This Physician Assistant position is located within the Cardiology Service Line at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System. This is a full-time position at 40 hours per week.
Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Physician Assistant Basic Requirements Master's degree in any discipline or a bachelor's degree in any discipline with one year of experience as a Physician Assistant ~AND~ Successfully passed the PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE) (or are you in the process to taking the exam) ~AND~ Currently hold, or will hold, a full and unrestricted license to practice in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy Grade Determinations: Physician Assistant-I (PA-I) Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. This is the entry level for PAs. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. The following list of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) present the minimum skill set expected of an Entry Level PA. This practice may include, but is not limited to: Ability to utilize the principles of PA practice in the care of assigned patients to provide appropriate care. Ability to perform patient history and physical. Ability to formulate a plan and provide treatment to the patient. Ability to provide patient care that is abreast of changing concepts and advancements in the profession. Physician Assistant-II (PA-II) Experience and Education. The PA at this grade is at the intermediate grade level and has had progressively increasing responsibility and experiences as indicated in the KSAs listed below. Individuals will have demonstrated the ability to analyze and solve more complex medical problems than at the entry level grade and can utilize their training in the successful practice of patient care and participate in team problem solving. Individuals demonstrate the KSAs of PA-II intermediate level by: Two years of successful practice as a PA. OR Successful completion of a PA post-graduate residency program sponsored by VHA Office of Academic Affiliations or other postgraduate residency programs accredited by VA, ARC-PA, U.S. Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency. OR A doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. PAs at this level are not required to meet each individual KSA listed below to qualify, but should be able to demonstrate, develop, or acquire those not met upon appointment for PA-III: Ability to clinically evaluate facility patient care delivery systems and validate or identify barriers to safe and effective patient care. Skill to consistently demonstrate an elevated level of expertise and autonomy in diagnosing and treating seriously ill, multi-symptomatic patients through facility Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE) and Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE). Ability to present clinical findings and recommendations to appropriate management officials. Ability to clinically facilitate the delivery of patient care in collaboration with health professionals, health managers, and other health care personnel. Ability to implement and initiate clinical changes to established treatment protocols based upon new medical literature research findings to enhance patient delivery care for improved patient outcomes. Ability to participate clinically in the development of the PA patient care audit processes involving in-depth review and analysis of medical records. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is PA III. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of PA I to PA III. Physical Requirements: This work is mostly sedentary and requires some standing, bending and carrying light items. The incumbent must have the ability to stand and walk for prolonged periods of time to interact with the patients and other services.
NOTE: This multi-discipline recruitment will result in the hiring of one of the following disciplines: Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant All interested Nurse Practitioners must apply through announcement: CBTD-12752085-25-NB The position is responsible for pre-procedure education/scheduling, post-procedure admission orders, inpatient care, pre-discharge assessment and discharge orders/paperwork for patients being referred for cardiac cath lab procedures. The PA will be fully qualified and certified to function in both a clinical and administrative role and in accordance with the guidelines and policies of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. This individual is delegated the authority and responsibility in his/her area of expertise to assume major clinical, consultative, educational, research, and administrative duties and assignments related to the care of patients with cardiovascular disease. Duties include but are not limited to: Initiate referrals to Interventional Cardiology, Electrophysiology, and Heart Failure clinic when warranted. Collaborate with other health care resources to ensure continuity of care. Evaluate patients with dysrhythmias that potentially warrant cardioversions and then arranges/performs outpatient direct current cardioversions when clinically indicated. Evaluate patients for cardiology preoperative assessments, expedite the evaluation when indicated, and make cardiology preoperative recommendations. Provide coverage in the cardiac stress lab on a consistent basis for exercise tolerance tests, exercise tolerance tests with myocardial perfusion, and pharmacologic stress tests with myocardial perfusion. Assist a team of Cardiology Fellows in informing patients of tests done in the Cardiology clinic in a timely manner and in arranging appropriate cardiovascular testing and follow up. Carry the functional Cardiology pager during normal business hours to help the inpatient Cardiology team triage inpatient consults, to expedite urgent outpatient cardiology consults, and to serve as a resource person to members of the medical staff and at outside medical centers (VA and non-VA) regarding the patient care and logistics of VA patients with cardiovascular disease. Assist the Chief of Cardiology in the care and management of patients with cardiovascular disease receiving care at the VAMC. Direct Cardiology program support and Cardiology clinic nursing staff regarding patient flow in the Cardiology Consult clinic and oversee patient care delivery in the Cardiology Consult clinic. Initiate, coordinate and participate in interdisciplinary meetings as needed to address issues of quality of care, documentation and delivery of services; attend meetings on-site or off-site when appropriate and relevant to the facilitation and delivery of Cardiology services. Screen and triage Atrial Fibrillation/Atrial Flutter Cardioversion and Cardiology Preoperative Evaluation consults. Orient General Medicine Residents and Medical Students on their Cardiology Consult rotation. Participate in Cardiology Section's clinical research programs when appropriate. Work Schedule: Full-time; 8:00am- 4:30pm Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Notifications: This position is a Bargaining Unit position. Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. This position is in the Excepted Service. The salary is based on the grade and step approved for the selected candidate. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.