Registered Nurse

Summary

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. 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.

Duties

The Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) Outpatient Staff Registered Nurse (RN) Manages assigned panel(s), utilizes registries, and ensures appropriate evaluation and access is provided to patient panels. This nurse provides health promotion, health education and coaching on wellness, disease prevention, and chronic care management. The focus is on individual growth and development in outpatient PACT nursing practice with increased levels of self-direction. Ability to formulate a plan of care based on nursing assessments. Seeks guidance on how to improve care provided to patients and families. Delegates elements of care to the appropriate individual based upon assessed needs, condition, and safety of the patient. The nurse brings primary care principles and theory with limited application of critical thinking skills. Duties include but not limited to: Completes orientation according to expected standards. Works with close supervision, is responsible and accountable for individual nursing practice and seeks direction from others as needed. Manages workload as assigned, organizes, and completes own assignments in an efficient and appropriate manner. Participates in the development, implementation, and evaluation of interdisciplinary care. Establishes a therapeutic relationship, allowing the patient to attain, maintain or regain optimal function through assessment and treatment. Aware of high reliability principles to deliver consistent care and improve patient outcomes. Participates in unit based educational activities and continuing education requirements. Leads the provision of nursing care to patients with complex care needs utilizing the nursing process in alignment with the ANA Standards of Nursing Practice. Applies clinical knowledge/judgment to lead staff involvement in planning, decision making, and evaluating outcomes within the immediate practice setting. Effectively functions as a leader, with demonstrated outcomes, for the immediate practice setting. Improves Veteran/patient driven care by resolving experience issues such as coordination of care, timeliness or process issues, common themes of dissatisfaction, or environment of care concerns for the immediate practice setting. Applies patient, family, and caregiver knowledge, values, and beliefs into care delivery without judgement or discrimination. Serves as an advocate for patients, families, and caregivers, improving outcomes for the immediate practice setting. Serves as a resource for patients, caregivers, and staff to address and resolve ethical issues in the immediate practice setting. Leads the implementation of high reliability principles and I CARE values to increase consistency of care delivered and improve patient outcomes. Demonstrates the ability to improve the effectiveness of communications and interactions with others, to inspire their cooperation and confidence to ensure safe and effective outcomes in the current practice setting. Leads and organizes delivery of care to ensure continuity of care and peer accountability for practice in alignment with the ANA Standards of Nursing Practice. Applies advanced clinical knowledge/judgment to lead staff involvement in planning, decision-making, and evaluating outcomes beyond the immediate practice setting. Applies nursing expertise to lead improvement, with demonstrated outcomes, beyond the immediate practice setting. Leads initiatives to improve the Veteran experience i.e., care coordination, timeliness to resolve issues, negative trends, or environment of care concerns, beyond the immediate practice setting. Demonstrates leadership in patient advocacy by protecting the health, safety, and rights of patient population groups beyond the immediate practice setting. Leads staff to identify, analyze and address ethical issues that impact patients, caregivers and staff beyond the immediate practice setting. Other duties as assigned. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards 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. (Work schedule is subject to change to accommodate the needs of the agency). Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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 as