Career Center

Summary

The Hampton VA Medical Center is a 1-C - teaching facility serving Eastern Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina. The main campus is located in Hampton - VA with 4 community-based outpatient clinics in Chesapeake - Portsmouth - and Virginia Beach - VA; and Elizabeth City - NC. Hampton VAMC provides comprehensive health care which includes primary care - acute inpatient - acute psychiatric - chronic spinal cord injury - an 169-bed domiciliary - and long term Community Living Center/hospice care unit.

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/12723107
• 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity - keen hearing - clear distinctive speech - and manual dexterity
• This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking - standing - stooping - sitting - bending - pulling - and pushing
• Transferring patients and objects may be required
• Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided
• The Incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations - operative/invasive procedures - or home settings
• The Incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
• The Incumbent must be a mature - flexible - and sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs
• Must complete annual Employee Health requirements - such as annual TB screening or testing - as a condition of employment
• The Incumbent who provides care in home settings or other off-site locations may be required to drive and/or ride in GSA-vehicles.

Duties

• Duties include - but are not limited to: Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) Outpatient Staff Registered Nurse (RN) is responsible for providing competent - evidence-based gender-specific primary care to patients with oversight of licensed vocational nurses/nursing assistants as appropriate to the clinic setting
• This nurse provides direct Veteran care and care coordination - as it pertains - to Veterans and their care within the Primary Care Department
• Manages assigned panel(s) - utilizes registries - and ensures appropriate evaluation and access is provided to patient panels
• This nurse provides health promotion - health education and coaching on wellness - disease prevention - and chronic care management
• The nurse will assist in directing the provision of nursing education - orientation - competencies and providing quality improvement and outcomes utilization
• Practice includes directing other providers
• Partners with the patient - family - and interdisciplinary team to promote effective and safe transitions across the health care continuum - including the Veteran's goals of care
• This nurse has fundamental primary care experience with the situations in which they are ultimately expected to perform - integrating theoretical concepts - basic critical thinking skills - and technically skilled practice
• Specifically - the PACT RN assumes the role of Charge or Co-charge Nurse
• Demonstrates timely and effective communication
• Promotes seamless care coordination
• Ensures effective and timely management of CPRS alerts - Call Center Relay Messaging Queue (CMRQ) - and Secure Messaging by ensuring that patients' requests are acknowledged within 72 hours of receipt
• Consistently complies with the Standard of Work (SOW) for ED and Inpatient 2 day post discharge calls
• Collaborates with patients and interdisciplinary teams
• Responsible for a robust chronic disease management program
• Monitors PACT metrics with particular emphasis on HEDIS measures
• Demonstrates proficiency in PACT reports including eQM (electronic quality management) - VSSC (VA Support Service Center) - SAIL and Primary Care Almanac - and PACT Compass
• Collaborates with the patients and care teams to develop meaningful goals for patients
• Contributes to Accreditation Readiness including Quick Sweeps - Environment of Care (EOC) rounds - and clinic daily logs
• Leads and/or participates in daily huddles
• Initiates and follows through with patient schedule scrubbing days to weeks in advance
• Conducts Outreach to patients prior to appointment time to complete reminders
• Triages walk-in patients and collaborate with providers to determine a plan of care
• Conducts nurse visits and provide patient education
• Rooms patients - performs treatments - administers medications - performs other patient care duties
• Follows up on Community Care Consults
• 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 0800 -1630