Physician Assistant, bioethicist with a passion for health policy.
Meghan Sharp, PA-C, MBE is a physician assistant who has worked in health care since 1989 as an EMT, a Respiratory Therapist and a Physician Assistant. She received her Master’s of Science in Bioethics in 2018 from Clarkson University. Looking ahead, Meghan plans to share her experience and insight beyond the bedside and pursue her passion for ethics and health policy at the institutional, state or federal level. Her current areas of interest include emergency and disaster preparedness and response, healthcare worker stress and burnout, communicating public health issues with the lay public, and LGBTQ health.
During the course of her career, Meghan has worked in a wide range of clinical settings. Beyond the bedside, Meghan has:
- served as interim head of a clinical research department conducting phase 3 and 4 pharmaceutical trials,
- developed and implemented a program to train primary care providers and office staff on asthma care and clinical guidelines,
- developed emergency protocols and provided staff training on in-office emergencies,
- served as a preceptor for clinical staff and students
- Participated in community education program on asthma and allergies speaking to more than 50 people
Her biggest professional challenge to date was restructuring a subacute rehabilitation ventilator program after the program was nearly shut down by the NYS Department of Health. Working closely with DOH monitors, she developed a new orientation program for respiratory therapists and nursing staff, rewrote the department policy and procedure manual, and implemented a department quality improvement program. Through these efforts the facility was able to increase its ventilator capacity from 8 to 16 and re-institute weaning patients from mechanical ventilation.
This blog began as a Capstone project, as part of Meghan’s B.S in Healthcare, Communications, and Ethics from SUNY Empire State College. It has now expanded to include projects and writing from her Bioethics program. All of the posts are her own and do not represent her schools or employers.
08/16/20
Skills
Quality Improvement
Department leadership
Policy Development
Adult and Pediatric medicine
Staff and Provider Education
Student mentoring
Working with outside agencies
EMR
Work Experience
PA, Southside Hospital, Bay Shore, NY
(2019-present)
Inpatient internal medicine, precepting new employees and students. P+T committee, Rapid Response committee.
PA, Long Island Select Health Care, Central Islip, NY
(2018-2019)
Outpatient primary care for adult and pediatric with developmental and behavioral disabilities.
PA, Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital, Schenectady, NY
(2015 – 2018)
Inpatient physical medicine and rehabilitation service, pediatric and adult. Helped revise orientation for ACPs.
PA, St Peter’s Health Partners, Troy, NY
(2013 – 2015)
Outpatient pulmonary care and sleep medicine, inpatient pulmonary consult service at 2 community hospitals.
PA, Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood, Albany, NY
(2012 – 2013)
Reproductive and sexual health, teen through geriatric patients, preventive care. Led staff training on in-office emergencies. Participated in Lobby Day.
PA, Pulmonary and Critical Care Services, Albany, NY
(2007 – 2012)
Outpatient pulmonary medicine, pulmonary consult service at two tertiary care hospitals, phase 4 clinical trials, pulmonary function testing.
RRT, Berkshire Health Systems, Pittsfield, MA
(2006 – 2007)
Perdiem RRT at Hillcrest Hospital (subacute rehab) and Fairview Hospital (community hospital).
RRT, Whittier Subacute Rehabilitation, Ghent, NY
(2004 – 2007)
Ventilator and tracheotomy management, new employee orientation. Acting department head for about 2 years overseeing 8 FTE.
PA, Certified Allergy and Asthma Consultants, Albany, NY
(1996 – 2004)
Outpatient allergy and asthma management, staff education, precepting students, phase 3 and 4 clinical trials, interim supervisor of clinical research dept.
PA, Albany Memorial Hospital, Albany, NY
(1995 – 1996)
Surgical service, first and second assist in orthopedic, GI, GU, neurosurgery, and general surgery, preop testing, postop management, nighttime house coverage of surgery and critical care pts, H+P.
RRT, Albany Medical Center Hospital, Albany, NY
(1992 – 1995)
Staff therapist covering med-surg, MICU, SICU, CTICU, NICU, and PICU. Pediatric transport team.
Ethics and Policy 