Career Center

The Nurse Practitioner will provide outpatient evaluation and treatment to Veterans with acute and chronic illnesses, with emphasis on preventive medicine and pain management. The Nurse Practitioner is responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing and/or supervising direct patient care. Assesses, plans, implements and evaluates care based on age-specific components. Routine coordination and collaboration with various multi-disciplinary clinics. 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. 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. Nurse Practitioners: A nurse practitioner must be licensed or otherwise recognized as a nurse practitioner in a State, possess a master's degree from a program accredited by the NLNAC or CCNE, and maintain full and current certification as a nurse practitioner from the American Nurses Association or another nationally recognized certifying body. [The certification must be in the specialty to which the individual is being appointed or selected.] 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 I - An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse I Level II - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 1 year of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a bachelor's degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience; OR a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional nursing practice/experience. 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 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 years 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 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience. Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade: Nurse IV - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN and approximately 4-5 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing or related field and appropriate basic or advanced certification desired, and approximately 3-4 years of nursing practice/experience. Nurse V - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN (or a Bachelor's degree in a related field) and approximately 5-6 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree (preferred) in nursing or related field and appropriate basic or advanced certification desired, and approximately 4-5 years 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: The physical demands of the work are generally minor. The work is primarily sedentary, although the stress involved in dealing continually with patients in emotional distress, who may be uncooperative and occasionally violent, makes this job notably more demanding than most sedentary jobs. ["VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards FUNCTION:\nDefinition:\nClinical chronic disease/primary care disease management and preventive care services are services delivered in the outpatient setting for the Advanced Practice Nurse specialist. Treatment and Prevention of disease, early detection of disease, or disease management in persons of the target condition, with the goal of preventing or minimizing future morbidity and mortality. SCOPE OF PRACTICE:\nExecutes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches to management of complex patient care. Nurse III must demonstrate performance and leadership that is broad enough to improve the care for a group of patients. The Nurse III is responsible for the documented outcomes at the program or service level. Program or service level outcomes must be broad and complex and can be demonstrated at any organizational level within a facility, VISN, or VACO. In order to be considered for appointment or promotion to Nurse III, outcomes must be documented. Meeting the Practice dimension involves incorporating and implementing the requirements of the other qualification standards, including:\n(a) Leading and organizing delivery of care to assure continuity of care and peer accountability for practice, including access to care and discharge planning.\n(b) Using advanced clinical knowledge/judgment to promote staff involvement in planning, decision making and evaluating outcomes.\n(c) Functioning as an expert in clinical practice and/or in areas related to the assigned roles and responsibilities.\n(d) Systematically evaluating current practice, and formulating outcomes for groups of patients and/or organizational processes within area of expertise.\n(e) Guiding, developing and supporting staff from a leadership perspective.\n(f) Using professional standards of care, scientific evidence and practice to evaluate programs and/or service activities.\nIn order to be considered for appointment or promotion to Nurse III, outcomes must be documented. Meeting the Practice dimension involves incorporating and implementing the requirements of the other qualification standards. Major Duties and Responsibilities: Completes all duties as assigned. Provides medical services to veterans on an outpatient basis in the primary care clinic setting. Provides primary care medicine to an assigned panel of adult veterans. Veteran populations we serve are mostly male, with diseases consistent with those seen in the general population namely diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, COPD, mental health disorders, amongst others. Comprehensive primary health care for women is also required. A primary focus of practice is on preventive medicine. Participates in the provision of Pain Management, Mental Health, and End of Life Care to veterans in the primary care setting as required. Participates in the use of clinical practice guidelines, provision of standard of care to patients, and meets relevant performance measures as mandated by Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Reports quality of care issues promptly through established mechanisms. Maintains timely and complete patient medical records that meet Compliance Program and Joint Commission requirements. Participates in all Medical Staff functions as required by the VAMC Medical Staff Bylaws. Consults specialty physicians as appropriate, and collaborates with specialty clinics for appropriate and streamlined patient care. Surrogate for view alerts: coverage of other physicians/providers for patient care issues. This function would ensure that all labs, consults, and other tests ordered by practitioners on leave are indeed reviewed for appropriate action or disposition. Must be BLS certified: basic life support. Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases\nPaid 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)\nRetirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA\nInsurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)\nLicensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory\nWork Schedule: Mon - Fri 8am - 4:30pm with occasional Saturday in the clinic.\nCompressed/Flexible: Not Available\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nEDRP This position may be eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan reimbursement program. To participate in the program, you must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA Policy 1021. Contact Rhonda Smith at Rhonda.Smith5@va.gov or Ashley Flowers at Ashley.Flowers1@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance."]