Nurse (Community Living Center)-Inpatient

About the role

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

Responsibilities

• Clinical Practice & Nursing Process: Assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates care based on age-specific components. Administers medications and procedures per established policies and guidelines. Provides professional nursing care based upon the nursing process, including systematic data gathering, assessment, appropriate nursing judgment, and evaluation of human responses to actual or potential health problems through case finding, health teaching, health counseling, provision of care supportive to or restorative of life and well-being, and executing medical regimens prescribed by a licensed or otherwise legally authorized provider. Sets priorities, organizes, and plans work to meet deadlines, resolves routine problems, and independently performs work in accordance with unit standards, procedures, and accepted practices.
• Wound, Ostomy & Specialty Care: Works with the facility wound team to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate the impact of Quality Assurance and Infection Control with regard to the care of residents with wound and ostomy needs. Conducts wound and dressing changes and reviews the need for supplies. Assists the facility wound nurse with teaching and support of residents with new stomas and evaluates pressure relief mattresses and/or related equipment for CLC residents. Analyzes wound, ostomy, and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) nursing treatment modalities through systematic data collection, interpretation, and reporting of findings with appropriate recommendations.
• Care Coordination & Charge Nurse Responsibilities: Assumes responsibility for the coordination of care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care. When functioning as Charge Nurse, makes daily resident assignments by providing general instructions, expected deadlines, and the quality and quantity of work expected based on each resident's needs and progress. Conducts admissions and discharges. Notifies the Nurse Manager of any concerns related to employee issues or conduct.
• MDS Collaboration & Documentation: Collaborates with the Minimum Data Set (MDS) Coordinator to ensure accuracy of the Resource Utilization Group (RUG) score. Collaborates in the development, implementation, evaluation, and revision of policies, procedures, and/or guidelines. Responsible for documented outcomes at the program or service level.

Requirements

This vacancy announcement is open to US citizens.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• English Language Proficiency: No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Education: 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).
• Licensure: 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.)

Benefits

• 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)

Pay

Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards

Schedule

This position supports a 24-hour unit. Shift times and days of the week will vary based on operational needs. Typical shifts may include:

• 6:00 am - 6:30 pm
• 10:00 am - 10:30 pm
• 6:00 pm - 6:30 am

Qualifications

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/12996961.