Registered Nurse Community Services
Job Location:
Washington, DC - USA
Yearly Salary:
Posted:
Application Deadline:
Vacancies:
Job Summary
The Community Services RN provides patient-centered nursing care counseling health promotion illness and injury prevention assessment health education treatment and care coordination using the nursing process. The RN demonstrates leadership in the delivery and improvement of holistic evidence-based care and collaborates with providers VA facilities community facilities and interdisciplinary team members to coordinate services and promote optimal patient outcomes.
The Community Services Registered Nurse functions as a clinical leader and resource within the assigned practice setting. Responsibilities include providing competent evidence-based nursing care; overseeing licensed vocational nurses and nursing assistants as appropriate; supporting nursing education orientation and competency development; participating in quality improvement; and promoting professional development and evidence-based practice.
Major duties that include but are not limited to:
- Provides and leads competent evidence-based nursing care for Veterans including patients with complex care needs utilizing the nursing process of assessment diagnosis outcome identification planning implementation and evaluation.
- Coordinates inpatient and outpatient care and services assists with appointment scheduling as needed communicates patient conditions and care needs with physicians/providers and collaborates with VA and community facilities to support interdisciplinary care.
- Identifies patient care problems and initiates appropriate referrals to other disciplines and services; accurately documents patient findings assessments interventions and care provided in the medical record.
- Provides oversight of licensed vocational nurses and nursing assistants as appropriate to the practice setting and maintains accountability for the evaluation of delegated nursing activities.
- Promotes Veteran/patient-driven care by addressing coordination timeliness safety patient experience and other care-delivery concerns and serves as an advocate and resource for Veterans families and caregivers.
- Leads and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams in patient care planning decision-making and evaluation of outcomes; promotes effective communication teamwork cooperation and professional practice.
- Assists with nursing education orientation competency development mentoring precepting and teaching and supports the professional development of nursing and other healthcare staff.
- Integrates evidence-based practice and research into clinical practice and leads patient-care improvement through monitoring analysis and evaluation of outcomes and identification of efficient cost-effective approaches to care delivery.
- Responds appropriately to emergency situations and maintains compliance with infection prevention patient safety occupational safety and emergency preparedness requirements. - Provides age-appropriate care that considers Veterans cognitive emotional developmental chronological and lifestyle needs while promoting dignity autonomy safety self-care and independence.
- Protects sensitive patient information and printed and electronic records in accordance with the Privacy Act federal regulations VA policy and VHA requirements.
- Maintains Basic Life Support (BLS) completes required orientation and ongoing mandatory education and participates in competency assessment and validation.
- Supports continued accreditation readiness by maintaining standards of care complete and timely documentation safety and infection-control practices patient privacy and participation in performance-improvement activities.
- Maintains flexibility in work schedules and assignments based on the operational needs of a 24/7 hospital and performs other duties as assigned.
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: To be determined based on the needs of the service. Work schedules may include varying tours and are subject to change based on operational needs.
Telework: AD-HOC telework available as needed by service.
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.
- 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/examination.
- 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.
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 masters level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelors 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.)
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: I Level I
Preferred Work Experience/Education:
- BSN
- Three years of community nursing experience
- Five years of Acute Critical Care experience
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit Requirements: This position requires visual acuity keen hearing clear distinctive speech and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking standing stooping sitting bending pulling and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. Mechanical lifts are provided. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations operative/invasive procedures or home settings. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium dementia or psychiatric disorders. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements as a condition of employment. The incumbent who provides care in home settings or other off-site locations may be required to drive and/or ride in GSA-vehicles.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38 and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicants criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations Security and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest. The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and wellbeing. As a VA employee you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required Experience:
IC
