Nurse

Summary

This position may be eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Learn more about this agency

Help

Duties

This announcement that will be used on an ongoing basis to fill vacancies in the following areas:

• Med/Surg
• Hospice-Palliative
• Emergency
• Intensive Care
• Perioperative
• Specialty
• Specialty/Endoscopy at Springfield
• Mental Health Rehabilitation Residential Treatment Program
• Outpatient/Inpatient Mental Health
• Primary Care/PACT
• Primary Care/PACT at Outpatient clinics
• Springfield
• Branson
• Joplin
• Jay
• Fort Smith
• Ozark

If you are interested in working in any of these areas please apply to this announcement for consideration- you will identify your department and location preferences while applying.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

Med/Surg

• Provides nursing care for patients placed on cardiac monitors
• Identifies cardiac dysrhythmias including, but not limited to symptomatic bradycardia, frequent, paired, or multifocal PVC's, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, pulseless electrical activity, and asystole.
• Provides assessment and care for patients undergoing surgeries, procedures, and treatments.
  
  

Hospice-Palliative Care

• Provides care for a panel of Veterans at end of life.
• Recognizes and reports physiology and/or psychological deviations such as symptoms of pain, nausea/vomiting, agitation, depression and respiratory distress.
  
  

Emergency Department

• Provides evidence-based care for a group of patients in the Emergency Department.
• Applies and directs others to apply infection control measures appropriately in delivering care.
  
  

ICU

• Responsible for care of critically ill adult patients such as: cardiac, medical and surgical patients.
• Provides nursing care for complex patients, independently carrying out all nursing functions related to cardiac monitoring, treatments, medications, vasoactive infusions, ventilator management and invasive monitoring modalities.
  
  

Perioperative

• Prepares patients for procedures, administers moderate sedation, monitors patients during procedures, and provides post-procedure care.
• Performs a wide range of complex nursing procedures including, but not limited to, catheterizations, bladder scan, IV insertion, medication administration, administration of moderate sedation, and performing nasal swabs.
  
  

Mental Health Rehabilitation Residential Treatment Program (RRTP)

• Provides a wide range of patient personal care, diagnostic services, treatment, and charting activities in a psychiatric or substance use disorder treatment unit.
  
  

Outpatient Mental Health

• Provides direct staff support to the clinic as it relates to planning, designing, integrating, implementing, modifying, and evaluating the effectiveness of program components and/or services to improve the quality of patient care and the appropriateness and timeliness of services provided.
  
  

Inpatient Mental Health

• Provides a safe, therapeutic environment, providing medication stabilization.
• Provides recovery-based programing.
  
  

Specialty Clinics

• Provides specialized care to patients with a variety of medical and surgical conditions that includes, but is not limited to, ENT, Orthopedics, Eye, GYN, Podiatry, Dermatology, Nursing Foot, General Surgery, Cardiology, and Pain Management.
• Triages patient phone calls and secure messages with appropriate disposition and timeliness.
  
  

Springfield Specialty Care/Endoscopy

• Provides specialized care to patients with a variety of medical and surgical conditions that includes, but is not limited to, Orthopedics, Podiatry, Nursing Foot, General Surgery, Cardiology, Pain Management, and Endoscopy services.
• Triages patient phone calls and secure messages with appropriate disposition and timeliness.
  
  

Primary Care/PACT

• Provides nursing care to patients who present with a full range of health issues, including but not limited to; diabetes, hypertension, COPD, congestive heart failure, cancer, and psychological disorders, as well as coexisting medical/surgical conditions.
• Performs in-person, telephone, video-telehealth, and care management appointments.
  
  

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: Various

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Compressed Tour: May be available

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

EDRP: Contact jennifer.isbell-gross@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized



Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Help

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
  
  

Qualifications

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 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). The approving official may authorize a waiver of the requirement for ACEN or CCNE accreditation of any degree in nursing provided the college or university has regional accreditation from an accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education at the time of the candidate's graduation and the composite qualifications of the applicant warrant such consideration. 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.
  
  

Preferred Experience:

Med/Surg

• Current BLS
• 1-2 years of acute care nursing experience with additional preference given to those with medical/surgical unit experience.
  
  

Hospice-Palliative

• BLS
• 1-2 years of acute care nursing experience with additional preference given to those with end of life and/or palliative care experience.
  
  

Emergency

• Current ACLS and BLS
• Minimum 2 years of nursing experience in Critical Care/Emergency Department within the last 5 years.
• Specialty certifications, i.e., TNCC, BCEN, CFRN, CTRN, ENPC, NRP, ATLS.
  
  

ICU

• BSN or MSN
• Current ACLS and BLS
• Minimum 1 year of acute care nursing experience with additional preference given to those with ICU experience.
  
  

Perioperative

• Current ACLS and BLS
• Minimum of 1-2 years of acute care nursing experience with additional preference given to those with perioperative experience.
  
  

Specialty Clinics

• Current BLS
• 2-3 years acute care nursing experience with additional preference given to those with specialty clinic or perioperative experience.
• Experience in triaging patient phone calls and secure messages.
  
  

Springfield Specialty/Endoscopy

• Current ACLS and BLS
• Minimum 1-2 years of nursing experience performing conscious sedation, sterile procedures, high risk foot exams, wound care, or expertise in any of the nursing specialties practiced in this clinic.
  
  

Mental Health Rehabilitation Residential Treatment Program

• 1-2 years Mental Health nursing experience.
  
  

Outpatient Mental Health

• 1-2 years Mental Health nursing experience.
  
  

Inpatient Mental Health

• Minimum 1 year of mental health nursing experience.
  
  

Primary Care/PACT

• Minimum 1-2 years of acute care nursing experience with additional preference given to those with primary care 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 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.
  
  

Note regarding MSN degrees: If your MSN was obtained via a Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration, a BSN is not required.



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: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform the following: Heavy lifting, 45 pounds and over; heavy carrying, 45 pounds and over; straight pulling one (1) hour; pushing; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking seven (7) hours; standing seven (7) hours.

Education


IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.



Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Read more

• Help A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Fayetteville AR VA Medical Center

1100 North College Avenue

Fayetteville, AR 72703

US