Advanced Practice Registered Nurse - Spinal Cord Injury & Disorder Center

The Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders (SCI/D) Inpatient Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) provides attending provider services to a panel of Veterans and in accordance with licensure privileges, scope of practice or functional statement. They function in a collaborative agreement with the SCI/D Medical Director. Assignment will possibly include outpatient work as well.

The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (SCI/D-ORP) follows a special populations primary care and specialty care cohort for those patients who meet qualifying criteria. Patients may have, but not be limited to, the following: traumatic spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, paraplegia, quadriplegia/tetraplegia, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) as a primary diagnosis as well as medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, pressure injuries, congestive heart failure, traumatic brain injury, and substance use disorders. The SCI/D-ORP is designed to meet the longitudinal primary and specialty care needs of an aging or newly diagnosed Veteran population with complex, chronic, disabling disease.

Duties for this position include, but are not limited to:

• Delivers primary care and specialty care in the home and participates in modes of communication and care delivery including but not limited to, secure messaging, telephone care, view alerts management, shared medical appointments, video telehealth visits, and face-to-face visits.
• Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team and PACT staff to develop personal health care plans that incorporate care management and care coordination appropriate to the Veterans' needs.
• Provides leadership to the team including shared delegation of appropriate care and care processes to appropriate team members.
• Provides evidence-based care and functions as a coordinator of patient care for transitions of care and home care of the spinal cord injured veteran.
• Collaborates with the patient/family and the interdisciplinary care team with the goal to reduce admissions, inpatient days, decrease length of stay, reduce number of urgent care or emergency department visits, and support community reintegration following inpatient rehabilitation or change in residency situation.
• Assesses, plans, implements, coordinates and evaluates the holistic care of patients enrolled in the SCI/D Registry.
• Uses data driven and value-based health care delivery principles with a focus on outcomes to improve population health of those veterans enrolled in the SCI/D home care program, incorporating the developmental stage, gender, cultural and learning needs of patients, adheres to ethical principles and nursing standards in delivering care.
• Other administrative duties

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
Preferred Experience: Minimum 1 year experience as an APRN
Work Schedule: The tour of duty for this position is typically Monday - Friday, 8am - 4:30pm. Additional information may be provided during the interview process.
Telework: Not available

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), 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: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.