Registered Nurse - Surgical Clinic (Intermittent)

Summary

This Registered Nurse position is located in the Surgical Clinic at the Manchester VA location. This position is an intermittent position.

Duties

The Surgical Services Clinic Registered Nurse (RN) serves as a key member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team, providing comprehensive, Veteran-centered care in one or more Surgical Services specialty clinics, including General Surgery, Orthopedics, Otolaryngology (ENT), Urology, Vascular Surgery, Podiatry, and Wound Care. The RN collaborates closely with surgeons, physician assistants, advanced practice registered nurses, and other healthcare professionals to coordinate care across the continuum, ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality outcomes for a diverse Veteran population. This position is an Intermittent position. Included but are not limited to: Responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process, including assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, and coordination of care for Veterans receiving specialty surgical services. Provides direct nursing care and care coordination for Veterans with acute and chronic surgical conditions in the ambulatory care setting. Serves as a clinical resource and patient advocate, facilitating seamless transitions throughout the pre-operative, perioperative, and post-operative phases of care. Reviews, evaluates, and triages specialty consults, referrals, diagnostic results, patient inquiries, secure messages, walk-in visits, and telephone encounters to ensure timely and appropriate care. Coordinates preoperative preparation by ensuring completion of required testing, imaging, pathology reports, specialty clearances, consents, and screenings prior to scheduled procedures. Provides comprehensive patient and caregiver education regarding surgical procedures, treatment plans, wound care, medication management, recovery expectations, self-management strategies, and health promotion activities. Develops and implements individualized plans of care based on nursing assessments, evidence-based practice, and Veteran goals. Assists providers during clinic procedures and delivers care to Veterans undergoing specialty treatments and minor surgical procedures within the RN scope of practice. Promotes evidence-based practice through quality improvement initiatives by evaluating outcomes, identifying opportunities for process improvement, and participating in the development and revision of policies, procedures, and clinical practice guidelines. Maintains competency in specialty surgical nursing practice and cross-trains to support multiple Surgical Services clinics based on operational needs. Demonstrates leadership, critical thinking, clinical judgment, and independent decision-making in the management of complex patient care situations. Ensures compliance with VA policies, accreditation standards, infection prevention practices, patient safety initiatives, and regulatory requirements. Performs other duties as assigned in support of Surgical Services and Veteran care delivery. Work Schedule: Intermittent, Requires a minimum commitment of 16 hours a month. Days and hours will be variable Monday to Friday between the hours of 7:30am-4:30pm varying between 3 to 4 days per week. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Notifications: This is not a Bargaining Unit Position This position is in the Excepted Service This position is covered by a special rate. Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards

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.) Preferred Experience: Ambulatory care, perioperative, surgical, orthopedic, wound care, urology, vascular, ENT, or specialty clinic nursing experience. Strong triage, patient education, care coordination, and clinical assessment skills. Demonstrated ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within an interdisciplinary team. 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/13075527. Grade/Level Scope Education Nurse I, Level I Delivers fundamental, knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies. An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional professional nursing required. Nurse I, Level II Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex. An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 1 ;OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with