The Nurse Practitioner (NP) is assigned to the Specialty Care Clinics in the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, Georgia. The Nurse Practitioner (NP) will serve as a member of the Pulmonary team and functions autonomously within the scope of approved clinical privileges and collaboratively with the interdisciplinary team in the management of complex patient problems in an active practice to deliver health care services to patients. 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. 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 Practitioner Specific Requirements: Registered nurses appointed or otherwise moving into these assignments must meet and maintain the following additional qualifications. 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. 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 work may require some physical exertion such as long periods of standing, or recurring and considerable crouching, bending, standing, stooping, stretching, or walking such as in performing regular and recurring medical activities, inspections, or to observe healthcare operations in treatment facilities. Work also includes frequent lifting of moderately heavy items weighing less than 23 kilograms (i.e., under 50 pounds) such as record boxes, equipment, or assisting in self-care transfer activities. ["The Nurse Practitioner - Pulmonary is an expert at analyzing patient care problems, implementing preventive health measures, promoting whole health, and providing educational support for patients with complex medical conditions. The Nurse Practitioner - Pulmonary role includes education, research, and consultation as needed in the Pulmonary Specialty. The Nurse Practitioner - Pulmonary shall be involved in all clinical aspects of Pulmonology care activities, working within VA and standard medical practice guidelines, policies, and directives; participate in the multidisciplinary activities of the medical center. Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Organizes and manages multidisciplinary team meetings and projects. Leads others in the provision of Pulmonary, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and comprehensive follow-up care. Serves as a resource expert for the assessment and management of urgent or emergent care when needed. Uses advanced clinical knowledge and judgment to promote staff involvement in planning, decision-making, and evaluating current practice and outcomes. Serves as an expert resource person while working along side the physician and other team members to deliver safe and effective care to patients. Serves as consultant to other disciplines in areas of expertise; integrates research-based knowledge and clinical expertise in decision making; advocates for patients, families, coworkers, and the community; maintains certifications and continuing education as required for licensure and privileging; participates in unit/departmental/divisional or medical center committees/task forces as appropriate; Evaluates current practice, and formulating outcomes for groups of patients and/or organizational processes within an area of expertise. Uses advanced clinical knowledge/judgment to promote staff involvement in planning, decision-making, and evaluating outcomes. Directs and advises on the processes to review, triage, and complete assigned electronic consults (E-consults). Demonstrates leadership and expertise through the presentation of suspicious nodule cases to the Multidisciplinary nodule conference, and summarizes the recommendations for distribution. Leads in relaying recommendations and consults to other specialties as appropriate. Leads in performing and delegating indirect patient care tasks such as: returning telephone calls, responding to patient emails, reviewing clinical data, communicating results to patients, and communicating with primary care providers and other referring specialists, as appropriate. Mentors and leads in serving as a patient advocate ensuring that important abnormal or unexpected findings: (ie. Pathologies, CT, MRI, U/S or biopsies) are reviewed by the attending physicians and follow up is tracked. Takes ownership of the unit and prioritizes critical findings. Assumes the team leadership role and maintains an active clinical partnership with Pulmonology Providers, Pulmonology Fellows and Pulmonology Nursing Staff. Uses advanced clinical knowledge/judgment to promote staff involvement in planning, decision-making, and evaluating outcomes. Provides direct patient care and/or telehealth care as a clinical expert to adults with medical issues, including assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of health care problems which may include prescription of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions according to the VHA standards. Other duties as assigned 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, 08:00 A.M. - 04:30 P.M. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Compressed/Flexible: Not available Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for a highly qualified applicant. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required."]
The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,298 health care facilities, including 171 medical centers and 1,113 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
