Clarification from the agency

United States Citizens NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

The Advanced Practice Nurse-Clinical Nurse Specialist duties include but are not limited to:

• Collaborate with acute care leadership and inpatient units to provide clinical leadership for acute care and critical care nursing staff.
• Develop, coordinate, and provide acute care and critical care unit education programs and activities as appropriate.
• Develop and maintain nursing acute care and critical care standards of practice and serve as the acute care and critical care nursing consultant on acute care and critical care clinical practice.
• Serve as the facility coordinator for the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) critical care online courses/education program Essentials of Critical Care Orientation (ECCO).
• Provide leadership and facilitate evidence-based practice to acute care and critical care employees.
• Mentor acute care and critical care unit nursing staff to develop leadership and preceptor skills.
• Disseminate accreditation standards and ensure staff compliance with The Joint Commission and other regulatory agency requirements.
• Use advance clinical knowledge/judgement to promote staff involvement in planning, decision-making and evaluation outcomes.
• Evaluate current practices and formulate outcomes for groups of patients and/or organizational processes within area of expertise.
• Collaborate with acute care and critical care nursing staff to select and implement performance improvement measures.
• Provide direct and indirect care for patients in the acute care and critical care units.
• Document all direct patient care provided using the electronic health record (EHR), according to unit and facility policies and procedures.
• Serve as a member of VANEOHS shared governance committees, as well as Nursing Service and organization-wide committees to facilitate continuity of care; may serve as chair or co-chair as appropriate.
• Responsible for the oversight and management of all emergency equipment.
• Coordinate with CNS groups to provide orientation and cross-coverage for all inpatient and outpatient care units.

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; 7:30am - 4:00pm, including off shifts as needed
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification 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).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Qualifications

Advanced Practice Nurse (Clinical Nurse Specialist) Basic Requirements

• Education. A post-master's certificate or masters or doctoral degree as a clinical nurse specialist. (Applicants pending the completion of educational requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until the education requirements are met.) Must be a 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)
  • NOTE: Foreign Education. Graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing programs, the CNS degree equivalency must be validated through an Agency recognized degree equivalency evaluation agency, such as the International Consultants of Delaware (ICD). Candidates with equivalent CNS post-masters, masters, or doctorate level degrees who possess current, full, active and unrestricted registration and certification will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant appointment.
• Licensure and Certification. The following licensure and certification requirements are considered conditions of employment.
  • License. All APN (CNSs) must possess and maintain an active, current, full and unrestricted license to practice as a CNS, or equivalent, in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
  • Certification. All APN (CNSs) must maintain full and current board certification in an area of clinical specialty. Certification must be obtained through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), or another nationally recognized certifying body.

NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and an APN (CNS) assignment that are also 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.

The following Scope, Education and Experience, and Dimension criteria must be met to qualify for Advanced Practice Nurse (Clinical Nurse Specialist) II:
Exception to Licensure for Graduate Nurse Technicians. Candidates who otherwise meet the basic requirements, but do not possess the required licensure and/or certification, may be appointed at the entry step of the Nurse II, as a Graduate Nurse Technician Clinical Nurse Specialist on a temporary appointment up to any period not-to-exceed one year and a day under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B)

• Scope: Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others.
• Education and Experience Requirement: Meets basic education requirement for APN (CNS). Nurse II is considered the entry grade level for APN (CNSs); no experience is required.
• Dimension Requirement: APN (CNSs) at grade II are expected to meet the following dimension requirements:
  • Clinical Practice. Delivers evidence-based health care, demonstrating proficiency in the ability to manage a patient panel, population, or program.
  • Outcome Focus. Utilizes research and evidence-based practice to evaluate the patient care delivery system within a patient panel or program, presents findings and contributes to changes that enhance the quality and timeliness of veteran/patient care.
  • Leadership. Works effectively as a leader within a team/unit/group and seeks interdisciplinary collaboration as appropriate to enhance patient care.
  • Professional Development. Acquires knowledge and skills to develop expertise in area of practice.
  • Professionalism/Collegiality. Demonstrates effective communication skills and professional behavior, promoting cooperation and teamwork. Participates in interdisciplinary teams and processes that positively impact patient outcomes.

The following Scope, Education and Experience, and Dimension criteria must be met to qualify for Advanced Practice Nurse (Clinical Nurse Specialist) III:

• Scope: Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches to management of complex client care.
• Education and Experience Requirement: Meets basic education requirement for an APN (CNS) AND One year of specialized APN (CNS) experience equivalent to the Nurse II grade level.
• Dimension Requirement. APN (CNSs) at grade III are expected to meet the following dimension requirements:
  • Clinical Practice. Influences and models the delivery of evidence- based health care, demonstrating expertise in the ability to manage a patient panel, population, or program.
  • Outcome Focus. Leads and implements changes that enhance the quality and timeliness of Veteran/patient care applying research and evidence in the delivery of healthcare for patient populations.
  • Leadership. Initiates and leads interdisciplinary teams informed by structured approaches and processes to improve outcomes that positively impact care for a patient panel, population, or program.
  • Professional Development. Acquires knowledge and skills, then disseminates acquired information within and/or outside the medical facility.
  • Professionalism/Collegiality. Initiates and leads interdisciplinary teams developing systems that positively impact outcomes at the panel, population, or program level. Demonstrates effective communication skills and professional behavior, promoting cooperation and teamwork.

Preferred Experience: 3-5 years of clinical experience in a high-acuity setting such as critical care, ICU, or ED, minimum of 3 years of experience in a leadership or advanced practice role, and current experience educating nursing staff.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical 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 inpatient 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. The incumbent must be mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, 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.

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 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.