Advanced Practice Nurse Community Living Center

The Community Living Center (CLC) Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) is a licensed independent practitioner with advanced education and national certification who provides evidence-based care for a population of patients.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• 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.
• Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership experience and creative approaches to management of complex Veteran care.
• Functions within a defined scope of practice as a direct care provider and/or expert clinician. The APN provides specialty and/or primary health care within the Rehabilitation and Extended Care ICC.
• Identifies CLC residents with challenging dementia-related and non-dementia related behaviors.
• Utilizes the use of evidence-based behavioral and non-pharmacological interventions to reduce the frequency and severity of challenging behaviors.
• Supports development of the interdisciplinary plan of care with interdisciplinary team.
• Serves to facilitate the optimal level of functioning of the Veteran in a less restrictive level of care.
• Develops collaborative partnerships with a variety of community settings.
• Provides inpatient clinical management at the unit level.
• Provides leadership in the application of the nursing process to client care organizational processes and/or systems improving outcomes at the program or service level.
• Manages program resources (financial human material or informational) to facilitate safe effective efficient care.
• Implements an educational plan to meet changing program or service needs for self and others.
• Completes assessment and documentation of medical history diagnosis and plan of care.
• Initiates orders and evaluates plans of care for the Community Living Center Veterans.
• Provides History and Physicals medical screenings and medical follow-up for all newly admitted and established Veterans on the Community Living Center.
• Provides patient/family education regarding disease process rick factors symptom control treatment (including use of medications).
• Orders laboratory imaging and other diagnostic tests as applicable.
• Consults with other providers in a multidisciplinary team.
• Initiates referrals to other services/specialists as needed.
• Promotes a practice environment that supports professional responsibility accountability and professional development.
• Must be proficient and demonstrate competency and the ability to either set up or reprocess Reusable Medical Equipment as applicable for all equipment for which they have been trained.
• Exemplifies the ICARE core values of Integrity Commitment Advocacy Respect and Excellence.

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 7:30am - 4:00pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

• 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.
• English Language accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(f) no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position you will be required to serve a 2-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public determining if your employment advances the public interest we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) Basic Requirements

• Education: A post-masters certificate or masters or doctoral degree as a Nurse Practitioner. (Applicants pending the completion of educational requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until the education requirements are met.) Must be a 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).
  • NOTE: Foreign Education. Graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing programs the nurse practitioner degree equivalency must be validated through an Agency recognized degree equivalency evaluation agency such as the International Consultants of Delaware (ICD). Candidates with equivalent nurse practitioner masters or doctorate level degrees who possess current full active and unrestricted registration and certification will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant appointment.
• License - All APN (NPs) must possess and maintain an active current full and unrestricted APN license to practice as an NP in a State Territory or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia.
• Basic Board Certification (Community Living Center) - All APN (NPs) must maintain full and current basic board certification in one of the following: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP) Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) or Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (GNP) from one of the following: the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) or other nationally recognized certifying body in the area in which the Nurse Practitioner is academically prepared.

NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and an APN (NP) assignment that are also 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.

The following Scope Education and Experience and Dimension criteria must be met to qualify for Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) II:
Exception to Licensure for Graduate Nurse Technicians. Candidates who otherwise meet the basic requirements but do not possess the required licensure and/or certification may be appointed at the entry step of the Nurse II as a Graduate Nurse Technician - Nurse Practitioner on a temporary appointment up to any period not-to-exceed one year and a day under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(B).

• Scope: Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others
• Education and Experience Requirement: Meets basic education requirement for APN (NP). Nurse II is considered the entry grade level for APN (NPs); no experience is required.
• Dimension Requirement: 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.

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

• Scope: Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care.
• Education and Experience Requirement: Meets basic education requirement for an APN (NP) AND one year of specialized APN (NP) experience equivalent to the Nurse II grade level.
• Dimension Requirement: 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

Preferred Experience:

• Geriatric Experience
• Short Stay Rehabilitation Experience
• Chronic Disease Management Experience
• Good Interpersonal Skills

Physical Requirements: This position includes a level of physicality normally associated with duties performed by advanced practice nurses such as physical assessment and potentially long periods of walking standing sitting moderate lifting repeated bending or kneeling.