Advanced Practice Nurse, Certified Nurse Practitioner - Hematology & Oncology

The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System is recruiting for an Advanced Practice Nurse, Certified Nurse Practitioner - Hematology & Oncology. The Advanced Practice Nurse, Certified Nurse Practitioner - Hematology & Oncology will function in Medicine Service.

Major Duties:

• Provide comprehensive clinical management for benign classical hematologic conditions, including evaluation, diagnosis, treatment planning, and longitudinal follow-up for anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, coagulation disorders, iron disorders, and other non-malignant hematologic diseases.
• Deliver cancer survivorship care, including surveillance for recurrence, identification and management of late/long-term effects, psychosocial support, preventive health strategies, and transition planning across survivorship phases.
• Participate in shared-care management with supervising physicians for select solid tumor and malignant hematology patients, including interval assessments, review of diagnostic studies, collaborative treatment discussions, and continuity-of-care responsibilities.
• Conduct independent clinic visits, obtaining histories, performing targeted physical examinations, interpreting laboratory and imaging results, initiating evidence-based diagnostic workups, and formulating management plans within approved clinical privileges.
• Provide comprehensive management for patients receiving active oncology or hematology treatment, including monitoring treatment response, reviewing labs and imaging, assessing tolerance, adjusting supportive-care interventions, coordinating follow-up, and ensuring safe continuity of care.
• Perform thorough toxicity and side-effect assessments for systemic therapies (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted agents), applying evidence-based guidelines to classify severity, initiate diagnostics or supportive interventions, and escalate care when appropriate.
• Coordinate interdisciplinary care with physicians, nursing, pharmacy, nutrition, social work, survivorship services, and other specialty teams to provide integrated care across the Hematology/Oncology continuum.
• Participate in tumor boards, multidisciplinary case conferences, and team meetings, presenting cases and contributing to collaborative management plans.
• Provide clear, culturally sensitive patient and family education regarding diagnoses, treatment options, survivorship expectations, toxicity management, and self-care strategies.
• Ensure timely follow-up, including triage of patient messages, prescription management, reviewing external records, responding to clinical inquiries, and coordinating diagnostic follow-up.
• Document all clinical encounters clearly and accurately within the electronic medical record, adhering to all VHA policies, facility standards, regulatory requirements, and clinical-privilege parameters.

Medicine Service Universal NP Functional Statement Duties:

• Independently manages a panel of patients with acute and chronic health conditions, emphasizing health promotion and disease prevention using evidence-based practice.
• Develops and implements individualized plans to achieve optimal population health and disease management.
• Demonstrates leadership and works collaboratively within the interdisciplinary team.
• Orders and interprets labs, tests, and diagnostic studies.
• Prescribes pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions in alignment with clinical privileges.
• Initiates referrals and consults to specialty services as clinically indicated.
• Provides education to Veterans and their families.
• Assesses and adjusts the plan of care as needed to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
• Exemplifies ICARE core values - Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence.

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, 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) Basic Requirements

• Education: A post-master's certificate or master's or doctoral degree as a Nurse Practitioner. (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 nurse practitioner degree equivalency must be validated through an Agency recognized degree equivalency evaluation agency, such as the International Consultants of Delaware (ICD). Candidates with equivalent nurse practitioner 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.
• License - All APN (NPs) must possess and maintain an active, current, full, and unrestricted APN license to practice as an NP in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
• Basic Board Certification - All APN (NPs) must maintain full and current basic board certification in one of the following: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP), Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP), Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP), Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP), or Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (GNP) from one of the following: the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB), or other nationally recognized certifying body in the area in which the Nurse Practitioner is academically prepared.

NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and an APN (NP) 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 (Nurse Practitioner) 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 - Nurse Practitioner on a temporary appointment up to any period not-to-exceed one year and a day under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 405(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 (NP). Nurse II is considered the entry grade level for APN (NPs); no experience is required.
• Dimension Requirement: APNs (NPs) at level 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 (Nurse Practitioner) 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 (NP) AND one year of specialized APN (NP) experience equivalent to the Nurse II grade level.
• Dimension Requirement: APN (Nurse Practitioners) 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

Physical Requirements: This position includes a level of physicality normally associated with duties performed by advanced practice nurses such as physical assessment, and potentially long periods of walking, standing, sitting, moderate lifting, repeated bending, or kneeling. Examples may include but are not limited to:

• Significant amounts of time standing assisting patients
• Utilization of safe patient handling and mobility protocols

Preferred Experience:

• Bone marrow biopsy and aspiration competency (preferred): Includes pre-procedure evaluation, informed consent, sterile technique, specimen handling, post-procedure monitoring, and communication of results.
• Minimum two (2) years inpatient and/or outpatient hematology/oncology patient-care experience, demonstrating independent management of Hem/Onc patients, familiarity with multidisciplinary care workflows, and comfort with longitudinal care complexity.
• Advanced oncology nursing certification (e.g., AOCNP - Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner), or equivalent specialty certification.
• Demonstrated skill in independently managing hematology and oncology patients, including triage, symptom management, coordination of care, and clinical decision-making.