Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant

Job Summary:

The General Surgery Nurse Practitioner (NP) or Physician Assistant (PA) works collaboratively with the supervising General Surgeons to provide comprehensive care in the outpatient clinic, inpatient hospital setting, and surgical environment. The NP/PA evaluates and manages general surgery patients independently within the scope of practice, conducts inpatient rounds on hospitalized general surgery patients, and may assist the surgeon during operative procedures. The position requires excellent clinical judgment, strong communication skills, and a commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical Outpatient Care & Patient Management:

• Conduct comprehensive physical assessments, take detailed histories, and formulate differential diagnoses and treatment plans for an independent daily schedule.
• Perform comprehensive pre-operative evaluations and clearances. Order and interpret diagnostic tests (e.g., labs, EKGs, imaging studies) to ensure patients are medically optimized for surgery.
• Manage routine post-operative appointments, including wound assessments, drain removals, suture/staple removals, and medication adjustments. Formulate discharge plans and transition-of-care documentation.
• Evaluate urgent or walk-in surgical patients presenting with potential post-op complications (e.g., localized infections, pain management issues) to prevent unnecessary Emergency Department utilization.
• Coordinate care with physicians, therapists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.
• Participate in patient triage and respond to patient questions and concerns.

Perform Minor Outpatient Procedures & In-Office Interventions:

• Perform autonomous, minor outpatient surgical interventions within the scope of practice to include but not limited to:
  • Incision & Drainage (I&D) of superficial abscesses
  • Excision of skin lesions, cysts, and lipomas
  • Local anesthetic blocks and simple wound debridement
  • Aspiration of seromas or fluid collections

Inpatient Responsibilities

• Conduct rounds as needed on hospitalized general surgery patients under the direction of the supervising General Surgeon.
• Evaluate inpatient general surgery consultations and provide recommendations for treatment and management.

• Monitor patient progress, review laboratory and diagnostic results, and adjust treatment plans as appropriate.
• Coordinate inpatient care with nursing staff, case management, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other members of the healthcare team.
• Facilitate patient discharge planning, including follow-up care, rehabilitation needs, and patient education.
• Document all inpatient encounters and treatment plans in the electronic medical record in a timely manner.
• Communicate patient status and significant clinical findings to the supervising physician.

Surgical Responsibilities

• First assist the supervising General Surgeon during surgical procedures as credentialed and permitted by hospital policy.
• Participate in preoperative assessments and patient preparation.
• Assist with surgical exposure, tissue handling, hemostasis, wound closure, and application of postoperative dressings and immobilization devices.
• Participate in postoperative patient management and follow-up care.

• Round on hospitalized General Surgery patients as directed by the supervising physician.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate and complete medical records.
• Ensure compliance with hospital, medical staff, and regulatory requirements.
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives and departmental meetings.
• Assist with development and implementation of clinical protocols and best practices.

Work Environment:

• Small rural hospital setting with close-knit team dynamics.
• Opportunity to make a significant impact on patient care in an underserved community.

Essential Values-Based, Leadership and Management Competencies:

At Artesia General Hospital, our leadership and management practices are grounded in our core values, captured in the acronym S.E.R.V.I.C.E. These values are the foundation of all employee activities and guide us in fulfilling our Mission.

• Servant Leadership - Leading by serving others with compassion and humility.
• Excellence - Striving for the highest quality in all we do.
• Respect - Treating everyone with dignity and kindness.
• Virtuousness - Acting with honesty, integrity, and accountability.
• Innovation - Embracing new ideas to improve care and outcomes.
• Community - Fostering collaboration to meet the needs of those we serve.
• Education - Promoting learning and professional development.

Experience

• Minimum of 1-2 years of experience as a Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant in a surgical subspecialty or acute care setting (highly preferred; strong new graduates with dedicated surgical rotations may be considered). Prior surgical assisting experience preferred.
• Proficiency with Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems for efficient charting and E/M coding.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to effectively interface with surgeons, clinical staff, patients, and families.
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously while recognizing clinical thresholds that require direct surgeon escalation.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of orthopedic conditions, treatment modalities, and surgical procedures.
• Ability to independently evaluate and manage patients within scope of practice.
• Proficiency in interpreting diagnostic studies.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centered care.

AGE-RELATED COMPETENCIES: Demonstrates the basic knowledge and skills necessary to identify age-specific patient needs appropriate for this position.

Information Management: Treats all information and data within the scope of the position with appropriate confidentiality and security.

Risk Management/Quality Management/Safety: Cooperates fully in all Risk Management, Quality Management, and Safety Activities and Investigations.

ENVIROMENTAL CONDITIONS:

• Outpatient General Surgery clinic.
• Hospital and surgical suite settings.
• Exposure to bloodborne pathogens and other healthcare-related hazards in accordance with OSHA standards.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to stand for extended periods during surgical procedures.
• Ability to lift, move, and assist patients as needed.
• Manual dexterity sufficient to assist in surgical procedures and perform clinical tasks.
• Ability to respond to emergency situations in a timely manner.

MINIMUM POSITION QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

• • • Master's or Doctoral degree in Nursing from an accredited program.
    • Current Nurse Practitioner certification. Or
    • Graduate of an accredited Physician Assistant program.
    • Current NCCPA certification.
    • Current unrestricted license to practice in the state of employment.
    • Current DEA registration (or eligibility to obtain).
    • Current BLS certification required.
    • ACLS certification preferred.