Advanced Practice Registered Nurse - Cardiology

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

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse will function in the Cardiology Clinic and provide care and counseling of persons or in the promotion and maintenance of health and prevention of illness and injury based upon the nursing process which includes systematic date gathering, assessment, appropriate nursing judgement, and evaluation of human responses to actual or potential health problems.

Functions or scope of assigned duties include, but are not limited to: Perform initial history and physical examinations on inpatients and outpatients assigned to the care of the medical team. The initial history and physical exam will be reviewed by the supervising physician. Make rounds on assigned inpatients and write interim progress reports. Develop appropriate medical management plan for cardiology patients under the supervision of the supervising attending physician.

Provide ongoing evaluation of patient care plans. Facilitate discharge plans and write discharge summaries for assigned inpatients. Consult appropriate specialty services when indicated. Order and interpret appropriate routine lab(s), radiological, and diagnostic studies. Perform procedures including EKGs, exercise stress tests. Order and/or give oxygen when indicated.

Start an IV and administer IV fluids and medications when indicated (including pain medications, cardiac medications, and sedatives) after conferring with the supervising physician. Assist physicians in medical procedures or minor surgical procedures as indicated. Obtain informed consent from patients for procedures, such as stress testing. Provide necessary patient education and apply currently accepted preventative health care measures to our patients and/or their families.

Ensure patient medical services/procedures are delivered in a timely manner. Order inpatient medications on the patient's chart to include verbal orders. Initiate and/or expedite requests for consultations, special tests or studies on assigned patients and keep the managing physician apprised of results and progress, to include angiographic studies. Make rounds on assigned patients and write interim progress notes. Routinely monitor anticoagulation therapies and adjust therapies as indicated within desired ranges.

Consider the age of the patient as it relates to his/her ability to understand direction, provide objective self-assessment or any other medical milieu appropriate to the overall treatment plan. Consults with the managing physician for significant acute medical changes that may require therapeutic intervention, e.g., pharmacological, radiological, consultations, surgical, etc. Use clinical video telehealth or video connect to see out-patients remotely.

Preferred: Five (5) experience in Cardiology Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm. Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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