Advance Practice Nurse (Geriatrics & Extended Care (GEC))

Summary

The Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) Hospice & Palliative Care (HPC) Nurse Practitioner (NP) practices within the Geriatrics & Extended Care (GEC) service line in the HPC program to provide a full range of services emphasizing quality - timeliness - and the advancement of the Veterans Affairs (VA) mission. The NP provides advanced clinical practice - consultation - and management.

Duties

• The Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC)/Hospice & Palliative Care (HPC) Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a licensed independent practitioner with advanced education and appropriate national certification who provides evidence-based care within the HPC program
• This is a clinical position that requires working with patients that have communication difficulties - cognitive loss - altered mentation - as well as caregiver stress
• The GEC-HPC NP is responsible for direct clinical practice and will demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide comprehensive - person-centered care
• The GEC-HPC NP will serve as expert hospice and palliative care consultant in all areas of the Fredericksburg HCC
• This knowledge includes understanding illness trajectories - disease-specific symptoms - total pain - evidence-based management - needs of patients with serious and life-limiting illness - VA and community resources - appropriate pharmacological therapies and non-pharmacologic interventions - and changes associated with end-of-life
• Skills include effective communication to elicit goals of care - comprehensive symptom assessment - history and physical examinations - use of standardized tools and scales - developing a resident-centered care plan - assessment of caregiver stress and burden - collaboration with the interdisciplinary team - collaboration with consultants and internal/external stakeholders - appropriate use of pharmacological and nonpharmacologic treatments - care coordination using available resources - and provision of end-of-life care
• The NP will complete these tasks independently within authorized privileges
• Major duties of the Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) Hospice & Palliative Care (HPC) Nurse Practitioner (NP) include but not limited to: Leads and/or collaborates on review and triage of palliative consult referrals
• Functions as an expert GEC/palliative care consultant to Fredericksburg HCC staff
• Provides comprehensive assessment including the use of telephone and video technology for patient evaluations
• completes e-consults when a full evaluation is unnecessary or not feasible
• Provides specialty GEC/palliative care including eliciting care goals - managing complex symptoms - navigating illness trajectory - discussing prognosis - facilitating advanced care planning and conflict resolution - and supporting patients and caregivers
• Independently manages patients with acute - chronic - and life-limiting health conditions to achieve optimal symptom management and health outcomes
• Develops and implements an individualized plan with emphasis on person-centered care and shared decision making
• Demonstrates leadership and works collaboratively with stakeholders within and outside GEC/HPC
• Orders and interprets labs - tests - and diagnostic studies and accurately communicates results and management plan in a timely manner
• Prescribes and/or recommends appropriate pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions
• Initiates referrals and consults to specialists and community care services in a timely manner
• Assesses patient/family learning needs and provides appropriate coaching and education
• Identifies care coordination and discharge needs and facilitates safe transitions of care for all patients referred to the program
• Exemplifies the ICARE core values of-Integrity - Commitment - Advocacy - Respect - and Excellence
• Participates in service-level recruitment - peer support and guidance - and role transition including new GEC/HPC employee orientation
• Provides after hours call coverage for GEC as needed
• Preferred Experience: (2) years HPM experience
• Geriatric medicine experience
• 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 - 8:00 a.m
• - 4:30 p.m
• Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized