Registered Nurse - Traveling Veteran Coordinator

This job announcement is for a Registered Nurse, Traveling Veteran Coordinator, position with the Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center. Assumes responsibility for the coordination of care for traveling Veterans either vested in another Veterans Affairs (VA) facility and traveling to the local catchment area, or traveling outside of the local catchment area, focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care.

Duties include but not limited to:

• Demonstrates proficiency in decision-making and using the nursing process for complex situations that effect performance outcomes at the point of care.
• Demonstrates collaboration by using the group process to solve problems.
• Focus is on leadership in strategically planning long-term goals for the microsystem (unit, team, or workgroup) that impacts operations or resources.
• Executes leadership that is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for population groups or integrated programs that cross service lines and/or disciplines.
• Works with an adult and geriatric population in the ambulatory care setting, through collaborative strategies and in compliance with Nurse Practice Acts and Medical Center and Department standards.
• Provides communication between Veterans, VA Medical Center staff, providers and community resources, orders labs per established protocols, facilitates Care and service is provided to adult patients, aged 18-85 and older, who have chronic health conditions including hypertension, diabetes, respiratory disease, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, cancer and substance abuse.
• Assigned to coordinate care for Veterans on extended travel with their anticipated or unexpected medical needs and preventing any disruption in their care.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for these Veterans and their families or caregivers and communicates with the health care team while leading complex care coordination and case management efforts.
• Collaborates with the Patient Care Management Module (PCMM) Coordinator to ensure proper assignment of patients when transferring between facilities as well as for Multi-Patient Aligned Care Team assignments.
• Responsible for Coordinating care between the alternate and preferred facilities for traveling Veterans.
• Collaborates with members of the health care team to enhance patient care by developing, supporting and educating providers and nursing staff on the VA's Traveling Veteran Program.
• Makes clinical judgements based upon a synthesis of current research, concepts, principles, theories and outcomes to solve complex problems.
• Understands and promotes both team and disease-based care management to patients assigned to Saginaw VAMC and other VA facilities while Veterans are on travel.
• Collaborates with providers, other members of the health care team, other disciplines to coordinate care including initiating appropriate referrals, communicating ongoing patient status, identifying barriers to care, exploring motivational and adherence issues, evaluating support systems, and examining patterns of over and underutilization of services.

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, Four Days a week, 7:00am-5:30pm, day off to be determined by the supervisor
Compressed: Available
Telework: Available on an as needed basis (Ad-Hoc) as determined by the supervisor
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.)

NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and 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.

Grade Determinations: The following Scope, Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade. The Dimension requirements (Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12981471. Grade/Level Scope Education Nurse I, Level I Delivers fundamental, knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies. An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional professional nursing required. Nurse I, Level II Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex. An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 1 ;OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional professional nursing experience required. Nurse I, Level III Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations. An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I, Level 2; OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I, Level 2; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience. Nurse II Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others. A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with no additional professional nursing experience. Nurse III Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting. MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Master's degree in *related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III. *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees.

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

Physical Requirements:
This clinical position includes a level of physicality normally associated with direct patient care duties performed by nurses for potentially long periods of time. This may include walking, standing, stooping, bending, sitting, reaching, pushing, and pulling. It may include moderate lifting/carrying, not greater than 35 pounds following Safe Patient Handling and Mobility (SPHM) guidelines. Employees are expected to employ proper body mechanics during lifting and seek assistance or use mechanical lifts for weights greater than 35 pounds following Safe Patient Handling Guidelines. Requires adequate vision to accurately perform the assigned duties, distinguish basic colors and assess patients and the environment safely. The position requires the ability to hear at a level to perform the assigned duties, and the use of hearing aids is permitted.