We are seeking an experienced Cardiothoracic Surgery Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant for an inpatient locum opportunity in Tacoma, WA. This role supports a well-established cardiothoracic surgery team and is available due to an upcoming staff retirement.

• Start: ASAP

• Duration: Ongoing need

• FTE: 1.0

• Monday-Friday: Primarily 7:00am-3:00pm, though hours are variable and not shift-based

• Some weekdays may extend to 10-12+ hours, especially when on call

• Call Schedule:

  • Call every 6th night and 6th weekend

  • Typical structure includes 3-4 weekday call days per week plus 1:4 weekend call

  • Weekend call averages 6-8+ hours per day, depending on census

  • Call includes carrying a 24-hour pager

• Inpatient only

• Adult patient population

• Average census: 20 patients per day

• EMR: Epic

• Support staff: RN

• Team structure:

  • 5 permanent surgeons (3 cardiac, 2 thoracic)

  • 4 mid-levels (3 PAs, 1 NP, plus 1 in training)

• 6-8 cardiac cases per week

• 9-12 thoracic cases per week

• Assist with pre- and post-operative patient evaluation and treatment

• OR First Assist

• ICU and step-down unit management

• Daily inpatient rounds

• Discharge summaries

• Weekend patient rounds

• Evening, night, and weekend surgical coverage

• Walk-in or urgent clinic visits when the primary surgeon is unavailable

• Clinic wound checks as needed

• Emergent floor procedures as required, including:

  • Chest tube insertions

  • Arterial line insertions

• Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)

• All valve surgeries

• Aortic reconstruction and aortic arch reconstruction

• Minimally invasive valve procedures

• Endoscopic vein harvest

• Open radial artery harvest

• Robotic-assisted thoracic surgery

• VATS and DaVinci robotic thoracic procedures

• Thoracic and foregut procedures

Note: This facility is not willing to train locum providers. Candidates with limited thoracic experience may be kept in the cardiac OR or inpatient setting. Training is only considered for locums intending to transition to permanent employment.

• NP or PA with minimum 3 years of CV/CT surgery experience - Required

• Board Certification - Required

• Active WA license highly preferred (compact license considered)

• ACLS, BLS, DEA - Required

• High-acuity cardiothoracic program with diverse case mix

• Strong surgical and mid-level team support

• Long-term locum potential with stability

• Ideal for experienced CT surgery APPs seeking consistent inpatient work

• A rated malpractice

• Weekly direct deposit

• 24/7 dedicated recruiter support

• Professional onboarding and credentialing

• Prepaid travel and lodging

• Open communication

• Sense of urgency

• Teamwork

• Accountability

• Driven to win

• Higher consciousness