What are the responsibilities and job description for the Nurse - Patient Care Services - Primary Care position at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs?
Summary
The Selma - AL VA CBOC is recruiting for a Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) Outpatient Nurse to provide competent - evidence-based care to primary care patients.
Qualifications
Basic Requirements:
The Selma - AL VA CBOC is recruiting for a Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) Outpatient Nurse to provide competent - evidence-based care to primary care patients.
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/12927040
- 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
- Preferred Experience: Prior experience in outpatient clinics - primary care - family medicine - internal medicine - or community based settings
- Familiarity with chronic disease management (diabetes - hypertension - COPD - CHF - CKD)
- Skilled in routine clinic flow: intake - vital signs - immunizations - patient education
- Strong Triage and Telephone Assessment Skills
- Ability to use clinical judgment to assess symptoms by phone or in person
- Experience using standardized triage tools - protocols - and escalation pathways
- Comfort managing urgent but non emergent walk in patients
- Care Coordination / Case Management Exposure
- Experience reviewing consults - tracking labs - managing follow ups - and closing care gaps
- Ability to coordinate specialty appointments and work within interdisciplinary teams
- Understanding of Veteran centered care and whole health principles
- Experience Working With Virtual Care Modalities (Important in rural sites like Selma with CVTNVC use)
- Experience with video visits (WC)
- Comfortable assisting providers during Clinical Video Telehealth (CVT) sessions
- Ability to troubleshoot basic equipment issues or help Veterans connect to services
- Proficiency With VA Systems (Preferred but can be trained)
- CPRS / JLV charting experience
- Familiarity with scheduling workflows or consult management
- Understanding of Secure Messaging - RN View - Care in the Community workflows
- Phlebotomy - Immunizations - and Point Of Care Testing
- Vaccines - PPD placement/reading - ECGs - glucose testing - urinalysis
- Ability to draw labs independently Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
- Physical Requirements: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
- The Nurse provides direct Veteran care and care coordination - as it pertains - to Veterans and their care within the Primary Care Department
- Manages assigned panel(s) - utilizes registries - and ensures appropriate evaluation and access is provided to patient panels
- This nurse provides health promotion - health education and coaching on wellness - disease prevention - and chronic care management
- The nurse will assist in directing the provision of nursing education - orientation - competencies and providing quality improvement and outcomes utilization
- Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic - primary care through collaborative strategies with others
- In addition - the Nurse evaluates practice in an ongoing process - based on best evidence
- Provides peers with informal constructive feedback for improvement
- Fosters a safe and supportive environment conducive to the professional development of healthcare professionals
- Contributes professional outpatient nursing perspective in discussions with the interdisciplinary team
- Partners with others to effect change and produce optimal outcomes
- Supports colleagues through knowledge sharing to provide safe - quality outpatient nursing care
- Shares educational findings - experiences - and ideas with peers
- Questions PACT clinical practices for the purpose of providing evidence-based care
- Participates in activities and strategies to sustain evidence-based-practice
- 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 - 7:30AM - 4:00PM - (subject to change based on agency needs) Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized
Salary : $68,622 - $123,830