Nurse Practitioner

Company: US Department of Veterans Affairs
Location: Harlingen
Posted on: May 4, 2020

Job Description:

Incentives are not authorized for this position. This vacancy will remain open until filled. The first cut-off date is April 22, 2020. Additional applications will be referred as needed.

The Texas Valley Coastal bend Health Care System is currently recruiting for a Nurse Practitioner. The Nurse Practitioner reports directly to the Chief of HAS administratively, who in turn reports to the Associated Director, and the PUMA clinically, who in turn reports to the Chief of Staff.

The Associate Degree Nursing (ADN), Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSN), or Master of Science degree in Nursing (MSN) must be fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission On Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Verification of accreditation may be obtained from http://www.acenursing.us/accreditedprograms/programsearch.htm or https://directory.ccnecommunity.org/reports/accprog.asp

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• If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.
• If your school was accredited by ACEN or CCNE at the time of graduation, but is no longer listed on the websites, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.
  
  
  If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
  
  IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
  
  The Nurse Practitioner (NP) is an advanced practice nurse who is responsible for identifying and facilitating options and services for meeting patient's health needs while decreasing fragmentation and duplication of care and enhancing quality, cost-effective clinical outcomes. He/she collaborates with internal interdisciplinary team members to initiate referrals and access medical resources. The Nurse Practitioner also interacts with community providers and agencies, Department of Defense stakeholders and other community providers and agencies to identify and coordinate medical services not available through the VA, Texas Valley Coastal Bend Healthcare System. Other duties include:
  
  
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  • Analyzes data and coordinates with the network interdisciplinary team to develop a plan for the appropriate level of care that addresses the patients consult needs.
  • Educates/informs patient on Community Contractor and Community Provider guidelines and scheduled appointment times.
  • Enters consults and makes provision for continuing care with healthcare providers.
  • Applies knowledge of disease management and utilization review and takes the leadership role in using safe, cost effective measures to direct patient consults.
  • Procures and coordinates healthcare resources based on patient need, eligibility and availability.
  • Documents observations, assessments, interventions and outcomes in the patient's medical record.
  • Identifies problem areas for monitoring and evaluation and is active in analyzing findings and changing practice based on quality improvement findings.
  • Serves as an educational resource and provides consultation to other staff on continuing care needs and identification of appropriate resources utilizing evidence based criteria.
  • Uses discretion in confidential matters and leads others in appropriately safeguarding confidential information.
  • Nurse Practitioner recommends ways to improve delivery of healthcare in the community and identifies best practices and projects for process improvement.
  • NP may also work within an VATVCBHCS outpatient clinic, where he/she would be responsible for delivery of outpatient care to patients enrolled in VATVCBHCS. May be assigned duty as an outpatient primary care/specialty provider.
  • Progress notes must be entered within 24 hours of the patient encounter. Timely documentation is necessary in all areas in accordance with departmental policy. All administrative work should be completed in a timely fashion. Prohibited abbreviations should not to be used.
  • Clinical reminders should be addressed as medically appropriate. Quality of care should be able to meet professional standards always. All providers will work within their privileges always, unless necessitated by an emergency.
  • Other duties as assigned.
    
    
    Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
    
    Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
    
    Note: This is a bargaining unit position.
    
    Announcement will be reviewed once a pay-period for applicants.Basic Requirements:
    
    
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    • United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
    • 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.
    • Nurse Practitioners. A nurse practitioner must be licensed or otherwise recognized as a nurse practitioner in a State, possess a master's degree from a program accredited by the NLNAC or CCNE, and maintain full and current certification as a nurse practitioner from the American Nurses Association or another nationally recognized certifying body. [The certification must be in the specialty to which the individual is being appointed or selected.]
    • May have prescriptive authority
      
      
      Preferred Experience: Preferred Experience in Family Medicine /Internal Medicine as an NP for a minimum 3 yrs., Excellent communication skills and customer service, Current BLS certification, Basic Computer skills, Need to pass a physical exam determines by VA Employee health, Expected to see patients in Primary Care 10% of the time and as required by the service, This position requires flexibility in schedule and assignments.
      
      Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade:
      
      
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      • Nurse I Level I - An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional nursing practice/experience required.
      • Nurse I Level II - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 1 year of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a bachelor's degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience; OR a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional nursing practice/experience.
      • Nurse I Level III - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a BSN with approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) or related field with a BSN and no additional nursing practice/experience.
      • Nurse II - A BSN with approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN 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 or related field with BSN 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: Light lifting, under 15 pounds, Reaching above shoulder, Use of fingers, Both hands required, Walking (2 hours), Standing (2 hours), Both legs required, Far vision correctable in 20/20and to 20/40 in the other, Ability to distinguish basic colors, Hearing (aid may be permitted), Mental/Emotional Stability, Ability to perform privileges, Independently performs physical exams as appropriate, Cognitive ability.

Keywords: US Department of Veterans Affairs, Harlingen , Nurse Practitioner, Healthcare , Harlingen, Texas