Physician Assistant - Orthopedics

Position Overview: Promotes and maintains health by providing medical services under the supervision of a physician.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
* Contributes to physician's effectiveness by identifying short-term and long-range patient care issues that must be addressed; providing information and commentary pertinent to deliberations; recommending options and courses of action; implementing physician directives.
* Assesses patient health by interviewing patients; performing physical examinations; obtaining, updating, and studying medical histories.
* Determines abnormal conditions by administering or ordering diagnostic tests, such as x-rays, electrocardiograms, and laboratory studies; interpreting test results.
* Documents patient care services by charting in patient and department records.
* Performs therapeutic procedures by administering injections and immunizations; suturing; managing wounds and infections.
* Instructs and counsels patients by describing therapeutic regimens; giving normal growth and development information; discussing family planning; providing counseling on emotional problems of daily living; promoting wellness and health maintenance.
* Provides continuity of care by developing and implementing patient management plans.
* Maintains safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations.
* Protects patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols.
* Complies with federal, state, and local legal and professional requirements by studying existing and new legislation; anticipating future legislation; enforcing adherence to requirements; advising management on needed actions.
* Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies.
* Develops health care team staff by providing information, educational opportunities, and experiential growth opportunities.
* Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.

Qualifications and Education:

* Possession of a Bachelor's degree, together with a certificate from completing an American Medical Association approved physician assistant program Possession of a license to practice as physician assistant from the state where practice is to be done.

* May possess a National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) issued certificate Possession of state and federal Controlled Substance Registration Some clinical experience in an area of specialty.

* Ability to provide expert clinical judgment and function independently Possession of exceptional communication and interpersonal skills that enable effective collaboration with physicians, staff, community health workers, patients and their families.

* Ability to work with little or no supervision, and to take initiative in handling the responsibilities of the post. Ability to understand complex medical information and clearly communicate it to patients and their families, medical staff, and external customers, in written and spoken format.

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