Summary

The Registered Nurse is assigned to a designated unit and is accountable to the Nurse Manager for the area. The Registered Nurse understands professional practice standards and principals and applies these concepts into practice.

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until March 31, 2025. Eligible applications received will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until position(s) are filled.

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Duties

Mental Health Outpatient:

Evaluates the patient's progress towards the desired outcomes and revises the plan of care and interventions as necessary.
Delivers safe basic care to assign patients while developing technical competency's.

Medicine

Coordinates clinic visits for assigned patients to optimize care.
Conducts pre-visit planning and communicates patient needs and recommends treatment to care team members.
Serves as the primary contact/clinical liaison between referral hospitals, treatment facilities, and patients.
Provides direct nursing care and documents care in electronic health record.
Implements and coordinates specific caseload strategic interventions to move patients through the continuum of care.

Spinal Cord

Serves as the RN Team Leader for a team of patients with the support of a LPN and/or HT in the delivery of care for Veterans with spinal cord injuries and neurological disorders.
Perform tracheostomy care, colostomy and bladder irrigations, transport of patients, application and removal of complex assistive/adaptive equipment, pressure injury/ulcer dressing changes.
Provides complex care planning for Veterans with varying levels of spinal cord injuries (inclusive of Ventilator Dependent) and other neurological orders.

Primary Care

Provides case management for high-risk cohort of patients utilizing chronic disease management data mining tools to include but not limited to Care Management Tool (CMT), Business Intelligent Strategic Learning (BISL), VISN 20 Access Report VISTA, and VHA Support Service Center (VSSC) reports such as PC Almanac, Compass, Primary Care Management Module (PCMM) Care Needs Assessment (CNA).
Utilizes registries to manage disease processes such as Diabetic, Mammography, Cardiovascular, and Opioid Registries to access data base for pain management
Performs timely Post-Discharge/ ED/ Urgent Care and Walk-ins' using appropriate documentation templates/notes, codes, education.
Assesses and enrolls eligible patients into nontraditional modalities of care such as Home telehealth and Telemedicine.
Utilizes Teach and Motivational Interviewing techniques to encourage positive health behavioral change and Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.
Provides patient and family education with a focus on self-management, prevention, and wellness, based on 'what matters most' to the patient.
Reviews, tracks, devises strategies to improve Healthcare Effective Data Information Sets (HEDIS) metrics, clinical reminders, panel access, timely encounter closures, other performance metrics.
Partnering with multidisciplinary services, internal, external to the VA. Initiates and participates in various quality and process improvement activities that result in improved patient outcomes.
Provide VA Video Connect (VVC), Clinical Video Technology (CVT), or Telemedicine.
Maintaining knowledge/skills in applying an intensive body of rules, procedures, operations in telehealth related technologies and a variety of computer hardware/ software used in technology, data entry, retrieval, record maintenance, document, report generation.
May be required to perform specimen collection of (urine, sputum, blood, or stool) ensuring to utilize proper labeling, packaging, and transport instructions from the Primary Care Community Based Clinics or assigned areas to the main facility laboratory.
Utilizes proper facility required patient identified methods and ensure patient confidentiality is maintained.
Access and complete specimen orders from the hospital computerized system, utilize centrifugation (id required), and prepare specimen prior to laboratory testing.
Effective communication skills prior to, during, and after specimen collection, ensuring to review pertinent information with the patient.
Maintains specimen integrity by using aseptic techniques, following department procedures, observing and adhering to personal protective equipment policies and guidelines.

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: Various schedules

Compressed/Flexible: Not Available

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

U.S. Citizenship; 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.
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.
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).
Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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 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/12585074. 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: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-6 Nurse Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

Physical Requirements: Heavy Lifting (45 lbs and over); Heavy Carrying (45 lbs and over); Straight Pulling (6 hours); Pushing (6-10 hours); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (6-10 hours); Standing (6-10 hours); Kneeling (1 hour); Repeated bending (4 hours); Both legs required; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16"; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Ability to distinguish shades of colors; Hearing (aid permitted).

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/

Education Accreditation Requirement: Nursing education must be from a school of professional nursing accredited by one of the following accrediting organizations at the time the program was completed by the applicant:(a) The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326. The ACEN accredits all levels of nursing programs, including clinical doctorate, masters/post master's certificate, baccalaureate, associate and diploma nursing education programs. (

Note: The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission/NLNAC changed its name to ACEN in May 2013. ACEN's website may be utilized to verify accredited programs using automated inquiry processes; however, for verification of any nursing program's accreditation prior to 1998, an automated inquiry cannot be used and ACEN must be contacted directly via their email contact information on the ACEN website to verify.); or(b) The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), 655 K Street, NW, Suite 7, Washington, DC 20001. The CCNE is an accrediting arm of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and accredits nursing education programs at the bachelor and master's level. 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.

Foreign Education: Graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing who possess a current, full, active and unrestricted registration (see paragraph 3c) will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associate degree level Nursing education program. In order to grant credit towards an appointment based on foreign nursing education higher than the associate degree level, formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized degree equivalency evaluation agency accepted by VA such as the International Consultants of Delaware (ICD) must be obtained.

Degree in a Related Field: A graduate level or doctorate degree in health care/management related fields from an institution accredited by the State and approved by the Department of Education at the time the candidate completed the program may be credited as specifically indicated in grade requirements. The graduate level or doctorate degree and coursework must provide evidence in support of the nursing role and duties associated with the assignment and grade level. Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees. *

Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center

One Freedom Way

Augusta, GA 30901

US

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

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Registered Nurse - Outpatient Clinics