Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Qualifications

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/12942413
• 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
• Preferred Experience: Emergency Department and or Urgent Care with Critical Care experience
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Involves considerable amount of standing - walking - stooping - bending - reaching - lifting - and turning
• Requires carrying or lifting of objects weighing up to 50 lbs. - but occasionally may require work that involves pushing or lifting more than 50 pounds and going up and down flights of stairs
• The position requires visual and auditory acuity at a level to provide safe and effective nursing care
• The position requires the nurse to work for periods of time with arms above shoulder level or with neck in a fully flexed or extended position and the ability to physically control or defend against emotionally ill clients
• Requires use of hands for actions such as typing - simple grasping - fine manipulation - and repetitive actions
• Requires the ability to frequently respond to multiple demands and priorities
• Has potential for exposure to infectious diseases - hazardous waste - and chemicals
• Ability to distinguish shades of colors
• Ability to effectively utilize a stethoscope and distinguish breath and heart - and bowel sounds
• Emotional and mental stability - ability to effectively perform the essential functions of the position and respond appropriately in emergency situations.

Duties

• This position functions in Urgent Care within the Specialty Care (Medical) Service of the VA Northern California Health Care System located in Martinez - CA
• The Registered Nurse - Urgent Care utilizes the nursing process to assess patients who present to the Urgent Care
• The Registered Nurse - Urgent Care responsibilities include but are not limited to: performing triage assessments on the patients and classifying them using the Emergency Severity Index (ESI) a five-level UC triage algorithm that provides clinically relevant stratification of patients into five groups from 1 (most urgent) to 5 (least urgent) based on acuity
• The UC RN then executes evidence-based nursing practice actions to care for the patient based on the determined acuity level
• In this capacity - the UC RN is also responsible for the initiation of any standardized orders
• This includes conducting a focused assessment based on the patient's condition - reporting abnormal findings to the UC provider - implementing nursing protocols - providers orders and evaluating the patient's response to all treatments and interventions
• The major duties include - but are not limited to: Establish an effective relationship with the patient and significant others to facilitate the development of the care plan
• Use the nursing process to develop and implement the plan of care: collect appropriate assessment data for each client - determine appropriate nursing diagnoses - identify expected client outcomes - determine the plan of care - implement interventions - and evaluate client outcomes
• Develop assessment and management strategies based on a consideration of the physical - functional - cultural - social - economic - developmental - and spiritual dimensions of human responses to actual and potential problems
• Demonstrate knowledge of the impact of actual or potential illness on the patient's developmental - physical - social - emotional - age - spiritual - economic - vocational - and leisure status
• Coordinate and collaborate with patients - families - communities - and members of the interdisciplinary team in assessing needs - setting goals - planning interventions - providing care - and evaluating outcomes
• Apply the existing body of scientific knowledge in health care to emergency nursing and critical care nursing practice Participate with patients - families - and other health care providers in collaborative decision making that reflects the understanding that care should be culturally sensitive - ethical - legal - informed - compassionate and humane - and within the boundaries of available economic resources
• Educate patients and significant others about measures that promote - maintain - and restore health or promote comfort
• Perform triage assessments on the patients and classifying them using the Emergency Severity Index (ESI) a five-level triage algorithm that provides clinically relevant stratification of patients into five groups from (I most urgent) to 5 (least urgent) on the basis of acuity and resource needs
• 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: Full-Time
• Monday to Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact V21CCOEEDRP@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized