Overview

Nurse (Clinical/Ambulatory)

Fort Carson, CO: Located just south of Colorado Springs, Ft. Carson combines scenic beauty, pleasant residential areas, and cultural activities to satisfy every taste. It is an unusually well-rounded military community which offers a variety of recreational and cultural opportunities. World-class ski resorts are available within a short 2 1/2 hour drive, golf courses and biking trails are available on the installation as well as in the surrounding community. Numerous colleges and universities are available for continuing education.

(Fort Carson Landscape)

Working for the Department of Defense comes with an abundance of benefits and perks to include competitive compensation packages, paid-time off, medical benefits, student loan repayments, and retirement package with Thrift Savings Plan to include matching employer contributions. For more information, please visit the following link: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/benefits/

Responsibilities

MAJOR DUTIES

1. Performs independent, comprehensive telephone and clinical triaging, and facilitates care coordination through a multidisciplinary approach. Establishes priorities for patient care and evaluates patients’ progress toward high-level wellness. Provides patient education as an integral part of the services offered. Acts as relief nurse, triages and screens walk-in patients to assess the severity of the patient's condition and the need for provider intervention. Communicates with providers regarding determinations and situations, documents events appropriately. Screens patient charts to assess the medical history and determine health care needs. Makes psychosocial assessment of patients to identify significant cultural practices, the ability to understand and cooperate, and expectations of care and coping mechanisms. Executes or ensures the completion of orders from health care providers. Recognizes and reports abnormal test results, changes in symptoms and the need for follow-up. Records data on patient charts. Assists health care providers with examinations and procedures. Oversees educating patients for high risk, painful or stressful procedures with education and support. Monitors or ensures the monitoring of patients pre, during and post-procedure per established protocols and SOPs. Assesses post-procedure patients prior to their release from the clinic. Ensures complete, thorough documentation for all procedures. Prepares and administers oral, subcutaneous, intra-muscular and intravenous medications. Independently instructs and demonstrates to patients how to provide self-care. Instructs patient in self-medication of prescribed pharmaceutical agents. Reinforces health care provider instructions and encourages patient in the maintenance of health and self-care. Responds to emergency situations. 

2. Assists clinic with patient and staff education. Accepts consults for the education of patients in the outpatient setting. Assists with clinic orientation, and one-on-one patient, educational activities related to acute or chronic illnesses, self-care, wellness/preventive health measures, and normal development and physiology. Assesses patient’s emotional, cognitive, social and motivational status relative to education and determines their educational needs and priorities. Evaluates the effectiveness of educational activities. Ensures nursing staff competencies are initially evaluated and maintained and documented in accordance with hospital and clinic policies and nursing standards of practice. Develops appropriate nursing plans. Ensures that nursing staff maintains current licenses and certification requirements. Follows quality improvement and internal control activities for the ambulatory care setting to include risk appraisals, conducting chart reviews, identifying trends and reporting corrective actions. Ensures staff compliance with maintenance of competency folders in accordance with hospital and Joint Commission standards. Participates in hospital and clinic meetings, and performance improvement activities as assigned. 

3. Coordinates patient referrals to support services provided through the internal and external community, or the TRICARE network. Assists patient to comply with medical treatment plan as necessary through telephone contact or through clinic visits.

PERFORMS OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens

Basic Requirement :Degree: A graduate or higher level degree, bachelor's degree, associate degree, or diploma from an accredited professional nursing educational program is required. This education must have been accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education, or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.).Licensure: A current, active, full, and unrestricted license or registration as a professional nurse from a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States; and you must have passed the National Council Licensure Examination.Foreign Degree: A degree from a Foreign Nursing School. Official certification from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools is required for individuals who graduated from foreign nursing schools.