The Saint Louis VA Healthcare System is looking for highly qualified applicants to fill a position with Spinal Cord Injury Service as a Physician Assistant. Duties will primarily be filled at the Jefferson Barracks facility, but will be shared with needs of the John Cochran VA facility as well. 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: PA I - Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. This is the entry level for PAs. 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. 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: 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 a 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. Preferred Experience: Inpatient or Acute Rehabilitation Experience Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is 03. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 01 to 03. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service ["VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. The VA Saint Louis Health Care System (VASTLHCS) Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Center has well-established programs dedicated to providing acute rehabilitation and chronic lifelong comprehensive care to Veterans with SCI. The SCI center consists of 38 inpatient beds, 32 beds at the Jefferson Barracks Division and 6 beds at the John Cochran Division. The Saint Louis SCI Center serves as a VA referral hub for the Midwest region which serves over 1,300 SCI Veterans. The VASTLHCS has affiliations with Washington University in Saint Louis and St. Louis University. The Physician Assistant will be selected to provide daily support for the inpatient unit and activities of an established outpatient clinic, expanding home Health program and to support on-going research projects for the SCI center. The incumbent will function relatively independently as guided by approved clinical protocols and privileges, functioning within their scope of practice. Ongoing collaboration with physicians, nursing staff and other health team members is essential. The Physician Assistant duties include: Perform History and Physical Examinations. Round on assigned inpatients and write/dictate progress notes and discharge summary. Initiate and/or expedite requests for consultations, special tests, or studies on assigned patients, and keep the supervising physician apprised of results and progress. This may entail calling services directly to facilitate patient flow and throughput. Provide necessary patient education, medication, counseling, and apply currently accepted preventive health care measures to patients and/or their families. Attend interdisciplinary team meetings, goal consensus meetings, and huddles as indicated. Assist with coordination of patients with appointments at VA and in the community. Collaborate with the SCI Coordinator and providers on admissions and initiating appropriate consults for care. Maintain effective and collaborative communication with the interdisciplinary team to maximize patient and program outcomes. Facilitate discharge planning, resolving barriers to discharge, and arranging follow up appointments as needed. The incumbent will be responsible for placing travel consults; ordering appropriate homegoing supplies; ensuring supplies and medications are ready for discharge; placing prosthetics consults; and monitoring clinical reminders appropriate for the facilitation of the discharge plan, among other tasks. Participate in outpatient clinic as needed in screening, assessment, and follow up roles in coordination with physicians, with option to support specialty clinics as appropriate. Participate in Veteran outreach and continuity of care efforts. There is an option of participating in home health visits on a limited basis. The incumbent will facilitate appointments needed during inpatient admissions to the SCI/D unit, including non-VA services. May refill, program, and manage intrathecal baclofen pumps Where appropriate, gain experience and privileges in diagnostic and treatment modalities according to facility policy and administrative procedures. Encouraged to participate in Clinical research and/or Quality Improvement efforts. Authorized to instruct medical and allied health care students assigned to the service. Write medical orders on patients assigned to him/her for care. May perform venipuncture and arterial punctures to obtain test specimens when personnel who customarily perform these procedures are not available. May start intravenous (IV) solutions and order IV medications after conferring with the supervising physician. May order restraints when consistent with defined policy. May order suicide precaution observation, as necessary. After consultation with the supervising physician or alternate, is authorized to perform Basic life support in accordance with current CPR standards. After consultation with the supervising physician or alternate, may initiate treatment of acute respiratory failure. After consultation with the supervising physician or alternate, may initiate treatment of unresponsive patients and patients with altered mental status, patients with suspected CVA, Acute MI, septic shock or Drug overdose. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position."]

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