Registered Nurse - Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), Outpatient Staff Nurse

Summary
The Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) Outpatient Staff Registered Nurse (RN) executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership - experience - and creative approaches to management of complex primary care. This nurse provides sex-specific direct Veteran care and care coordination - as it pertains - to Veterans and their care within the Primary Care Department. Manages assigned panel(s) - utilizes registries - and ensures appropriate evaluation and access is provided to patient panels.
Qualifications
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 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)
• 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.) 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: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12880466
• Grade/Level Scope Education Nurse I - Level I Delivers 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 II Demonstrates 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 III Demonstrates 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 Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience
• OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience
• Nurse II Demonstrates 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 Master's 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 III Executes 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 Master's 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
• Preferred Experience: Three years of clinic or acute nursing experience
• Strong knowledge of chronic disease management
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be able to perform all activities of the position without restriction
• This position involves considerable standing - walking - stooping - bending - reaching - lifting and turning
• It requires repositioning patients and assisting with transferring patients to wheelchairs/stretchers
• Mechanical devices when available are required to be used for heavy or difficult to lift patients
• The work may involve pushing or lifting weight in excess of 50 pounds and going up and down flights of stairs
• The position requires visual and auditory acuity at a level to provide safe and effective nursing care
• The positions requires the nurse to work for periods of time with arms above shoulder level or with the neck in a fully flexed or extended position and the ability to physically control or protect him/herself from physically abusive patients.
  

Duties

• A Career At VA Salt Lake City Health Care System Can Take You Places (youtube.com) Major Duties: Provides a full range of nursing care to Veteran/Patients - including complex care needs using the nursing process
• Implements the PACT concept of right person - right place - right time that ensures access to care and supports staff functioning at the top of their scope
• Manages of Veteran chronic disease conditions through ongoing assessment of conditions and recognizing changes in condition and responding with timely and correct interventions
• Establishes plan of care and goals with Veteran Patient after assessing learning needs - learning preferences - readiness to learn and modifies modalities of teaching when needed
• Initiates referrals to other disciplines and services as appropriate and allowed by current Nursing Protocols
• Offers preventative health measures to Veterans to include Whole Health modalities
• Applies all modalities of care available to deliver best practice to panel
• Ensures that documentation of care is complete - accurate - consistent - concise - and timely
• Encounters will be coded appropriately and timely
• Documentation will be alerted to other team members as needed
• Recommend use of SOAP/SBAR models for documentation
• Implements appropriate notification processes for problematic events involving patient - family - and staff along with appropriate documentation as needed
• Utilizes tools and reports to provide proactive management of Veterans with chronic disease or at high risk
• Promotes - advocates for - and strives to protect the health - safety and rights of the patient
• Demonstrates responsibility and accountability for own nursing judgments and actions
• Collaboration with healthcare consumer and other key stakeholders in the conduct of nursing practice
• Develops and implements a plan to meet learning needs - instructing patients and families in basic health teaching
• Ensures application of institutional policy to protect information from unauthorized release - loss - alteration - or deletion
• Complies with safety rules and regulations for safe job performance and fire protection
• Submits completed annual self-assessment to the supervisor in a timely manner by the requested deadline
• Uses the proper chain of command for communication
• Collaborates with peers
• Participates in unit-based performance improvement activities to improve patient care
• Makes changes in own practice in response to performance improvement findings
• Reviews and shares current literature in relation to practice with co-workers
• Participates in meeting VA Performance Measures to include AES
• Completes and demonstrates Basic Life Support (BLS) as required
• Primary Care RN Care Managers will be educated in the role of case management skills that allow them to implement Chronic Disease Management for Veterans within their PACT team
• In addition - they will also receive training for CCICM - Care Coordination Integrated Case Management - in preparation for Veterans on their PACT teams who need individualized management to better meet their needs
• It is expected that they will also collaborate with other CCICM team members for appropriate care coordination across other service lines
• Contributes to an environment of a High Reliability Organization with a culture of safety founded on a systems approach to developing health care solutions based on prevention - not punishment - with collective mindfulness
• Responsible for environment of care (EOC) issues when on duty
• Ensures - clean - safe environment
• Labels All Medications Verifies medication refrigerator and nutrition refrigerator temperatures are within acceptable range - and cleaning logs are checked and recorded per policy
• Confirms that emergency equipment (i.e. - crash cart) is checked daily per policy and the log completed
• Ensures other EOC issues - such as items on the PCS EOC Checklist - are enforced
• Completes orientation - unit-based in-services - and mandatory educational activities in a self-directed manner
• Participates in unit based educational activities and VA continuing education requirements to increase clinical and professional knowledge
• Other duties as assigned
• 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 0800-1630 Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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