Our 18-bed Surgical Intensive Care Unit is seeking to expand our cadre of Advanced Practice Providers under the supervision of critical care intensivists, in conjunction with junior level surgical residents to provide 24-hour care, seven days a week for all critically ill surgical patients.

Duties

The Michael E. DeBakey VAMC and Baylor College of Medicine is currently seeking exceptional candidates for Physician Assistant in the Cardiothoracic Surgery Division. As the most complex level 1A facility within the VA system, the Houston VAMC serves as the referral center for a large veteran population and offers complete Cardiothoracic surgical services. The Cardiothoracic surgery service is the one of busiest in the country and offers state of the art surgical expertise in complicated and high-risk cases, including CABG, valve, aortic aneurysms, lung, esophagus, TAVR, TEVAR, ventricular assist devices, mechanical circulatory support, heart transplant, and other chest cases. As a part of the CT surgical team, you will be responsible for direct patient care throughout the perioperative period, including consultation, workup, and post-operative care. You will perform procedures, assist in operations, enter orders, and document in the electronic medical record. Major Duties (To include but not limited to): Conduct systematic assessment of the patient's health status and deliver ongoing care throughout the perioperative experience, including pre-operative workup and optimization, assistance during the operation, post-operative care in the SICU and step-down units, and long-term follow-up. Evaluate and assess patients for cardiothoracic surgery consult, both inpatient and outpatient, and write a complete consult and history and physical note in the electronic medical record. Assess inpatient preoperative consults daily, and write notes daily in the electronic medical record (until disposition is determined). Document patient progress and care to ensure an accurate medical record of activity in compliance with established regulations and to communicate information to other health care providers. This includes accurate and complete H&P, daily progress notes, and discharge summaries. Assist surgeons in the operating room with every aspect of the performance of cardiothoracic operations. Perform surgical procedures with supervision of attending surgeon. These include endoscopic saphenous vein harvest, open saphenous vein harvest, radial artery harvest, wound closure. Perform technical clinical procedures, such as surgical insertion of catheters, such as chest tube, NG tube, foley catheter, feeding tube, central line, arterial line, and wound debridement and closure. Remove invasive lines and catheters, including arterial lines, central lines, chest tubes, pacing wires, IABP, and Impella. Coordinate with other subspecialties for preoperative workup and patient transportation needs. Interpret and evaluate telemetry wave forms, EKG, chest x-rays, pulmonary function test results, ultrasound, and CT scans. Perform preop testing such as vital signs, bilateral arm blood pressures, weight and height, physical exam, ultrasound of saphenous vein and radial artery, MRSA swab and COVID test as needed, 6-minute walk or other functional testing, spirometry. Consent patients for surgery and procedures. Fulfill all aspects of preoperative check list, including review with the physician, and documentation in the electronic medical record. Obtain outside medical records, review those records, and enter the data into the electronic system at VA. Write orders for diagnostic studies, fluids, medications, and physical and respiratory therapy, under the supervision of the attending physician(s). Evaluate post-operative patients after discharge and provides patients with medical assistance and counseling under attending physician's supervision. Serve as educator, mentor, consultant and resource to patients, colleagues, other health care professionals and the community. Attend multidisciplinary clinical board meetings, present patient data, and discuss care options in collegial manner with other team member clinicians. Documents results of multidisciplinary board discussion in electronic medical record and inform patient and family of the consensus of the board. Assist in clinical research with data collection and organization, consent, and follow-up. Maintain databases for clinical and research purposes. Give discharge instructions and arrange patient follow-up. Communicate clearly with patients and families to answer all questions and inform about recommendations and plans. The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and additional duties may be assigned VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Work Schedule: Monday - Friday (Alternate schedules) Plus Call responsibility of 1:3 to 1:4 for night and weekend coverage. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

Requirements

Qualifications

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. 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. English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The approving official may authorize a waiver of the requirement for ACEN or CCNE accreditation of any degree in nursing provided the college or university has regional accreditation from an accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education at the time of the candidate's graduation and the composite qualifications of the applicant warrant such consideration. OR The completion of coursework equivalent to a nursing degree in a MSN Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration constitutes the completion of an approved course of study of professional nursing. Students should submit the certificate of professional nursing to sit for the NCLEX to the VA along with a copy of the MSN transcript. (Reference VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G6) OR In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of a current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement for graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. Master's or Doctoral Degree from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing or the Commission (ACEN-Formerly NCLAC) or the Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Nurse Practitioners must be licensed or otherwise recognized as a nurse practitioner in a State and maintain full and current certification as a nurse practitioner from the American Nurses Association or another nationally recognized certifying body. The certification must be in the specialty to which the individual is being appointed or selected. Preferred Experience and Certifications - The incumbent has minimum of 2 years of current SICU experience. Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade: Nurse I Level III - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a BSN with approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) or related field with a BSN and no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse II - A BSN with approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing or meets basic requirements for appointment and has doctoral degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse III - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience. Note regarding MSN degrees: If your MSN was obtained via a Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration, a BSN is not required. Nurse Practitioners: A nurse practitioner must be licensed or otherwise recognized as a nurse practitioner in a State, possess a master's degree from a program accredited by the NLNAC or CCNE, and maintain full and current certification as a nurse practitioner from the American Nurses Association or another nationally recognized certifying body. The certification must be in the specialty to which the individual is being appointed or selected. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-6 Nurse Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity (including color vision and depth perception), keen hearing (aide permitted), clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity in both hands. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking (2-4 hours), standing (2-6 hours), stooping, sitting, bending, pulling (1-2 hours), and pushing (1-2 hours). lifting (>50 pounds), carrying (>50 pounds). Transferring patients and objects may be required. Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations, operative/invasive procedures, or home settings. The incumbent may be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to muscular coordination simultaneously. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment. Must be able to work closely with others, as well as protracted or irregular hours of work. Must be compliance with the use of ergonomic exercises and employee safety requirements. The incumbent who provides care in home settings or other off-site locations may be required to drive and/or ride in GSA-vehicles.

Education

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.

Contacts

• Address Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center 2002 Holcombe Boulevard Houston, TX 77030 US
• Name: Ann Martin
• Phone: 210-617-5300
• Email: [email protected]