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Physician Assistant - Radiation Oncology Clinic
Purpose/Function:
To promote, provide and maintain patient care under physician supervision in the Division of Radiation Oncology.
Scope:
Affect patient care and outcomes throughout the disease process across the UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center according to the policies and procedures provided by the UT MDACC and the State of Texas as they relate to physician assistants and advance practice nurses.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
I. ASSESSMENT
- Conduct comprehensive initial and ongoing physical examinations based on age and diagnosis, including psychological status.
- Identify normal/abnormal health characteristics.
- Handle physician calls related to patient care for the assigned service.
- Perform clinical assessment and management for patients with no scheduled appointments.
- Make appropriate referrals.
- In cases of emergency, do everything possible within the scope of the license and certification to save a patient’s life or to save a patient from serious harm.
- Perform clinical assessment and management of radiation-related side effects.
- Formulate working/differential diagnoses and stage work-up specific to service.
II. PLANNING
- Develop and manage radiation clinical treatment plans, monitor outcomes, and initiate appropriate care.
- Use appropriate judgment to work autonomously and collaborate with the healthcare team to manage patient care throughout the continuum in a variety of settings.
III. IMPLEMENTATION
- Order consultations for ancillary services.
- Order diagnostic tests and therapeutic procedures in accordance with institution and State of Texas requirements.
- Dictate specific notes as directed by supervising physician (e.g. consultation notes, follow-up notes, radiation treatment summaries and Quality Assurance notes).
- Maintain institutional and divisional compliance with radiation safety precautions.
- Perform duties as assigned.
- Order interventions related to mobility, nutrition, and elimination.
- Initiate clinical radiation treatment plan and continuously monitor, evaluate effectiveness of therapeutic interventions and accept accountability for healthcare outcomes.
- Perform delegated functions under the supervision of the physician, including participating in designated activities such as radiation treatment simulation, target volume contouring, managing complex pain syndromes, special procedures (stereotactic body radiation therapy and brachytherapy), and monitoring cancer survivorship.
- Treat variety of human responses throughout the health care spectrum according to
- Institutional and departmental practice guidelines, protocols and/or standing orders.
IV. EVALUATION
- Promote quality health care through integration of current research into practice.
- Review radiographs and results dictated by radiologist.
V. DOCUMENTATION
- Sign or complete a hospital medication order as provided by MD Anderson Policy VII.A.1.032. and the Texas Occupation Code, Chapter 156.
- Sign or complete a prescription as provided by MD Anderson Policy VII.A.1.032 and the Texas Occupation Code, Chapter 156.
- Record findings in the medical record.
- Dictate notes (as specified by assigned physician) as per departmental
- Guidelines and time frames
- Enter radiation prescriptions in Brocade system.
VI. COMMUNICATION
- Use interpersonal, nonverbal and verbal communication skills to effectively manage patient related situations and outcomes.
- Serve as clinical resource, utilizing knowledge and critical thinking skills to act as interdisciplinary consultant and client advocate.
VII. EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Maintain current knowledge of Radiation Oncology division’s clinical research practices and protocols via ongoing meetings with APP Supervisor, administrative director, APP faculty director, and physicians.
- Attend various institutional and division committee/council meetings based on specified amount of meetings required to attend annually by division.
- Provide care, education and counseling services to patients, families and groups to meet their needs, emphasizing health promotion and disease prevention as well as the diagnosis and management of acute and chronic disease.
- Function as preceptor for APP orientees on the assigned service. This includes but is not limited to actively participating in the orientation process via one-on-one in-servicing regarding clinic operations (outpatient and inpatient consultations, weekly sees, follow-ups), documentation, prescriptive authority, dosimetry and treatment equipment, to name a few.
Physician Assistant:
Degree requirements as defined by the National Commission on
Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), required for clinical
certification for physician assistants.
Graduate of a Physician Education Assistant training program approved by the Council of Medical Education of the American Medical Association.
LICENSURE:
Required:
Current certification from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.
Current Physician Assistant license from the Texas Medical Board.
Eligible to be granted limited prescriptive authority by the State of Texas
CERTIFICATION:
Current AHA BLS certification.
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) if mandated by clinical service.
EXPERIENCE:
Required: A minimum of one year clinical experience as an APP in an inpatient setting or a minimum of two years clinical experience in an outpatient setting.
Preferred: One year experience as a clinical APP in medical oncology or related field.
