Physician Assistant

Company: Department of Veterans Affairs
Location: North Las Vegas
Posted on: May 3, 2021

Job Description:

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Summary

This announcement has been extended. Applicants may update their application through the closing date.

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT in support of COVID-19 operations. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be January 15, 2021 and applicants will be referred on an 'as needed' basis. NOTE: Announcement will remain open until no longer needed but no later than April 30, 2021.

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Responsibilities

The Physician Assistant may be permanently or temporarily appointed on an intermittent, part-time or full-time schedule in support of VA facilities across the Nation during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides effective care to patients characterized by using sound judgment in assessing, planning, implementing, documenting and evaluating patient care. This includes possessing the skill and competency to obtain thorough medical histories, perform comprehensive physical examinations, order appropriate diagnostic studies, interpret and analyze medical data, establish diagnoses, formulate and implement treatment plans, and modify treatment plans when appropriate.

Major duties consist of, but are not limited to:

• Performs comprehensive medical assessments with advanced clinical knowledge and competence to function in a variety of roles;
• Uses clinical skills and knowledge to complete comprehensive medical and physical assessments, and preventative medical services
• Independently carries out assignments, coordinating with others as necessary and discussing scope of the assignment, approaches, timeframes, and execution phases with leadership;
• Collaborates with other health-care resources to insure timely and appropriate care of patients;
• Performs activities related to follow-up of abnormal lab and radiology results, keeping communication open with the patient/veterans and/or their families, and ensuring that staff is kept abreast on clinical conditions.

Work Schedule: A variety of work schedules are available; Work schedule will be determined upon selection. NOTE: May be expected to work rotating weekends and holidays.

Pay Schedule: The salary range listed in this announcement is a Base-Line Salary for a full-time work schedule. The Professional Standard Board will evaluate credentials and recommend the grade and salary at which the candidate will be placed. Other consideration factors include locality (which may include a special pay rate depending upon location as well as FT, PT or Intermittent employment.

Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: Certain locations are deemed as 'Hard to Fill' and 'may' offer Recruitment Incentives, but such an Incentive is not guaranteed.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) expenses: Not Available

Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

None

• Job family (Series)

0603 Physician Assistant

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• Assistants, Physician

• Physician Assistants

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Designated and/or random drug testing required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education: Graduate of a training program which is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) or one of its predecessor organizations. Additionally, candidates must meet one of the following:

(1) Master's degree in any discipline; OR

(2) Bachelor's degree in any discipline with one year of experience as a PA.

• Certification: Must have successfully passed the PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE)
• Licensure: PAs must possess an active, current, full, and unrestricted license to practice in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. PAs must maintain current registration in the State of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active and current licensure in that State.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C 7403(f).

See "Grandfathering Provision" under Education.

Grade Determinations:

Physician Assistant - I (PA-I):

Experience and Education: Non 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:

i. Two years of successful practice as a PA.

OR

ii. 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

iii. 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 (KSAs). 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 are 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:

i. Three years of successful practice as a PA.

OR

ii. 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 and one year of professional practice as a PA.

OR

iii. A doctoral degree in health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education 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 deliver 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.

References: VA Handbook 5005/134, Part II, Appendix G8 Physician Assistant Qualification Standard dated September 27, 2020.

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 position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position may require potentially extended periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, lifting and pushing. Setting up or transferring equipment, supplies and objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may require protective clothing in isolation primarily if in direct areas.

Education

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. NOTE: This applies to the past, current, and upcoming VA Health Professional Trainees (HPT) only. HPT is an individual appointed to temporary positions in one or more VHA medical facilities performing clinical or research training experiences to satisfy program or degree requirements or receiving VA Health Professional Scholarship Program. HPTs can be either VA-paid or Without Compensation (WOC)") Contact:

VHANationalRecruitmentCenter@va.gov

if interested in being considered as a Health Professional Trainee.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Grandfather Provision:

All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series that are also performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date (September 27, 2020) of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

a. If a PA is certified by the NCCPA, but not licensed on the effective date of the qualification standard, they are not required to obtain or maintain a license to remain employed in VHA. However, if they lose or fail to maintain their NCCPA certification after this qualification standard is effective and do not possess a full, valid, and unrestricted license, they are no longer qualified for employment as a PA in VHA.

b. PAs may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.

c. If a PA who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee will lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

d. PAs initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification and meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

e. PAs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.

Keywords: Department of Veterans Affairs, North Las Vegas , Physician Assistant, Other , North Las Vegas, Nevada