Clarification from the agency

First consideration will be provided to current permanent employees of the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System. Vacancies may not presently exist but may become available at any point during the open period of this announcement. Your application will be reviewed and a notice provided reflecting your eligibility. Your application will remain on file through the closing date of this announcement.

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

Nurse Practitioners in the following categories are eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP):

1. Mental Health Substance Use Disorder;
2. Geriatrics; and
3. Long Term Care.

The Nurse Practitioner is under the administrative and clinical supervision of the Service Chief. You will be responsible for being self-directed in the delivery of patient care and ensuring you work within approved clinical privileges. You will also be responsible to the Associate Director, Patient Care Services for ensuring the Nursing Standards of Patient Care and Nursing Practice are met.

Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Demonstrate performance and leadership;
2. Function as an independent member of the Medical Staff with delineated clinical privileges;
3. Evaluate, manage, and coordinate patient driven care;
4. Provide comprehensive outpatient primary, urgent care, preventive, and wellness care as well as a spectrum of acute, episodic, and end-of-life care to Veterans;
5. Perform history and physicals, order and interpret diagnostic and therapeutic test/studies, initiate consults and referrals, prescribe medications and supplies;
6. Formulate, initiate, and evaluate healthcare teaching for primary care patients and their families;
7. Document clinical performance outcomes at the primary care service level;
8. Guide, develop, and support staff from a leadership perspective;
9. Use professional standards of care, scientific evidence, and practice to evaluate programs and/or service activities.
10. Function as primary clinical surrogate for licensed independent provider(s) at their assigned duty station.

You will work from a designated duty station and will be responsible for providing comprehensive services to a group of patients. You may be part of a Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) in which nurse care managers, support staff, and other professionals all work together to provide seamless care process which ensures efficiency, customer service, and clinical performance according to evidence based standards of medical practice for providing care. You will be responsible to contribute to the achievement of quality of care standards, patient access, efficiency, process improvement, and patient satisfaction. You may be temporarily assigned other clinic duties as a provider, temporarily or permanently, within the service (i.e. float/gap coverage) where coverage is needed or may be assigned to conduct telehealth visits. If a temporary location is outside of reasonable commuting distance (greater than 50 miles from assigned duty station), the employee will be reimbursed for commuting mileage or lodging/per diem expenses.

Work Schedule: Varies depending on nursing unit
Compressed/Flexible: May be available AND dependent upon nursing unit
Telework: May be available based on the position being filled.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact Agency Contact listed below for questions/assistance regarding eligibility requirements
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• 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.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), 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 State-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). In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. OR The completion of coursework equivalent to a nursing degree in a MSN Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration constitutes the completion of an approved course of study of professional nursing. Students should submit the certificate of professional nursing to sit for the NCLEX to the VA along with a copy of the MSN transcript. (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.
• 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.

Preferred Experience: 1. Completed a residency; 2. Minimum of 5 years practice as a NP; 3. Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP); 4. Unrestricted DEA license; 5. Prior VHA experience

Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade:

• Nurse I Level III - Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional nursing practice/experience.
• Nurse II - Master's degree in nursing and approximately 1-2 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing or meets basic requirements for appointment and has doctoral degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience required.
• Nurse III - Master's degree in nursing and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience.

Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-6 Nurse Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

NOTE: Candidate's education, scope, and length of nursing practice (experience) will be considered by a Nurse Professional Standards Board in determining the grade and salary of the applicant selected. The recommended salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.

Experience as an RN will be evaluated to determine if the experience is of an acceptable level of quality with regard to the following four dimensions of nursing: Practice, Professional Development, Collaboration and Scientific Inquiry. Each dimension of practice has criteria that demonstrate essential core competencies for VHA Nursing Personnel.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.