Certified Nurse Anesthetist

PLEASE READ THE COMPLETE ANNOUNCEMENT TO ENSURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SUBMIT A COMPLETE APPLICATION PACKET.

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and will remain on file through Thursday, December 31,2026. The first cut-off date is Monday, April 6, 2026. Eligible applicants will then be referred every 2 weeks until positions are filled. Applications will only be accepted from The Public.

***THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN CHANGED TO UPDATE THE DECRIPTION OF THE WORK SCHEDULE. ***

The North Florida/ South Georgia VA Healthcare System Anesthesiology Service is seeking an experienced and dynamic Certified Nurse Anesthetist (CNA). Our ideal applicants are those who want to contribute to the achievement of quality care standards, as well as the growth and development of a VA academic hospital program.

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

As a Licensed Independent Provider, the Certified Nurse Anesthetist practices autonomously and in coordination with health care professionals and other individuals. The incumbent collaborates closely with surgeons and other healthcare professionals to ensure safe and effective anesthesia delivery to patients. Must be an excellent communicator and team player who is adaptable to the needs of a growing medical center.

Other duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Performing pre-anesthesia evaluations, preparing anesthesia plan, delivering all forms of anesthesia, and following up on all general anesthesia cases.
• Providing emergency airway and resuscitation management throughout the facility.
• Performing pre-anesthetic patient history and physical, including the collection of preoperative consults and data from which an appropriate anesthetic plan is formulated.
• Administering inhalation, regional, intravenous, local, and topical anesthetics and continuously evaluating the patient's physical status and responses to anesthesia.
• Performing post-anesthetic management of patients to optimize the recovery from anesthesia and minimize pain.
• Maintaining clear communication with surgeons, other healthcare providers, and patients regarding the anesthetic plan and any changes during the procedure.
• Ensuring anesthetic services delivered throughout the facility are of the highest quality to promote patient safety, satisfaction, and improve outcomes and efficiencies.
• Developing and implementing a comprehensive anesthesia plan of care for patients requiring local, regional, general, and monitored anesthesia both inside and outside the Operating Room (OR) suite.
• Functioning as resource for staff education and is willing to be a preceptor and adjunct clinical faculty for health care trainees rotating through the facility.
• Providing anesthetic services within five general categories to include: pre-anesthesia evaluation and preparation; anesthesia induction, maintenance, and emergence; post anesthesia care; peri-anesthetic and clinical support functions; and emergency response techniques.
• Other related 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: Monday - Friday, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
(Note: Work schedules are determined and approved by the supervisor. The incumbent may be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis based on facility/patient care needs).
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Authorized. Former EDRP participants are not eligible to apply for EDRP. Contact the VISN 8 Compensation Center of Excellence at VISN8CCOE@va.gov for questions/assistance. Learn more.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Applicants pending the completion of educational requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until the education requirements are met.

Basic Requirements: All applicants must meet the following basic qualifications.

• United States Citizenship: Must be a US Citizen
• Education. A master's or doctoral degree in nurse anesthesia. 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.
• License. Active, current, full and unrestricted CNA license to practice as a CNA or equivalent, in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia.
• Certification. Must possess and maintain full and current board certification by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) or an equivalent Nurse Anesthetist certification recognized by the COA.
• 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.

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.

Grade Determination: In addition to the basic qualification requirements, the grade level of a CNA is based on a combination of education, experience, and knowledge, skills and abilities.
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).

• Certified Nurse Anesthetist) II:
  1. 1. Education and Experience Requirement. Nurse II is considered the entry grade level for APN (CNAs); no experience is required.
     2. 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 collaborative concept of anesthesia care.
        • Knowledge of quality improvement processes to maintain ongoing review and evaluation of anesthesia care to improve outcomes.
        • Ability to demonstrate a practice emphasis on safety, current established guidelines and protocols while recognizing the duty to report unsafe conditions or errors.
• Certified Nurse Anesthetist III:
  1. 1. Education and Experience Requirement: One year of specialized APN (CNA) experience equivalent to the APN (CNA) II grade level.
     2. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Progressively responsible experience in the administration of anesthetics as indicated in the knowledge, skills and abilities listed below.
        • Ability to plan, administer and manage anesthesia for a broad range of complex surgical procedures skillfully employing continuous assessment and anesthetic adaptation based on patient response and comorbidities. Work assignments will vary by facility.
        • Ability to participate in assignments that are technically challenging, encompass a variety of anesthetizing locations and utilize advanced equipment and procedures while adapting techniques to solve various complex anesthesia problems including the development of individualized programs of post-op anesthesia care.
        • Skill in responsibility and accountability to perform to the extent of the CNA standards of practice as a licensed healthcare professional in any model of anesthesia practice.
        • Ability to contribute to the educational mission as a mentor or preceptor providing didactic and clinical instruction in anesthesia to student nurse anesthetists, medical and dental residents, and other health care trainees.
        • Knowledge to participate in the development, implementation and maintenance of auditing processes that ensure and improve the quality and consistency of anesthesia and associated documentation.
        • Ability to contribute to departmental administrative processes through quality assurance, shared governance, or committee representation as applicable.
        • Ability to serve as a representative on interdisciplinary teams to establish and maintain guidelines and communication.
        • Skill demonstrated in the ability to embrace the safety culture emphasis by continuously assessing for safety risks, actively reporting safety concerns, and maintaining a just culture by identifying faults in systems rather than individuals.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is Grade III. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of Grade II to III.

Physical Requirements: Must pass a pre-employment physical examination as required by VA Handbook 5019. This examination is administered by VA Occupational Health. This position requires moderate lifting up to 44 lbs., carrying objects up to 15 lbs., frequent reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, hands and legs, use of cranes and motor vehicles, walking & standing up to 8 hours, bending and climbing and able to hear whisper. The incumbent must be physically, emotionally and mentally stable in order to efficiently perform the essential functions of this position without hazard to themselves or others.

Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. 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.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• 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 dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).