Physician Assistant

Summary:

The Physician Assistant (PA) plays a vital support role in our organization. The PA is responsible for providing professional patient care and assistance to the Physician/Surgeon and clinical staff. The PA will be primarily involved with direct patient care in support of the physicians of the practice, assisting the physician in the outpatient clinic and hospital settings following protocols established by the physician and written practice guidelines to facilitate effective medical care and patient safety.

The PA functions in multiple settings (operating room, clinic) under the supervision of their assigned physician and performs activities which involve the initial evaluation and treatment of the patient’s condition, as defined in the scope of the State of Illinois standards and the Physician Assistant Practice Act.

Job Type: Full-time

• Hospital and Surgical Center:
  Assist the Surgeon by rounding on patients in the hospital as directed, perform hospital consults, assist with major and minor surgical procedures in the operating room, position, prep and drape the patient, close surgical wounds and perform post‑operative wound care, apply dressings, casts, splint braces, abduction pillows, etc., perform minor surgical procedures within scope of licensure, assist with patient traction and removal, coordinate patient care between office and hospital, write orders for surgical patients, oversee patient discharge logistics, ensure operative reports are dictated within 48 hours, and participate in on‑call activities as assigned by the physician.
• Office:
  See patients independently and with supervision, dictate clinic progress notes, order appropriate tests and develop treatment plans (with physician approval), dictate H&Ps, consultations, and discharge summaries, perform joint aspirations/injections, interpret X‑rays, apply casts, splints, braces (under physician supervision), remove staples, sutures, drains, assist in triaging physician calls, review lab and imaging results prior to patient exam, confer with physician on new findings, administer therapeutic injections, provide pre‑operative instructions, diagnose and treat established patients, prescribe medications per protocols, formulate and update patient care plans, order pre‑operative imaging, follow ICD‑10 and billing guidelines, and return patient phone messages during designated times with proper documentation.

• Perform initial and ongoing clinical assessments.
• Obtain medical history and perform physical examination (countersigned by supervising physician).
• Develop treatment plans.
• Provide basic patient care services including wound assessment, dressing change, and suture removal.
• Conduct minor procedures such as cast application, fracture reduction, suturing, joint injections, placement of traction pins, and reduction of dislocated prostheses.

• Obtain preoperative history and perform physical examination.
• Function as first or second assistant in the operating room for primary or incidental procedures approved by the supervising physician.
• Provide preoperative and postoperative education to patients and families.

• Write orders for treatment and diagnostic tests under supervising physician guidance.
• Write orders for controlled substances (Schedule III, IV, V) as defined in the Illinois Controlled Substances Act.
• Dictate reports such as History and Physical, Operative Notes, and Discharge Summary.

• Requires full range of body motion, handling and lifting patients up to 50 lbs, manual and finger dexterity, and eye‑hand coordination.
• Normal visual acuity and hearing are required.
• Work under stressful conditions and irregular hours.
• Exposed to bodily fluids, communicable diseases, blood‑borne pathogens, toxic substances, ionizing radiation, and medicinal preparations.
• Travel to associated hospitals and facilities as needed.

• Graduate of an accredited physician assistant program with completed residency.
• Active Physician Assistant IL state licensure.
• Training in orthopedic care preferred.
• Master of Science in…