Physician Assistant - Behavioral Health
What you'd do
This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.
Major duties
Duties include but are not limited to the following: Obtaining medical histories and performing physical examinations. Providing and coordinating medical care for assigned patients in any care setting, including establishing diagnoses, formulating and implementing care plans, and providing follow up care. Evaluating patients to determine the need for further health care. Ordering diagnostic studies and other special tests, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computerized Tomography (CT) scans, etc Carrying out health promotion, disease prevention, and patient education activities. Ordering or obtaining laboratory specimens. Carrying out health promotion, disease prevention, and patient education activities. Ordering or obtaining laboratory specimens. Ordering ancillary services, such as, pharmacy, social services, physical medicine and rehabilitation therapies, prosthetic services, etc. Ordering VA specialty service consults and initiating requests for non-VA medical care and consults in accordance with VHA and local facility policy and procedures. Writing orders for and/or prescribing medications. Ordering patient care supplies Ordering prosthetic devices; Administering, ordering and dispensing IM, IV, SQ, and oral medications; providing education and counseling of patients and families in preventive care, medical conditions, and the use of prescribed treatments and drugs. provide care in non-traditional health care settings, such as tele-health, secure messaging, e-consults, and DEMPS. Admitting and discharging patients in consultation with, and on behalf of the collaborating physician/service; PAs may be delegated responsibility for admitting patients, but the decision to admit or discharge a patient remains with the collaborating physician(s). Documenting a discharge summary (the collaborating physician must write a discharge note or cosign the discharge summary in accordance with Joint Commission standards), obtaining consent for and documenting procedures performed by the applicant. Perform emergency duties carried out for patients in life-threatening situations where a physician is not immediately available. The PA initiates these activities but makes every effort to summon physician or emergency medical personnel as soon possible. Counsel patients and their families on Life Sustaining Treatment (LST) options, document discussions, and sign LST orders to include, but not limited to, DNAR/DNR Obtain informed consent for the clinic/Operating room treatment or procedure being performed for which the PA is an integral member of the treatment team. The PA need not participate in the particular procedure for which the patient is scheduled to undergo, but the PA is authorized to perform or participate in the procedure by this scope of practice. PA should have sufficient knowledge and training in the treatment or procedure, its indications, risks, benefits, complications, and alternatives to treatment to effective counsel the patient. Writing orders and prescriptions as authorized by VA Directives, Federal and State law. Non-controlled substances Controlled substances. (must hold active DEA) VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact , the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
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. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates. Physician Assistant-I (PA-I) Experience and Education: None beyond the basic requirements. This is the entry level for PA's 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, US Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency OR A doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the US 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-II: Skills to analyze and solve complex medical problems Ability to function autonomously and make independent medical decisions Skill to incorporate training and experience into the successful practice of patient care including telehealth medical care Ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary environment for improvement of services for patient care Ability to practice with colleagues and peers collaboratively Physician Assistant-III (PA-III) Experience and Education: PAs at the PA-III grade are at the full performance level and lead and organize patient care independently, practice within multi-disciplinary teams, and coordinate all aspects of patient care across the health care system. They utilize advanced clinical knowledge and judgment in decision-making and evaluating outcomes. They function as experts in clinical practice and/or in areas related to the assigned roles and responsibilities, may serve as mentors for transitioning PAs, and may provide training for health care students. Individuals can demonstrate the KSAs for the full performance level by: Three 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, US Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency AND one year of professional practice as a PA 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. Preferred Experience: Experience in mental health Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.
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