Career Center

Summary

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. Assumes responsibility for the coordination of care focused on patient education - self-management - and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care.

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/12972497
• 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: Care coordination and/or case management in hospital setting
• Familiarity with acute and chronic care management
• Experience developing care plans for high-risk or complex patients
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting and heavy carrying 45 pounds and over - straight pulling 1 hours - pushing 1 hours - reaching above shoulder - use of fingers - both hands required - walking 7 hours - standing 7 hours - kneeling 1/2 hours - repeated bending 7 hours - both legs required - ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously - near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4 - far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other - ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of colors - hearing without aid - mental and emotional stability - working with detergents and antiseptic solutions
• Environmental Factors: Outside and inside - dust - working around machinery with moving parts - working with hands in water - working closely with others - protracted or irregular hours of work.

Duties

• Follows procedures per established policies and guidelines
• Influences care outcomes by collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team
• Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership - experience - and creative approaches to management of complex client care
• The Registered Nurse - Case Management (CM) executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership - experience - and creative approaches in providing complex patient management
• Provides patient management - care coordination - and discharge/disposition planning for inpatient and outpatient settings
• The CM RN assists Veterans - family members - and caregivers with receiving the most appropriate options and services to meet their complex health care needs
• This includes - but is not limited to - acute - chronic - multiple - complex - catastrophic - or life-threatening illnesses
• combat stress - residuals of traumatic brain injury
• community adjustment
• addictions and other health problems
• Coordinates care with multiple providers across all levels and sites of care
• The CM RN addresses psychosocial - as well as nursing and medical needs of patients and their families/caregivers - through participation in interdisciplinary patient care management practice
• The CM RN also evaluates care and outcomes to ensure timely and appropriate provision of services
• Collaborates in the development - implementation - evaluation - and revision of policies - procedures - and/or guidelines
• Demonstrates performance and leadership that is broad enough to improve the care for a group of patients
• Provides peers with formal or informal constructive feedback for improvement
• Supports colleagues and other nurses through CM knowledge sharing to provide safe - quality nursing care
• Fosters a safe and supportive environment conducive to the professional development of health care professionals
• Evaluates CM outcomes of evidence-based decisions and practice changes for individuals - groups - and populations
• Responsible for the documented CM 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
• PRACTICE: Demonstrates expertise in professional practice using the nursing process (assessment - diagnosis - outcome identification - planning - implementation - and evaluation) with improved evidence-based and/or data-driven outcomes beyond the immediate practice setting
• Expectations: 1
• Leads and organizes delivery of care to ensure continuity of care and peer accountability for practice in alignment with the ANA Standards of Nursing Practice
• 2
• Applies advanced clinical knowledge/judgment to lead staff involvement in planning - decision-making - and evaluating outcomes beyond the immediate practice setting
• 3
• Applies nursing expertise to lead improvement - with demonstrated outcomes - beyond the immediate practice setting
• VETERAN/PATIENT DRIVEN CARE: Leads initiatives to improve Veteran/patient experience - satisfaction and/or safety beyond the immediate practice setting
• Expectations: 1
• Leads initiatives to improve the Veteran experience i.e. - care coordination - timeliness to resolve issues - negative trends - or environment of care concerns - beyond the immediate practice setting
• 2
• Demonstrates leadership in patient advocacy by protecting the health - safety - and rights of patient population groups beyond the immediate practice setting
• 3
• Leads staff to identify - analyze and address ethical issues that impact patients - caregivers and staff beyond the immediate practice setting
• 4
• Models' high reliability principles and I CARE values to improve the consistency of care delivery and patient outcomes beyond the immediate practice setting
• 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 - 7:00am - 3:30pm (negotiable on the 8 hours) Telework: Available (ad-hoc) Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized