Registered Nurse - VISN 23 Home And Community Based Services Program IDT

Home And Community Based Services Program Registered Nurse

The Home and Community Based Services Program Registered Nurse is a member of the interdisciplinary team responsible for providing centralized, standardized, administrative and clinical eligibility reviews for authorization of purchased in home services. Works in partnership with facility HCBS teams to ensure Veterans receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Responsibilities include:

• Utilizes knowledge of VISN 23 HCBS and VA program to match Veteran level of functioning with appropriate internal and external services, ensuring patient safety, recovery, and continuity of care.
• Applies advanced nursing clinical knowledge and judgment to engage in planning, decision-making, and evaluating VISN 23 HCBS program eligibility.
• Systematically evaluates current practices and formulates outcomes for patient groups and organizational processes within the area of expertise.
• Collaborates with interprofessional team members at VISN and facility levels to ensure consistent services, objective eligibility determinations and service delivery with clear documentation and communication.
• Works with VISN 23 HCBS IDT members to develop and implement strategies for program eligibility, service delivery, location, level of care discharge planning, appeals process, and performance improvement.
• Conducts comprehensive clinical reviews of patient records to identify the need for personal care services and/or the presence of supervision or protection needs daily.
• Demonstrates leadership, experience, and innovative approaches in managing complex Veteran care.
• Assists with the implementation of the MISSION Act as it relates to VISN 23 HCBS program expansion.
• Makes initial eligibility determinations, reassessments, and appeal decisions for clinical eligibility determinations.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities include:

• Advanced skill in the application of the nursing process in the complex review and care planning for home and community-based services.
• Expert nursing experience/practice: clinical assessment, judgment, treatment, coordination, and collaboration with various VA and non-VA departments, community agencies, and healthcare providers to ensure positive Veteran outcomes.
• Meets the Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development, and Evidence Based Practice/Research nursing dimensions.
• Makes recommendations and referrals to other medical specialties/services as needs and are identified during ongoing assessment of this complex patient population.
• Maintains flexibility of schedule to allow for unscheduled events, Veteran/team consultation, and mentoring.
• Maintains consistent and timely documentation of clinical work in the electronic medical record in accordance with accepted program, facility, professional, and nursing service policies and procedures.
• Shares knowledge and expertise about the scope of nursing practice and services provided across VISN 23.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package:

• 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 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. CST
• Telework: Telework, if approved, will be on an Ad-Hoc basis only
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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 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.

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.
• 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.
• 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.

Preferred Qualifications:

• MSN Geriatrics, Home Healthcare Experience preferred
• VA community care/HBPC experience and interdisciplinary team experience is preferred

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.

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.

Education Additional Information:

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.