Advanced Practice Nurse (Certified Nurse Anesthetist) Intermittent

Summary

Come Join Our Team! The APN Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) provides anesthetic care to patients under their scope of practice. Care includes pre-anesthesia evaluation, peri-operative anesthetic administration and post-operative management. Specific practice settings are in Acute Medical & Surgical inpatient and outpatient. This position is located within Surgical Care at the Salem VA Medical Center in Salem, Virginia. *NOTE: This is a Temporary Not to Exceed 1 year position.

Duties

This is an open continuous announcement. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available. Applications will remain on file until September 30, 2026. The CRNA is directly responsible and accountable to the supervising anesthesiologist or surgeon. Duties include, but are not limited to: The CRNA is responsible for the provision of direct care, assessing monitors, providing IV sedation, conduction anesthesia or general anesthesia for patients. Performs pre-operative evaluation for surgical patients. Participates in a team approach to ensure appropriate patient assessments, anticipate patient care needs, prevent avoidable complications and achieve optimal patient conditions and outcomes. The CRNA acts in adherence of nursing care in accordance with ethical principles and functions within the scope of practice. The CRNA is responsible and accountable for maintaining BLS and ACLS training to performing activities that reflect the educational, experiential and competency requirements: Nursing Practice, Quality of Care, Performance, Educational/Career Development, Collegiality, Ethics, Collaboration, Research, Resource Utilization. Maintains confidentially of electronic, written and/or verbal patient/employee information. Demonstrates working practices that include adherence to infection control standards and the safe use and operation of equipment and adherence to safety practices. Conforms with all medical center and service/service line safety policies, procedures and protocols to avoid injury and/or illnesses to self or others. Employee prepares all reports and documentation pertaining to injuries within established time frames utilizing the ASISTS Program. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Pay: Competitive salary. Intermittent pay will be pro-rated based on actual hours worked. Insurance: Intermittent employees may be eligible Federal health/long-term care (e.g., if expected to work 130 hours per month or more for at least 90 days). Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory Work Schedule: Intermittent work schedule, Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm. Hours based on needs of the service, not to exceed 1820 hours per year. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Appointment Type: This is a Temporary Not to Exceed 1 year position.

Qualifications

Advanced Practice Nurse (Certified Nurse Anesthetist) Basic Requirements Education. A masters or doctoral degree in nurse anesthesia. (Applicants pending the completion of educational requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until the education requirements are met.) Nursing education must be from a school of professional nursing anesthesia accredited by Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs (COA) at the time the program was completed by the applicant. Licensure and Certification. The following licensure and certification requirements are considered conditions of employment. License. All APN (CNAs) must maintain an active, current, full and unrestricted license to practice as a CNA or equivalent, in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia. Basic Certification. All APN (CNAs) must maintain full and current certification by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) or an equivalent Nurse Anesthetist certification recognized by the COA. Exception to Licensure for Graduate Certified Nurse Anesthetist: (a) Candidates who otherwise meet the basic requirements, but do not possess the required CNA licensure and/or certification, may be appointed at the entry step of the Nurse II, as a Nurse Anesthetist on a temporary appointment up to any period not-to-exceed one year and a day under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B). (b) Nurse Anesthetists must take the national certification examination at the earliest opportunity following the date of their temporary appointment. (c) In all cases, Nurse Anesthetists must actively pursue and obtain required licensure and certification within a year and a day and sign a statement of understanding. (d) Failure to achieve licensure and certification within this period will result in separation from service with two-week's notice. NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and an APN (CNA) 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. The following Education, Experience, and Knowledge, Skills and Abilities must be met for Advanced Practice Nurse (Certified Nurse Anesthetist) II: Exception to Licensure for Graduate Nurse Technicians. Candidates who otherwise meet the basic requirements, but do not possess the required APN (CNA) licensure and/or certification, may be appointed at the entry step of the Nurse II, as a Nurse Anesthetist on a temporary appointment up to any period not-to-exceed one year and a day under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B). Education and Experience Requirement. Meets basic education requirement for an APN (CNA). Nurse II is considered the entry grade level for APN (CNAs); no experience is required. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. The following list of knowledge, skills and abilities present the minimum skill set expected of an Entry Level CNA. Entry level into practice may include but are not limited to the following: Ability to translate into anesthesia care the principles of professional nursing practice including the patients' rights to autonomy, dignity, privacy, and safety. Knowledge of current research and practice guidelines to frame anesthesia practice including up to date techniques, pharmacology, and equipment. Ability to obtain, document and verify informed anesthesia consent and perform a pre-anesthetic patient history and physical, which includes managing pre-operative consults and interpreting data. Ability to formulate a patient-specific anesthetic plan and describe salient anesthetic risks, benefits, and options to the patient. Ability to administer inhalational, regional, intravenous, local, and topical anesthetics. Skill in detecting and treating anesthesia or surgically related physiologic changes and ability to treat accordingly in order to maintain homeostasis. Skill in assessing patient status for appropriateness of transfer of care to another healthcare provider and communicating essential patient information to other providers effectively. Ability to participate in collaborative responsibility for proper patient positioning, physiologic monitoring, infection control and anesthesia documentation. Skill in responding to emergency situations by providing airway management, fluid and medication administration, invasive line insertion and management and the use of advanced cardiac life support techniques. Ability to provide patient care that is abreast of changing concepts and advancements in the profession, (e.g., ultrasound techniques.) Ability to practice anesthesia in an interdisciplinary environment utilizing a collaborativ