Advanced Practice Nurse - Home Based Primary Care

About the role

The Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) Certified Nurse Practitioner (NP) practices in Home Based Primary Care Service (HBPC) to provide a full range of services emphasizing quality, timeliness, and the advancement of the Veterans Affairs (VA) mission. The NP provides advanced clinical practice, consultation, and management.

Responsibilities

• Independently manages a panel of patients with acute and chronic health conditions with an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention using evidence-based practice in the patient's home.
• Develops and implements an individualized plan to achieve optimal population health and disease management.
• Demonstrates leadership and works collaboratively with Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) interdisciplinary team members.
• Orders and interprets labs, tests, and diagnostic studies.
• Prescribes pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions.
• Initiates referrals and consults to specialty services.
• Provides education to patients and their families.
• Assesses and adjusts the plan of care as needed to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
• Determines the need for and facilitates patient admission to the VA medical facility or other transitions of care.
• Exemplifies the ICARE core values of-Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence.

Requirements

The following Scope, Education and Experience, and Dimension criteria must be met to qualify for Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) II:

• Meets basic education requirement for APN (NP).
• Nurse II is considered the entry grade level for APN (NPs); no experience is required.
• APNs (NPs) at level II are expected to meet the following dimension requirements:
• Clinical Practice. Delivers evidence-based health care, demonstrating proficiency in the ability to manage a patient panel, population, or program.
• Outcome Focus. Utilizes research and evidence-based practice to evaluate the patient care delivery system within a patient panel or program, presents findings and contributes to changes that enhance the quality and timeliness of veteran/patient care.
• Leadership. Works effectively as a leader within a team/unit/group and seeks interdisciplinary collaboration as appropriate to enhance patient care.
• Professional Development. Acquires knowledge and skills to develop expertise in area of practice.
• Professionalism/Collegiality. Demonstrates effective communication skills and professional behavior, promoting cooperation and teamwork. Participates in interdisciplinary teams and processes that positively impact patient outcomes.

Qualifications

The following Scope, Education and Experience, and Dimension criteria must be met to qualify for Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) III:

• Mets basic education requirement for an APN (NP) AND one year of specialized APN (NP) experience equivalent to the Nurse II grade level.
• APN (Nurse Practitioners) at grade III are expected to meet the following dimension requirements:
• Clinical Practice. Influences and models the delivery of evidence- based health care, demonstrating expertise in the ability to manage a patient panel, population, or program.
• Outcome Focus. Leads and implements changes that enhance the quality and timeliness of Veteran/patient care applying research and evidence in the delivery of healthcare for patient populations.
• Leadership. Initiates and leads interdisciplinary teams informed by structured approaches and processes to improve outcomes that positively impact care for a patient panel, population, or program.
• Professional Development. Acquires knowledge and skills, then disseminates acquired information within and/or outside the medical facility.
• Professionalism/Collegiality. Initiates and leads interdisciplinary teams developing systems that positively impact outcomes at the panel, population, or program level. Demonstrates effective communication skills and professional behavior, promoting cooperation and teamwork