Duties

The Spinal Cord Injury and Outpatient PACT Clinic Nurse Practitioner will be responsible for the primary medical needs of inpatients and outpatients. Evaluation of administrative assistance, quality assurance, and educational support, Duties include, but not limited to:

• Demonstrates expertise in managing a population of patients with their health/ illness status by:
  • Assessment of health status including:
    • Obtaining a health and medical history,
    • Performing a physical examination,
    • Screening for disease prevention, and
    • Identifying health risks and needs.
• Formulation of appropriate differential diagnoses based on history, physical examination, and clinical findings.
• Development and implementation of a treatment plan by:
  • Establishing a mutually acceptable plan of care to maximize health potential,
  • Ordering appropriate diagnostic tests/procedures and appropriate pharmacologic agents,
  • Basing decisions on scientific principles, theoretical knowledge, and clinical expertise, and
  • Referring appropriately to other health care professionals and community agencies.
• Reassessment and modification of plan as necessary to achieve health goals as evidenced in the patient medical record.
• Assessment of patient's learning needs, development and implementation of plan to meet needs, and instructs patients and families in self-care and treatment.
• Documentation of assessments, reassessments, differential diagnoses, plan of care, and patient education in the clinical record.
• Measures and modifies approach based on knowledge of human behavior, motivations, and reactions to situations.
• Demonstrates the skills and knowledge necessary to provide care appropriate to the adult and geriatric population served, including the ability to obtain and interpret information to identify patient needs and to provide the care needed.
• Demonstrates leadership in improving outcomes for the individual patient.

Work Schedule: 8:00 AM - 4:30PM Monday - Friday
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

NOTE: Prior to accepting a final employment offer, all selected applicants will be required to sign a Memorandum of Understanding regarding deployment responsibilities

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. 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.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• 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 and maintain CDT physical readiness.
• 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.
• Must be able to meet physical demands which include strenuous physical activity to include carrying persons and equipment, walking long distances over difficult terrain, running, climbing, working long hours in primitive or arduous conditions, long periods of standing, and bending and stooping.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), 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 State-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 ). In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. OR The completion of coursework equivalent to a nursing degree in a MSN Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration constitutes the completion of an approved course of study of professional nursing. Students should submit the certificate of professional nursing to sit for the NCLEX to the VA along with a copy of the MSN transcript. (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.
• Master's or Doctoral Degree from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing or the Commission (ACEN-Formerly NCLAC) or the Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
• 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.

Preferred Experience and Certifications:

• Emergency Department - 2- 3 years of experience as a NP in an Emergency Department, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Basic Life Support (BLS), Board Certification as a Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP), Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP),Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP), or Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP).
• Intensivist - 2- 3 years of experience as a NP Intensivist, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Basic Life Support (BLS), Board Certification as Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) or Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP)
• Hospitalist - 2- 3 years of experience as a NP Hospitalist, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Basic Life Support (BLS), Board Certification as a Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP), Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP), Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP), or Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP)
• Primary Care - 2- 3 years of experience as a NP in the appropriate setting for deployment, Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification, Board Certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP), or Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP).

Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade:

• Nurse I Level III - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a BSN with approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) or related field with a BSN and no additional nursing practice/experience.
• Nurse II - A BSN with approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing or meets basic requirements for appointment and has doctoral degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience required.
• Nurse III - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience.

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: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, without hazard to themselves or others. Depending on the essential duties of a specific position, usable vision, color vision, hearing or speech may be required. however, in most cases, a specific physical condition or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html .

Additional information

Annual leave shall accrue for full-time Nurses, and Nurse Anesthetists at the rate of 8 hours for each full biweekly pay period.

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

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

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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 to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .