Clarification from the agency

PLEASE NOTE: Due to system updates, this job opportunity announcement will close early on 09/26/2025. Applications received by 11:59 pm ET on 9/26/2025 will be reviewed and referred to Hiring Managers, if found eligible and qualified. This is open to current and permanent employees of VISN 4 only. Please make sure to upload most recent SF-50.

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Duties include but are not limited to:

1.Receives patient/family calls concerning clinical aspects of patient care from all facilities located within VISN 4.
2. Evaluates the degree of urgency for each call based on established clinical protocols.
3. Determines the appropriate area for care and refers/schedules the patient (i.e. local Emergency Room or local VA Healthcare Center for deferred care and/or scheduling into a Tele- Urgent Care appt, and or Same Day/Next Day appointment.
4. Documents each call into the computer TEDP/CRPS system, including the results of each contact.
5. Electronically transmits the documentation of each telephone contact to the area of planned clinical care.
6. Provides health education to all callers as appropriate.
7. Refers appropriate patients to Pittsburgh Tele Urgent Care program (TUC), for a Video Connect appointment.
8. Assists the health care team with telephone triage protocol revision as needed.
9. Assumes a leadership role within the interdisciplinary team.
10. Collaborates with interdisciplinary team to assure positive patient outcomes.
11. Communicates care for high-risk, complex patients.
12. Coordinates patient care with other services and programs in the healthcare center, network facilities and/or the community.
13. Acts as a patient advocate.
14. Participates in organizational committee's and initiatives to improve patient care.
15. Contributes to mechanisms to track patient utilization and patterns such as call volume and disposition.
16. Supports research and quality improvement activities.
17. Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations.
18.Provides care through an interactive process between nurse and patient that occurs over the phone an online chat technologies
19. provides timely, appropriate advise and guidance to patients and/ or their representative communicates through a structured process in which information is exchanged clearly and accurately among team members

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: This position is for a steady night shift 1130pm-8am. But not limited to cover of other shifts that include all WHEN hours-evenings, nights, weekends and holidays. Coverage on weekends and holidays would also include day tour coverage with evenings and nights. Along with swing shifts coverage 6a-2:30p, and 11a-7:30p on weekdays.
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
Telework: This is a remote position
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• 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.
• 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. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's 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 examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

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.)

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, resume, 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 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 five dimensions of nursing: Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development, and Evidence/Based Practice/Research. 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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

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.