Registered Nurse - Primary Care Outpatient Staff

The VA Black Hills Health Care System is seeking a compassionate and motivated Registered Nurse to support Veterans across the continuum of outpatient care in Hot Springs, South Dakota. As a key member of the Primary Care team, you will help Veterans navigate complex healthcare needs while promoting health, independence, and improved quality of life. Specialty nursing falls under Primary Care, and within the Hot Springs Primary Care setting, the nurse will primarily be assigned to Specialty Care. This role carries the expectation that the nurse understands all Primary Care and Specialty Care responsibilities and can provide cross-coverage when needed. Through care coordination, patient education, and chronic disease management, you will play an essential role in advancing Veteran-centered care and achieving positive health outcomes.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Coordinate comprehensive outpatient nursing care for assigned Veteran panels, ensuring timely access, ongoing evaluation, and continuity of care.
• Assess patient needs, develop individualized plans of care, and provide health education, wellness coaching, disease prevention, and chronic disease management services.
• Collaborate with Veterans, families, caregivers, providers, and interdisciplinary team members to support patient-driven care planning and achievement of health goals.
• Guide Veterans through the healthcare system by facilitating referrals, coordinating services, and connecting patients with appropriate community and VA resources.
• Monitor patient progress through follow-up calls, appointments, and care transitions to support safe discharge planning and improved outcomes.
• Assist providers with clinical procedures, including injections, specimen management, dressings, postoperative care, and minor surgical interventions while maintaining sterile technique.
• Support consult management, patient scheduling, secure communications, and coordination of diagnostic testing, laboratory services, and specialty referrals.
• Advocate for Veterans by promoting informed decision-making, resolving care barriers, and contributing to effective, team-based care delivery across Primary Care and Specialty Care settings

• 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.)

• 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.
• 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).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.