Summary

The duty location for the Registered Nurse Telehealth position with VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend HCS is located at 2601 Veterans Drive - Harlingen - TX.

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
• Preferred Experience: 1-3 years of recent care coordination 1-3 years of Outpatient care 1 - 3 years of Med Surg/ED TeleHealth (video/telephone) nursing 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/12707780
• 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: The position requires moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds) - straight pulling (0.5 hours) - pushing (0.5 hours) - reaching above shoulder - walking (5.3 hours) - standing (5.3 hours) - repeated bending (5.3 hours) - ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously - 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 - and hearing (aid permitted).

Duties

• - Uses the nursing process and evidence-based practice to collaborate with the Teamlet and larger Team to meet patient care needs
• - Provides patient and family health education with a focus on self-management - prevention - and wellness - based on the patient's goals
• - Demonstrates advanced clinical knowledge in assessing planning - implementing - documenting - and evaluating care for a designated group of patients
• - Triages and applies a collaborative team approach in identifying - analyzing - and resolving patient care problems
• - Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team
• - Monitors progress with clinical guidelines and/or pathways - analyzes variations and initiates appropriate actions
• - Maintains current knowledge of multidisciplinary resources - programs and services - referring patients for community resources as appropriate
• - Collaborates with patient and care providers
• - Reviews options with patients and families - including costs - alternatives - risks/benefits and services
• - Actively educates the patient and family on disease process - resources - plan of care - treatments and/or procedures
• - Advocates fiscal responsibility through effective utilization of resources - to include medical supplies and non-traditional appointments
• - Provides Care Management to patients with Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSCs) including reviewing the patient record - deciding if the patient needs more in-depth education (formal or informal)
• nursing visits and/or telephone calls between provider visits to assist in care management
• Collaborates with the High Risk Care Coordinators - Home Telehealth - and or other referrals for care management
• - Reviews Message Manager and assists Team to address/complete pending alerts communicated throughout tour of duty to facilitate care and address needs of the caller within 48 hours - Provides patients with personalized - proactive - and patient-driven health care through such activities as assisting in developing a personal health plan - listening to the patient and addressing their needs/goals - engaging in group appointments - encouraging and supporting Telehealth modalities - and creating an environment that benefits the veteran
• - Delivers patient centered care to all patients and employs population health management principles to optimize health and wellbeing for the patient through such activities as use of evidenced-based practice recommendations - completing clinical reminders - tracking high risk behaviors - maintaining an awareness of access through knowledge of third next available appointments - assisting the patient to develop coping mechanisms - assisting the patient to identify health care goals and actions to take to meet those goals and evaluating progress
• - Supports patient-driven care in a safe - efficient manner - using evidence-based principles
• - Actively educates the patient and family on health promotion and disease prevention strategies and options for care and treatment
• - Demonstrates flexibility and adapts to work demands or adjustment of assignment
• Performs other tasks as requested by providers or supervising nursing personnel within the scope of training and abilities
• - Screens patients for social service - home care - and other community care needs
• and coordinates or makes referrals as appropriate
• and seeks consultation when indicated
• - Appropriately documents own interventions and oversees appropriate health team documentation of patient care
• - Keeps patient's provider aware of patient progress - issues - and/or problems
• - Evaluates needs and facilitates the patient's ability to learn the principles of self-care
• - Actively participates in care delivery with priority attention to patient preference
• - Utilizes approved Protocols and Guidelines to facilitate autonomy in providing care
• - Promotes cost effective use of resources
• effective least-expensive strategies expected in non-face-to-face approaches
• - Maintains privacy and confidentiality of all patient information - including electronic - print - and conversations
• 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 Telework: Ad-hoc only Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Bargaining Unit: This position is part of the Bargaining unit.