Registered nurse - case manager/care coordinator

Summary

Responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing and/or supervising direct patient care. Assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates care based on age specific components. Assumes responsibility for the coordination of care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care. Follows procedures per established policies and guidelines.

Duties

The Nurse Cancer Care Navigator Registered Nurse (RN) executes position responsibilities that demonstrate expert leadership, experience, and creative approaches in providing complex patient management. Provides patient management, care coordination, and disposition planning for cancer patients. The Cancer Care Navigator assists Veterans, family members, and caregivers with receiving the most appropriate options and services to meet their complex health care needs. Coordinates care with multiple providers across all levels and sites of care. Coordination also includes assuring services interface within the Veterans Affairs (VA) and community programs to provide continuity of care to patients. Provides oversight of the patient's journey through the diagnostic and treatment continuum, ensuring that all steps in the process are scheduled, timely and completed, while tracking the overall treatment plan. They will follow select patients from the earliest suspicion of cancer through the continuum of cancer care including diagnosis, treatment, survivorship/surveillance, or palliation/end of life. The Cancer Care Navigator will interface with outside referral agencies, and ensure that their business and clinical practices are in compliance with regulatory standards. Anticipates and implements preventive patient care measures. Possesses the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to their age-specific needs, providing care as considered necessary. Provides guidance and education to patients and caregivers and collaborates with other professionals at all levels. Addresses psychosocial, as well as nursing and medical needs of patients and their families/caregivers, through participation with the interdisciplinary care team. Ensures the plan of care and educational requirements are individualized and tailored specifically to support each individual patient's needs. Reports status of service needs and contributes to problem resolution and modification of processes as necessary. Evaluates care and outcomes to ensure timely and appropriate provision of services. Advocates for holistic care through patient/family education and provider interaction and implements an educational plan to meet the patient care needs. The Cancer Care Navigator collaborates in the development, implementation, evaluation, and revision of policies, procedures, and/or guidelines. Demonstrates performance and leadership that is broad enough to improve the care for a group of patients. Provides peers with formal or informal constructive feedback for improvement. Supports colleagues and other nurses through knowledge sharing to provide safe, quality nursing care. Fosters a safe and supportive environment conducive to the professional development of health care professionals. Evaluates outcomes of evidence-based decisions and practice changes for individuals, groups, and populations. Responsible for the documenting broad and complex outcomes at the program or service level, that can be demonstrated at any organizational level within a facility. Maintains and demonstrates competencies and necessary certifications in both oncology and infusion clinic to ensure safe, evidence-based patient care, operational flexibility and continuity of services.

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: 7:30am-4:00pm, Monday - Friday, subject to changed based on needs of the service.
• Telework: 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. 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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

Basic Requirements: English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. 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); OR Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor's level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program. Upon achievement of a State license, the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program. (Reference VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G6); OR In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of a current, full, active, and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement for graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program. Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD). Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia.

Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements, but do not possess the required licensure, may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.) NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and 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.

Grade Determinations:

The following Scope, Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade. The Dimension requirements (Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13077589.

Physical Requirements:

This position requires heavy lifting and carrying 45 pounds and over, straight pulling and pushing 1-hour, reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking 7 hours, standing 7 hours, kneeling .5 hour, repeated bending 7 hours, both legs required, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of colors, hearing without aid, mental and emotional stability. Working with detergents and antiseptic solutions.

Additional information

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. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.