Nurse (Care Manager) Primary Care

The Nurse (Care Manager) uses the nursing process and evidence-based practice to collaborate with the Teamlet (Patient, Primary Care Provider, RN Care Manager and Clinical Support Technician) and larger Team (family/caregiver, internal and community-based services involved in providing care to the patient) in developing the patient-driven holistic care plan for life. The main roles of this position include patient triage, care coordination, and chronic disease management.

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: 1-2 years of successful RN practice in Primary Care or medical/surgical experience preferred.

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: Heavy lifting, 45 pounds and over; Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; Light lifting, under 15 pounds; Heavy carrying, 45 pounds and over; Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds; Light carrying, under 15 pounds; Straight pulling (.5 hours); Pushing (1 -2 hours); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (4 hours); Standing (4 hours); Crawling (.1 hours); Kneeling (.5 hours); Repeated bending (1 hours); Climbing, legs only (1 hours); Climbing, use of legs and arms; 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; Depth perception; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Ability to distinguish shades of colors; Hearing (aid may be permitted).

Environmental Factors: Solvents (degreasing agents); Slippery or uneven walking surfaces; Working around machinery with moving parts; Working around moving objects or vehicles; Working with hands in water; Working closely with others; Working alone; Protracted or irregular hours of work.

Responsibilities:

Roles and Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Being a member of the Teamlet team.
• Responsible for collaborating with services internal and external to the VA to facilitate care transition in order to effectively meet the patients' needs.
• Provide patient and family health education with a focus on self-management, prevention, and wellness, based on the patient's goals.
• Demonstrate leadership by serving as an advocate for patients, team player to colleagues as she/he continues to enhance his/her own and the team's professional growth, development and practice.
• Assessing the health status of individuals and groups of individuals.
• Identifying health care problems that are amenable to nursing intervention.
• Establishing goals to meet identified health care needs.
• Planning a strategy of care.
• Prescribing nursing interventions to implement the strategy of care; Implementing the strategy of care, including administering medications and treatments as prescribed by those health care providers authorized to prescribe medication.
• Maintaining safe and effective nursing care rendered directly or indirectly.
• Evaluating responses to interventions.

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; 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required