Registered Nurse - Specialty Care Outpatient Staff

The Registered Nurse will deliver fundamental knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical skills and focusing on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpaTtyybXFQ

Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Responsible and accountable for individual nursing practice and determine the appropriate delegation of tasks consistent with the nurse's obligation to provide optimal specialty care.
• Focus on individual growth and development in practice with increased levels of self-direction.
• Provide patient care, care coordination, health promotion, health education and coaching on wellness, disease prevention, and chronic care management.
• Ability to formulate a plan of care based on nursing assessments and Veteran goals of care.
• Seek guidance on how to improve care provided to patients and families.
• Delegate elements of care to the appropriate individual based upon assessed needs, condition, and safety of the patient.
• Bring principles and theory with limited application of critical thinking skills.
• Provide direct care to a designated group of patients with acute and/or chronic specialty needs in the ambulatory care setting.
• Responsible for patient contacts, reviewing and retrieving of medical records, reviewing and triaging of consults for appropriateness of care, triaging incoming phone calls and walk-in nurse visits, assuring/assisting with completion of preoperative testing and preparation, pre/postoperative and procedural education, assists in scheduling clinic appointments, wound care and treatments, as well as assisting specialty providers with minor clinic procedures.
• Responsible for the care of the patient undergoing these procedures within scope of practice and the associated documentation.
• Set up and clean exam rooms, clean RMD (reusable medical devices) and miscellaneous duties as assigned.
• Responsible for managing alerts in the EHR (electronic health record) related to patient care and consults.
• Assist in team research and update service-related policies and protocols.
• Participate in program and clinic activities and meetings.
• Expand functions of the specialty RN based on education, training and demonstrated competencies will include ordering products/supplies/equipment from prosthetics and/or pharmacy (that do not require a prescription) as appropriate for the care of specialty patients.
• Perform procedures within the approved scope of practice and based on documented competencies and initiate appropriate management and treatment modalities.
• Work with the specialty team triage and input equipment consults required for surgical procedures pre-operatively and follow through with equipment request for the surgical patient post-operatively.
• Work collaboratively with all services to coordinate Veteran care needs including home health referrals and extended care facility placements and ensures clinic follow up with the specialty team.
• Support the provider in procedures in clinic.
• Work in procedural care to prep and recover endoscopy, surgical, and urological procedures as needed.
• Cover other specialty services as needed.

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: Full-Time, 8:00am-4:30pm, M-F
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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.

Preferred Experience: Experience as a clinic RN and/or procedural RN preferred along with experience in prepping and recovering procedures.

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/12977746. 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 no additional professional nursing experience required. Nurse I, Level III Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations. An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I, Level 2; OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I, Level 2; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience. Nurse II Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others. A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with no additional professional nursing experience. Nurse III Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting. MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Master's degree in *related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III. *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees.

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

Physical Requirements: The Registered Nurse (RN) must be able to perform all activities of the position without restriction. This position involves considerable standing, walking, stooping, bending, reaching, lifting and turning. It requires repositioning patients and assisting with transferring patients to wheelchairs/stretchers. Mechanical devices when available are required to be used for heavy or difficult to lift patients. The work may involve pushing or lifting in excess of 50 pounds and going up and down flights of stairs. The position requires visual and auditory acuity at a level to provide safe and effective nursing care. The position requires the nurse to work for periods of time with arms above shoulder level or with the neck in a fully flexed or extended position and the ability to physically control or protect him/herself from physically abusive patients. The RN may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations, operative/invasive procedures. The RN may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The RN must be mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities, based on patient needs.