General Surgery and Subspecialty APP (Per Diem)

POSITION DETAILS

This subspecialty surgery position (ENT, Urology, GYN, Plastic Surgery, and Robotic Surgery) will provide coverage at Bridgeport Hospital

Schedule: Full-time, Monday through Friday with slightly variable hours.

PROCEDURES

This role offers significant operative responsibility across multiple surgical specialties. Candidates will be expected to independently first assist in the operating room from the start, with additional exposure to robotic surgery. Previous robotic experience is preferred but not required.

Please Note: There is no training available for this position. Candidates must have prior first assist experience as a Physician Assistant or prior experience working as a surgical Physician Assistant. New graduate Physician Assistants are not being considered for this opportunity.

EDUCATION

Graduate of an accredited Physician Assistant 

EXPERIENCE

Required:

• Previous experience working as a Physician Assistant in a surgical setting with independent first assist experience in the operating room.

• Candidates must be comfortable functioning in a high-volume surgical environment with minimal onboarding to operative responsibilities.

• New graduate Physician Assistants will not be considered, as there is no training available for this role.

APRNs, PAs, CRNAs, and CNMs are required to be appointed to the Affiliated Medical Staff of a YNHHS hospital and credentialed through the Medical Staff process. Evidence of current competence to practice via appropriate physician and practitioner references must be obtained during the Medical Staff appointment process.

What Makes a Surgical PA Indispensable?

A Surgical Physician Assistant plays a critical role in the operating room and throughout the patient's surgical journey by combining advanced technical expertise with strong clinical judgment and compassionate patient care. Yale New Haven Health is seeking candidates who demonstrate:

• Operative First Assist Expertise: Proven experience assisting in a variety of surgical procedures with confidence and efficiency.

• Comprehensive Surgical Knowledge: Strong understanding of anatomy, physiology, sterile technique, and advanced surgical instrumentation.

• Pre- and Post-Operative Patient Management: Ability to evaluate, prepare, and manage patients throughout the surgical continuum of care.

• Critical Thinking & Clinical Decision-Making: Excellent judgment and the ability to respond effectively in fast-paced operative environments.

• Collaborative Communication: Works seamlessly with surgeons, anesthesia providers, nursing staff, and patients to deliver exceptional, patient-centered care.

If you're an experienced surgical PA looking to join a collaborative, high-performing team with broad subspecialty surgical exposure, we encourage you to apply.

Clinical Care

• The Physician Assistant (PA) or the Nurse Practitioner (NP) provides assessment, triage, and therapeutic management of patient/family needs throughout the disease process as an integral part of an interdisciplinary team. The NP/PA, whether the practice setting is the inpatient, ambulatory, or outpatient settings, provides optimal patient care, from diagnostic to prognostic matters. This individual works in collaboration with the attending supervising/collaborating physician(s) in accordance with state law and hospital regulations, hospital policy, protocols and clinical pathways and may provide autonomous team based care.
• Obtains medical histories, performs physical examinations, reviews/orders diagnostic/therapeutic tests and radiologic results, formulates and manages patient treatment plans. The NP/PA may perform procedures, prescribe treatment and medications in accordance with institutional and state guidelines, as well as, when necessary for scope within specialty or professional competency standards. In some clinical specialties, the NP/PA may have autonomous practice managing certain patient populations.
• The NP/PA may also function as first or second assistant on operative cases (as long as within position scope and job educational prerequisites are in place), using fine motor skills and manual dexterity.
• Other clinical job duties may be applied in accordance with departmental and operational goals, training related to profession and practice necessitated guidelines and responsibilities, inclusive but not limited to responding to emergency situations within the YNHHS parameters

Patient Education & Psychosocial Support

• The NP/PA will educate patients/families on care and recommended or available resources. In collaboration with the supervising/collaborating MD, this may be inclusive of admitting instructions, treatment plan, actual and potential side effects of treatments/medications, and discharge plan.
• The NP/PA, as part of a multidisciplinary team, provides psychosocial support to patients, their family members, and significant others in a caring, ethical, and professional manner.

Information Management

• The NP/PA ensures appropriate documentation within the accordance of hospital and regulatory requirements and protects information of all forms, whether computer-based, paper, film, voice, or other media from unauthorized access modification, destruction, or intentional or accidental disclosure.

Quality Management

• The NP/PA is expected to demonstrate a high standard of moral and ethical behavior, professionalism, compassion, and commitment to patient care.
• Ensures compliance with patient related healthcare regulatory requirements, standards and recommendations.

Professional Development

• The NP/PA continuously engages in projects that maintain and advance professional competency.
• The NP/PA serves as a clinical resource for new house staff and may provide service specific orientation pertinent to clinical education
• Consistently demonstrates high reliability organizational behaviors through reporting safety events as well as near misses.
• The NP/PA continuously engages in projects that maintain and advance professional competency.
• Maintains all employee requirements determined by hospital policy.
• The NP/PA may serve as a clinical preceptor for NP/PA students and other health care professionals and may serve as a mentor to pre-PA/NP candidates.
• The NP/PA may collaborate on research, quality assurance and performance improvement projects, and assist with the formation of protocols that will be applied to clinical practice or further their educational and clinical expertise.

EDUCATION

• Graduate from an accredited Nurse Practitioner or an accredited Physician Assistant Program.

EXPERIENCE

• Prefer clinical working experience as a NP/PA within the given specialty/service line recommended, but none required. APRNs, PAs, CRNAs and CNMs are required to be appointed to the Affiliated Medical Staff of a YNHHS Hospital and credentialed through the Medical Staff process. Evidence of current competence to practice as {an APRN, PA, CRNA, CNM} via appropriate reference letters from physicians and other practitioners must be able to be obtained during the Medical Staff appointment process in order to be eligible.

LICENSURE

• Active PA Certification by the National Commission of Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), Connecticut State Physician Assistant License, ACLS/BLS Certified, when indicated for position profile DEA License, when indicated for pediatric position profile PALS, when indicated for neonatal care NRP Certification. Additional licensure, certifications and/or continuing education credits may be required during employment based on position and area of specialty. OR Connecticut State Registered Nurse License, Connecticut State Nurse Practitioner License, Board specialty certification, as appropriate for position profile ACLS/BLS Certified, when indicated for position profile DEA License, when indicated for pediatric position profile PALS, when indicated for neonatal care NRP Certification. Additional licensure, certifications and/or continuing education credits may be required during employment based on position and area of specialty.