical technology.

* Becker's Hospital Review: named as one of the "100 Great Hospitals in America", in the roster of 100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Oncology Programs and to its list of the 100 Hospitals with Great Heart Programs.

* The Leapfrog Group: One of only 10 children's hospitals in the to be named at Leapfrog Top Hospital.

* American Association for the Advancement of Science: The School of Medicine has 112 elected fellows

* Magnet Recognition Program: Received our third consecutive Magnet designations.

* National Academy of Medicine: 22 members, elected by their peers in recognition of outstanding achievement

* Human Rights Campaign Healthcare Equality Index: 6^th year in a row that Vanderbilt University Medical Center was a Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assessment of Health Status
• Performs and documents in the medical record a complete history and physical examination for acute and complex chronically ill patients.
• Orders and collects data using appropriate assessment techniques, relevant supporting diagnostic information and diagnostic procedures where indicated.
• The Physician Assistant may serve as the first responder for both nursing and house staff in the event of patient status changes, orders, and in situations requiring procedural and resuscitative interventions.
• Assesses for risks associated with the care of the acute and complex chronically ill patient including: medication side effects, immobility, impaired nutrition, fluid and electrolyte imbalance, immunocompetence, invasive interventions and diagnostic procedures.
• Coordinates daily rounds with the Attending physician teams, presents 24 hour patient report, collaborates in plan of care, and follows assigned patient population throughout the day.
• Diagnosis
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary health care team in making diagnoses of acute and complex chronic conditions.
• Manages diagnostic tests through ordering, interpretation, performance, and supervision.
• Formulates differential diagnoses by priority.
• Diagnoses complications and orders appropriate interventions
• Formulates Plan of Care
• Identifies expected outcomes from diagnosis, and formulates and documents a plan of care to address complex acute and chronic health care needs.
• Utilizes evidenced based practice guidelines or protocols in an individualized, dynamic plan of care that can be applied across the continuum.
• Implements and modifies plan of care
• Prescribes diagnostic strategies and therapeutic interventions both pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic and surgical, needed to achieve expected outcomes.
• Manages further diagnostic tests through ordering, interpretation, performance, and supervision.
• May perform advanced procedures consistent with privileges and competency validation including minor suturing, complex wound management, line and tube placements and removals.
• Communication and Collaboration
• Maintains ongoing communication and collaboration with interdisciplinary health care team .
• Facilitates and communicates with patient, family and staff to promote continuity of care across the iPAatient and outpatient continuum of care.
• Documentation.
• Documents/dictates key components of patient's progress via daily progress note, transfer, and discharge summary , and or clinic note where applicable. (h&p, daily progress notes, plan of care, problem lists, procedure notes, acute event note, discharge summaries, in medical record per specific patient unit or service, death summary)
• Documentation is timely, meets acute care compliance standards and captures patient acuity.
• Professional Practice
• Demonstrates Professional Practice behaviors including: preceptor/mentoring, education and instruction of students, nursing staff, nurses, graduate and novice Physician Assistants.
• Seeks opportunities for active engagement in research and the analysis of evidenced based practice.
• Actively participates in Grand Rounds, APN council meetings, faculty and unit meetings, M&M presentations.
• Maintains CEUs, and membership in a professional organization.

TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES:

CORE ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Organizational Impact: Executes job responsibilities with the understanding of how output would affect and impact other areas related to own job area/team with occasional guidance.
• Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Analyzes moderately complex problems using technical experience and judgment.
• Breadth of Knowledge: Has expanded knowledge gained through experience within a professional area.
• Team Interaction: Provides informal guidance and support to team members.

CORE CAPABILITIES:

SUPPORTING COLLEAGUES:

• Develops Self and Others: Invests time, energy and enthusiasm in developing self/others to help improve performance and gain knowledge in new areas.
• Builds and Maintains Relationships: Maintains regular contact with key colleagues and stakeholders using formal and informal opportunities to expand and strengthen relationships.
• Communicates Effectively: Recognizes group interactions and modifies one's own communication style to suit different situations and audiences.

DELIVERING EXCELLENT SERVICES:

• Serves Others with Compassion: Seeks to understand current and future needs of relevant stakeholders and customizes services to better address them.
• Solves Complex Problems: Approaches problems from different angles; Identifies new possibilities to interpret opportunities and develop concrete solutions.
• Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Provides ongoing support and coaching in a constructive manner to increase employees' effectiveness.

ENSURING HIGH QUALITY:

• Performs Excellent Work: Engages regularly in formal and informal dialogue about quality; directly addresses quality issues promptly.
• Ensures Continuous Improvement: Applies various learning experiences by looking beyond symptoms to uncover underlying causes of problems and identifies ways to resolve them.
• Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Understands all aspects of providing a safe environment and performs routine safety checks to prevent safety hazards from occurring.

MANAGING RESOURCES EFFECTIVELY:

• Demonstrates Accountability: Demonstrates a sense of ownership, focusing on and driving critical issues to closure.
• Stewards Organizational Resources: Applies understanding of the departmental work to effectively manage resources for a department/area.
• Makes Data Driven Decisions: Demonstrates strong understanding of the information or data to identify and elevate opportunities.

FOSTERING INNOVATION:

• Generates New Ideas: Proactively identifies new ideas/opportunities from multiple sources or methods to improve processes beyond conventional approaches.
• Applies Technology: Demonstrates an enthusiasm for learning new technologies, tools, and procedures to address short-term challenges.
• Adapts to Change: Views difficult situations and/or problems as opportunities for improvement; actively embraces change instead of emphasizing negative elements.

REQUIRED:
Graduate of an approved discipline specific program (or equivalent experience) and < 1 year experience. 12 months of physician assistant experience preferred; Inpatient acute care advanced practice nursing experience desirable.

Licensure, Certification, and/or Registration (LCR):

• Certified Physician Assistant Required

Additional Qualification Information:

• Prefer National Specialty Board Certification, TN license through Board of Medical Examiners Committee on Physician Assistants, Eligible for DEA

Physical Requirements/Strengths needed & Physical Demands:
Movement

• Occasional: Sitting: Remaining in seated position
• Occasional: Standing: Remaining on one's feet without moving.
• Occasional: Walking: Moving about on foot.
• Occasional: Lifting under 35 lbs: Raising and lowering objects under 35 lbs from one level to another
• Occasional: Push/Pull: Exerting force to move objects away from or toward.
• Occasional: Bending/Stooping: Trunk bending downward and forward by bending spine at waist requiring full use of lower extremities and back muscles
• Occasional: Reaching below shoulders: Extending arms in any direction below shoulders.
• Occasional: Handling: Seizing, holding, grasping, turning or otherwise working with hand or hands.

Sensory

• Occasional: Vision: Clarity of near vision at 20 inches or less and far vision at 20 feet or more with depth perception, peripheral vision, color vision.
• Frequent: Noise: May include exposure to occupational noise levels which equal or exceed an 8-hr time-weighted average of 85 decibels, requiring enrollment in VUMC's Hearing Conservation Program which includes training, use of hearing protection, and periodic audiometry.
• Continuous: Communication: Expressing or exchanging written/verbal/electronic information.