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Physician Assistant/Surgical Critical Care
Veterans Health Administration · Posted 40 days ago
On-site Saint Louis, MO $116K – $204K Apply by Aug 13, 2026 Physician Assistant ENFJESFJISFJ Healthcare
Apply for this job → About the Role
Join the VA St. Louis Health Care System's Surgery Service as a Surgical Critical Care Physician Assistant (PA) in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU). Practice to the full extent of your education, training, and certification while delivering advanced, evidence-based critical care to the nation's Veterans alongside an expert interdisciplinary surgical team.
What You'll Do
- →VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.
- →The Surgical Critical Care Physician Assistant (PA) is a licensed practitioner with advanced education and national certification who provides evidence-based care for critically ill Veterans in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU).
- →The PA functions within Surgery Service and practices to the full extent of their education, training, and clinical privileges, with prescriptive authority for an assigned patient panel or program.
- →Advanced Assessment & Diagnosis Performs comprehensive initial histories and physical examinations for SICU patients.
- →Screens patients to determine needs for further health care and applies clinical judgment to manage complex, high-acuity surgical patients including those presenting with sepsis, multi-organ dysfunction, post-surgical complications, and trauma.
- →Demonstrates critical thinking in assessing and managing complex clinical situations unique to the surgical ICU environment.
- →Therapeutic Interventions Initiates and manages complex critical care treatments including mechanical ventilation (invasive and non-invasive), weaning protocols, hemodynamic monitoring via arterial lines, central venous catheters, and Swan-Ganz catheters, and vasopressor titration.
- →Supports peri-operative evaluation and care of patients requiring SICU-level services, including post-operative management of general surgery, vascular, thoracic, cardiac, ENT, orthopedic, and neurosurgical patients.
- →Adjusts plans of care as needed to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
- →Medication Management Prescribes and adjusts medications based on critical care needs, including vasoactive agents, anti-arrhythmic agents, blood component therapy, and high-risk infusions, utilizing independent prescriptive authority including controlled substances.
- →Diagnostic Test Ordering & Interpretation Orders and interprets advanced diagnostic studies including laboratory tests, X-rays, electrocardiograms (EKGs), and other studies within scope of practice.
- →Applies findings to guide clinical decision-making for critically ill surgical patients.
- →Complex & Emergency Procedures Independently performs credentialed procedures within the PA's scope of practice, including central line placement, arterial line placement, intubation, chest tube management, and lumbar puncture.
- →Initiates emergency interventions for patients in life-threatening situations, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation, life-threatening arrhythmia management, synchronized cardioversion, treatment of acute respiratory failure, life-threatening injury, and compartment syndromes (abdominal, thoracic, and extremity).
Requirements
- ✓All qualified candidates encouraged to apply.
- ✓Open to U.S.
- ✓Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.
- ✓All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.
- ✓Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
- ✓Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- ✓Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
- ✓Subject to background/security investigation.
- ✓Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
- ✓Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).
- ✓Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
- ✓Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
- ✓Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
- ✓As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
Personality Fit
Job ID: 00407d24-9d5c-47e9-96d2-b0f882c3608e
Posted via USAJobs