Summary

The Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) Certified Nurse Practitioner (NP) practices in Peri-Operative Service 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

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Major duties and responsibilities:

• Independently manages a panel of patients with acute and chronic health conditions with an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention using evidence-based practice.
• Performs history and physical examinations for dental and podiatry patients whose surgical providers are not credentialed to do so.
• Develops and implements an individualized plan to achieve optimal population health and disease management, by minimizing perioperative anesthetic and surgical morbidity and mortality while maximizing patient safety and comfort.
• Demonstrates leadership and works collaboratively with the interdisciplinary team.
• Orders and interprets labs, tests, and diagnostic studies.
• Prescribes pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions.
• Initiates referrals and consults to specialty services.
• Provides education to patients and their families.
• Assesses and adjusts the plan of care as needed to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
• Exemplifies the ICARE core values of Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence.

Clinical Expectations

Independently practices as a NP providing a full range of care utilizing treatment guidelines in the delivery of high-quality care. Collaborates with patients, families, and health care practitioners to develop, implement treatment plans, and evaluate health outcomes. Demonstrates critical thinking in assessing and managing complex clinical situations. Leads the delivery of care to assure continuity of care and peer accountability for practice, improving outcomes of panel/program.

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 - Friday 0600 -1630. Compressed/Flexible: Compressed schedule may be authorized at management's discretion. Telework: Not eligible for Telework. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives

Not Authorized.

EDRP Authorized

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

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.

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.

NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and an APN (NP) assignment that are also performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification.

Preferred Experience

Perioperative experience, chart reviews; History and Physical experience.

Physical Requirements

This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations, operative/invasive procedures, or home settings. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment.

Additional information

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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.