Advanced Practice Nurse - Neurology

Veterans Health Administration • Washington, DC

6h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Neurology Advanced Practice Registered Nurse is a self-starter who develops innovative ways to reach veterans with Spinal Cord Injury/Disorder (SCI/D) who face complex barriers to accessing care. Possible approaches include telemedicine, a home-based SCI/D clinic, and SCI/D group clinics. The role provides advanced assessment and management of patients’ physical and psychosocial needs, as well as their families’ needs. Its scope includes health promotion and maintenance, disease prevention, management of minor acute illness and stable chronic disease, education, community referrals, and interdisciplinary coordination of care.

The nurse independently manages a panel of patients with multiple sclerosis or related conditions, emphasizing diagnosis, treatment, registry management, and evidence-based health promotion. The position also supports SCI/D research and quality improvement, and may involve procedures such as botox injections for spasticity and accessing intrathecal devices. Work is full-time, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Telework is available, but this is not a virtual position. Some travel to regional and national meetings and site visits is required.

Requirements

• Post-master’s certificate, master’s degree, or doctoral degree as a Nurse Practitioner.
• Graduation from a professional nursing school accredited by ACEN or CCNE at the time the program was completed, or qualifying validated foreign education.
• Active, current, full, and unrestricted nurse practitioner license in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Maintain current basic board certification as an FNP, ANP, AGPCNP, ACNP, AGACNP, or GNP from ANCC, AANPCB, or another nationally recognized certifying body in the area of academic preparation.
• For Nurse Practitioner II, meet basic education requirements; no experience is required.
• For Nurse Practitioner III, meet basic education requirements and have one year of specialized APN/NP experience equivalent to Nurse II.
• Demonstrate the applicable grade-level competencies in clinical practice, outcome focus, leadership, professional development, and professionalism/collegiality.
• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English for direct patient care.
• U.S. citizenship, except where VA policy permits appointment of non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Pass a pre-employment physical evaluation and, if selected for a testing-designated position, pre-employment drug screening.
• Meet applicable background/security, identification, onboarding, and Selective Service requirements.
• Participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Meet physical demands associated with advanced practice nursing, including assessment and potentially extended periods of walking, standing, or sitting, moderate lifting, repeated bending, or kneeling.
• Travel to regional and national meetings and site visits as required.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with neurology and spinal cord injury patients.

Responsibilities

• Prescribe pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions.
• Demonstrate leadership and performance that improve care for spinal cord injury and other discipline patients.
• Initiate referrals and consultations to specialty services.
• Consider individual characteristics—including gender and role identification, age, life stage, health, race, culture, socioeconomic status, values, and beliefs—to support each patient in improving health status.
• Independently manage a panel of patients with MS or related conditions, including diagnosis, treatment, registry management, and evidence-based health promotion.
• Administer parenteral medications, including subcutaneous, intramuscular, and intravenous medications, and perform assigned procedures such as botox injections for spasticity and accessing intrathecal devices.
• Complete relevant research training and contribute to SCI/D research and quality improvement initiatives.
• Develop and implement individualized care plans for disease management and prevention.
• Order and interpret imaging, laboratory work, tests, and diagnostic studies.
• Coordinate interdisciplinary patient care and provide staff and patient education, community referrals, and management of minor acute illness and stable chronic disease.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, regular salary increases, and potential performance awards.
• 50 days of paid time off per year: 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and a federal 401(k) with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level