Summary

The RN Staff - Home Base Primary Care position is in Geriatrics and Extended Care Service at the VA White River Junction Healthcare System - located at the Brattleboro - VT location. This position is full-time at 40 hours per week. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information - refer to Required Documents below.

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/13080601
• 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: Home based care experience Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: All applicants must be physically able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position
• A pre-placement physical examination shall be completed prior to appointment.

Duties

• The RN Staff - Home Base Primary Care position is in Geriatrics and Extended Care Service at the VA White River Junction Healthcare System - located at the Brattleboro - VT location
• This position is full-time at 40 hours per week
• Included but are not limited to: Provide and supervise direct patient care - ensuring accountabilities for all elements of the nursing process
• Coordinate patient care across settings with emphasis on education - self-management - and patient satisfaction
• Administer medications and perform clinical procedures per established policies and guidelines
• Participate in unit and program-level quality improvement and customer service initiatives
• Deliver evidence-based care to HBPC patients - including oversight of licensed vocational nurses and nursing assistants
• Manage cases through assessment - triage - patient education - resource and medication coordination - and individualized care planning
• Plan and deliver comprehensive - technically competent care to veterans in their homes - addressing complex primary - geriatric - preventive - and palliative needs
• Implement interventions to maximize health - reduce hospital/ED visits - and align with each veteran's goals of care
• Conduct routine home visits to veterans as part of care delivery
• Support the orientation - education - and competency development of nursing staff
• contribute to quality improvement and outcome evaluation activities
• Provide constructive feedback to peers and foster a safe - supportive - and professional environment for staff development
• Veteran/Patient-Driven Care: Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to resolve issues impacting the veteran experience - including care coordination - timeliness - satisfaction - and environment of care concerns
• Incorporate the knowledge - values - and beliefs of patients - families - and caregivers into care delivery without judgement or discrimination
• Advocate for patient - family - and caregiver needs to improve outcomes in the immediate practice setting
• Serve as a resource for resolving ethical concerns for patients - caregivers - and staff
• Evidence-Based Practice/Research: Lead the integration of evidence-based practice and research to improve care quality - resource utilization - and outcomes
• Apply current evidence and research findings to daily practice - resulting in process or outcome improvements
• Assess clinical processes to identify opportunities for efficient and cost-effective care delivery
• Monitor - analyze - and evaluate care outcomes to drive patient care improvements
• Lead initiatives to integrate patient preferences and shared decision-making into care delivery
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not authorized Telework: May be available on an Ad-Hoc basis at supervisor's discretion Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized 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
• Notifications: This position is in the Excepted Service Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 - (Notice of Personnel Action)
• The SF-50 must identify the position title - series - grade - step - tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted)
• In some cases - more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards