Registered Nurse Surgical Clinic (Intermittent)

The Surgical Services Clinic Registered Nurse (RN) serves as a key member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team providing comprehensive Veteran-centered care in one or more Surgical Services specialty clinics including General Surgery Orthopedics Otolaryngology (ENT) Urology Vascular Surgery Podiatry and Wound Care. The RN collaborates closely with surgeons physician assistants advanced practice registered nurses and other healthcare professionals to coordinate care across the continuum ensuring safe efficient and high-quality outcomes for a diverse Veteran population. This position is an Intermittent position.

Included but are not limited to:

• Responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process including assessment planning implementation evaluation and coordination of care for Veterans receiving specialty surgical services.
• Provides direct nursing care and care coordination for Veterans with acute and chronic surgical conditions in the ambulatory care setting.
• Serves as a clinical resource and patient advocate facilitating seamless transitions throughout the pre-operative perioperative and post-operative phases of care.
• Reviews evaluates and triages specialty consults referrals diagnostic results patient inquiries secure messages walk-in visits and telephone encounters to ensure timely and appropriate care.
• Coordinates preoperative preparation by ensuring completion of required testing imaging pathology reports specialty clearances consents and screenings prior to scheduled procedures.
• Provides comprehensive patient and caregiver education regarding surgical procedures treatment plans wound care medication management recovery expectations self-management strategies and health promotion activities.
• Develops and implements individualized plans of care based on nursing assessments evidence-based practice and Veteran goals.
• Assists providers during clinic procedures and delivers care to Veterans undergoing specialty treatments and minor surgical procedures within the RN scope of practice.
• Promotes evidence-based practice through quality improvement initiatives by evaluating outcomes identifying opportunities for process improvement and participating in the development and revision of policies procedures and clinical practice guidelines.
• Maintains competency in specialty surgical nursing practice and cross-trains to support multiple Surgical Services clinics based on operational needs.
• Demonstrates leadership critical thinking clinical judgment and independent decision-making in the management of complex patient care situations.
• Ensures compliance with VA policies accreditation standards infection prevention practices patient safety initiatives and regulatory requirements.
• Performs other duties as assigned in support of Surgical Services and Veteran care delivery.

Work Schedule: Intermittent Requires a minimum commitment of 16 hours a month. Days and hours will be variable Monday to Friday between the hours of 7:30am-4:30pm varying between 3 to 4 days per week.
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.

Notifications:

• This is not a Bargaining Unit Position
• This position is in the Excepted Service
• This position is covered by a special rate.
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title series grade step tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.

Pay: Competitive salary regular salary increases potential for performance awards
Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards

• 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.
• May be subject to satisfactory completion of our credentialing process.

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.)

Preferred Experience: Ambulatory care perioperative surgical orthopedic wound care urology vascular ENT or specialty clinic nursing experience. Strong triage patient education care coordination and clinical assessment skills. Demonstrated ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within an interdisciplinary team.

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.

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 IDelivers 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 IIDemonstrates 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 IIIDemonstrates 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 Masters degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience; OR a Masters degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience.Nurse IIDemonstrates 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 Masters 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 IIIExecutes 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 Masters 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 Requirements: All applicants must be physically able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position. A pre-placement examination shall be completed prior to appointment.