Advanced nurse practitioner - surgical care

Summary

This position is located at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, Milwaukee Wisconsin, in the Surgical Care Division. The Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) II Certified Nurse Practitioner (NP) practices in the Pre-Operative / Pre-Procedure Clinic to provide a full range of services emphasizing quality, timeliness, and the advancement of the Veterans Affairs (VA) mission. The NP provides advanced clinical practice, consultation, and management.

Duties

Major duties and responsibilities of the position:

• Assess the Veterans, their planned operative procedure, co-morbidities, and help risk stratify the patient so that pre-operative evaluation can occur by the most appropriate clinic.
• Perform the pre-operative history & physical exam following the templated note in the electronic health record (EHR) to ensure all Veteran risk factors are captured for the most accurate risk assessment.
• Review all pertinent EHR notes, lab tests, X-Ray exams, cardiac tests, pulmonary function tests, and other pertinent information for the patient in developing the assessment of the Veteran undergoing a surgical procedure.
• Communicate with referring sections and/or surgeons performing the surgical procedure with any patient concerns or recommendations.
• Based on Veteran history & physical, review of EHR notes and results of tests and planned procedure(s), make recommendations to proceed with planned operation or to order additional testing prior to surgery; communicate recommendations to the referring team.
• Collaborate with COTC RN staff, anesthesia provider(s), Primary Care provider, consult teams (Cardiology, Pulmonology, etc.), and referring providers as needed to develop a pre-operative assessment of the patient.
• Facilitate, coordinate, and monitor the patient's progress through the pre-operative clinic, including recommended additional testing to ensure timely preparation for the surgical procedure.
• Initiate referrals and consults to specialty services.
• Assist in the development of clinical protocols, policies, procedures and plans of care reflecting specific needs of the pre-operative patient.
• Utilize evidence-based practice in the pre-operative clinic.
• Provide education to the patient and family on the pre-operative process, patient morbidities, patient lifestyle concerns, etc., as needed.
• Assess and adjust the plan of care as needed to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
• Identify deviations from established protocols, care standards, and clinical pathways; investigate and actively intervene to correct variances as appropriate.
• Support the interdisciplinary team caring for the patients by updating knowledge and skills through literature reviews, discussions and presentations.
• Function as a role model for the nursing staff and actively participates in the care of the pre-operative Veteran.
• Assist in the orientation of new staff to the pre-operative clinic.
• Maintain competence through attendance at job-related educational opportunities.
• Demonstrate leadership and works collaboratively with the interdisciplinary team.
• Prescribe pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions, as appropriate.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package:

• Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards
• Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
• Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory
• Work Schedule: Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
• Telework: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Conditions of employment U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements. Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Qualifications

Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) Basic Requirements Education: A post-master's certificate or master's or doctoral degree as a Nurse Practitioner. (Applicants pending the completion of educational requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until the education requirements are met.) Must be a graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). NOTE: Foreign Education. Graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing programs, the nurse practitioner degree equivalency must be validated through an Agency recognized degree equivalency evaluation agency, such as the International Consultants of Delaware (ICD). Candidates with equivalent nurse practitioner masters or doctorate level degrees who possess current, full, active, and unrestricted registration and certification will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant appointment. License - All APN (NPs) must possess and maintain an active, current, full, and unrestricted APN license to practice as an NP in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Basic Board Certification - All APN (NPs) must maintain full and current basic board certification in one of the following: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP), Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP), Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP), Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP), or Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (GNP) from one of the following: the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB), or other nationally recognized certifying body in the area in which the Nurse Practitioner is academically prepared.

Preferred Knowledge and Experience:

• Experience with evaluating veterans who will be undergoing a surgical procedure.
• Experience with assessing co-morbidities and risks related to the surgical procedure.
• Experience with the performance of History & Physical exams in an efficient and timely manner.
• Experience working collaboratively and communicating with surgeons, anesthesiologists, RNs, other physician extenders, trainees, and staff from multiple services.
• Experience or exposure to EKG readings.

Physical Requirements:

This position includes a level of physicality normally associated with duties performed by nurses such as direct patient care, and potentially long periods of walking, standing, sitting, moderate lifting, repeated bending, or kneeling. Examples may include but are not limited to: Significant amounts of time standing assisting assigned patients Utilization of safe patient handling and mobility protocols.

Additional information

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit VA Qualification Standards. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.