Hackensack Meridian Health logo
Hackensack Meridian Health
Hackensack, New Jersey

PA (First Assist) / NP (RNFA) - Cardiac Surgery PER DIEM

Nurse PractitionerIncludes weekendsNo callPer Diem Physician-Supervised State

Listed compensation

$81.16 Hourly

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the work setting, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

The Physician Assistant or Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) with RNFA assists, monitors, and manages the day-to-day needs of patients as requested by, in conjunction with, and under the supervision of a physician. Performs the duties and responsibilities of a Physician Assistant according to customary and generally accepted medical standards.

  • Position is located in Hackensack, NJ.
  • Two years of experience (minimum) as a cardiac PA required.
  • Weekends and holidays required as needed.
  • No on-call requirement.

Responsibilities

1. Provide medical services under the supervision of a licensed physician, consistent with the PA's education, training and experience. 2. Performs and documents accurate, complete, and relevant history and physical assessments appropriate for the patient's age, gender, and clinical problem. 3.

Orders, performs, and interprets laboratory tests and diagnostic studies/procedures in collaboration with physicians and consultants as appropriate. 4.

Manages general medical and surgical conditions based on comprehensive knowledge of etiologies, risk factors, pathophysiology, and the indications and contraindications of pharmacologic agents and other treatment modalities. 5.

Prescribes medication safely and effectively in accordance with best practices, hospital policy, and NJ regulations, providing patient education as needed. 6.

Seeks opportunities to promote Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH) PA practice recognition (locally, nationally, and internationally) through conferences, publications, and presentations. 7.

Provides care that is patient- and family-centered, compassionate, and effective for the promotion of health and treatment of disease. 8. Practices as a healthcare provider according to the rules and regulations of the Medical Staff and bylaws as outlined in the delineation of privileges. 9.

Applies evidence-based and value-based medicine to systematically analyze and improve patient care practices and outcomes. 10. Evaluates patient/family transition of care planning, considering resource utilization, cost, quality, safety and self-management promotion for chronic conditions. 11.

Demonstrates clinical expertise through advanced assessment and procedural skills pertinent to the practice specialty. 12. Translates `best practice' into clinical practice by evaluating current protocols and standards of care. 13.

Provides culturally sensitive and educationally appropriate health management education to patients and families. 14. Facilitates consistent, coordinated care and clear communication among all members of the healthcare team through participation in daily interdisciplinary rounds. 15.

Serves as an advocate for patients and families, identifying and addressing obstacles to care progression and escalating issues as appropriate. 16. Serves as a clinical resource for the multidisciplinary team by addressing clinical, process, and system improvement opportunities. 17.

Participates in organizational and departmental meetings, committees, and workgroups as necessary. 18. Demonstrates the highest level of accountability for professional practice and adheres to ethical principles regarding patient confidentiality, informed consent, and adverse outcomes. 19.

Promotes a collaborative work environment supporting the organizational mission, behavior expectations, values, and pillars. 20. Mentors other PAs, precepts students in PA programs and participates in educational programs as a clinical expert. 21.

Identifies patient/family educational needs and collaborates to implement appropriate teaching materials. 22. Promotes innovation by integrating new clinical knowledge into practice. 23. Participates in clinical research activities and disseminates findings through practice, education, presentations, and publications.

24. Identifies ethical care issues and coordinates interdisciplinary meetings to resolve them. 25. Comply with HMH and department-specific scope of services, policies and procedures as applicable to role. 26. Adheres to all HMH infection control and safety policies. 27. Other duties and/or projects as assigned. 28. Adheres to HMH Organizational competencies and standards of behavior.

Qualifications

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required: 1. Successful completion of an approved physician's assistant program, accredited by the AMA Council on Medical Education. 2. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 3. Proficient computer skills that include but are not limited to Microsoft Office and/or Google Suite platforms.

Licenses and Certifications Required: 1. Physician Assistant License. 2. National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. 3. BLS AHA Basic Health Care Life Support HCP Certification. 4. AHA Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification.

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required: 1. Graduate of an NLN/AACN accredited nursing program. 2. Master's or Doctorate degree from an accredited Nurse Practitioner program. 3. Maintains clinical competencies through continuing education and clinical practice. 4.

Experience in a relevant patient care setting (or as regulations dictate). 5. National Provider Identifier (NPI). 6. Prescriptive authority through CDS and DEA registration according to New Jersey state law. 7. Collaborative agreement with physicians on staff. 8. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 9.

Proficient computer skills that include but are not limited to Microsoft Office and/or Google Suite platforms. Licenses and Certifications Required: 1. NJ State Professional Registered Nurse License. 2. Advance Practice Nurse License. 3. BLS AHA Basic Health Care Life Support HCP Certification. 4.

Board certified by AANP or ANCC. Licenses and Certifications 5. Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification. 6. RNFA cert

  • Starting Minimum Rate
  • Minimum rate of $81.16 Hourly

Job Posting Disclosure

HMH is committed to pay equity and transparency for our team members.

The posted rate of pay in this job posting is a reasonable good faith estimate of the minimum base pay for this role at the time of posting in accordance with the New Jersey Pay Transparency Act and does not reflect the full value of our market-competitive total rewards package.

The starting rate of pay is provided for informational purposes only and is not a guarantee of a specific offer.

Posted hourly rates may be stated as an annual salary in the offer and posted annual salaries may be stated as an hourly rate in the offer, depending on the level and nature of the job duties and credentials of the candidate.

The base compensation determined at the time of the offer may be different than the posted rate of pay based on a number of non-discriminatory factors, including but not limited to: Labor Market Data: Compensation is benchmarked against market data to ensure competitiveness.

Experience: Years of relevant work experience. Education and Certifications: Level of education attained, including specialized certifications, credentials, completed apprenticeship programs or advanced training. Skills: Demonstrated proficiency in relevant skills and competencies.

Geographic Location: Cost of living and market rates for the specific location. Internal Equity: Compensation is determined in a manner consistent with compensation ranges for similar roles within the organization.

Budget and Grant Funding: Departmental budgets and any grant funding associated with the job position may impact the pay that can be offered. Some jobs may also be eligible for performance-based incentives, bonuses, or commissions not reflected in the starting rate.

Certain positions may also be eligible for shift differentials for work performed on evening, night, or weekend shifts.

In addition to our compensation for full-time and part-time (20+ hours/week) job positions, HMH offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and retirement benefits.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Certifications

ACLSDEA LicenseBoard Certification

Key Skills

Cardiac surgeryPatient assessmentClinical documentationDiagnostic interpretationPharmacologyEvidence-based medicineInterdisciplinary collaborationPatient advocacyMentoringBasic Life Support

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates PA (First Assist) / NP (RNFA) - Cardiac Surgery PER DIEM at Hackensack Meridian Health a 6.1 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Surgery (NP) — ranked against 323 active Surgery (NP) listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no on-call duties.

Surgery — Nurse Practitioner Career Context

Of the 40 active Surgery listings this role was benchmarked against, 10% are remote, 48% have no call, 70% require no weekends.

Surgery pay on WeekdayDoc is up 4.6% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

The cost-of-living index for New Jersey is 108.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 63.8% of New Jersey clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top contract/1099 Nurse Practitioner Jobs

40 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution20 jobs

4
<$165k
5
$165k-190k
5
$190k-215k
6
$215k-240k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks17 jobs

401k / retirement match
100% this job
CME allowance
35% this job
Sign-on bonus
24%
Loan repayment
12%
Relocation assistance
12%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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Work-life snapshot

median 3.9this job 6.1
Better work-life than 70% of Surgery (NP) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 323 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No call
  • Includes weekends

Living in Hackensack

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$614k
Typical market rent
$2,674/mo
Residents’ average commute
29 min
State income tax
Up to 10.8%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Hackensack Meridian Health logo

About Hackensack Meridian Health

Hospitals and Health Care
Edison, New Jersey
10,000+ employees

Benefits & Perks

Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
Paid Leave
Tuition Reimbursement
Retirement Benefits