Neurosurgery - Nurse Practitioner APN

The Neurosurgery Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) is a licensed independent practitioner who provides comprehensive, evidence-based care to Veterans with neurosurgical conditions across outpatient and inpatient settings. Working collaboratively with neurosurgeons, neurologists, and other healthcare professionals, the NP provides advanced clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment, consultation, and ongoing management of patients, including those requiring surgical intervention.

Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Performs comprehensive neurosurgical evaluations, establishes diagnoses, develops individualized treatment plans, and provides ongoing outpatient management of patients with acute and chronic neurosurgical conditions.
• Orders and interprets diagnostic tests, including advanced imaging studies, and adjusts treatment plans based on clinical findings and patient response.
• Evaluates outpatient referrals, completes electronic consultations (eConsults), and determines appropriate follow-up and specialty care needs.
• Provides inpatient and Emergency Department consultations for patients requiring neurosurgical evaluation and management.
• Performs preoperative and postoperative assessments, provides wound care, and manages postoperative recovery and complications.
• Coordinates surgical scheduling, preoperative testing, and patient optimization to ensure readiness for surgery.
• Admits postoperative patients, manages inpatient care, and completes discharge summaries and related clinical documentation.
• Performs clinical procedures independently within approved clinical privileges.
• Collaborates with neurosurgeons and other specialists to coordinate care and ensure continuity across outpatient and inpatient settings.
• Educates patients and families regarding neurosurgical conditions, treatment options, surgical procedures, recovery, and ongoing care needs.
• Monitors patient progress, evaluates treatment effectiveness, and modifies plans of care to optimize patient outcomes.
• Completes disability-related documentation and other required clinical paperwork, as appropriate.
• Exemplifies VA ICARE core values of Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence.

• 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 and Certification:
  • 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 Certification. All APN (NPs) must maintain full and current board certification in from one of the following: the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB), Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACPN) or adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) or other nationally recognized certifying body in the area in which the Nurse Practitioner is academically prepared.

• Scope. Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others.
• Education and Experience Requirement. Meets basic education requirement for APN (CNS). 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.

• 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. APNs (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.

• 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.
• English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• 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 evaluation/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.