Advanced Practice Nurse - Cardiothoracic Surgery

Veterans Health Administration • Seattle, WA

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) Certified Nurse Practitioner (NP) practices in Surgery Service, providing a full range of services that emphasize quality, timeliness, and advancement of the Veterans Affairs (VA) mission. The role provides direct patient care for cardiothoracic surgery patients, including order writing, documentation, admissions, discharges, and indicated procedures. The APN independently manages patients with acute and chronic health conditions, emphasizing health promotion, disease prevention, evidence-based care, and individualized plans to support population health and disease management.

The APN collaborates with an interdisciplinary team, organizes daily work rounds, supports cardiothoracic postoperative care pathways, and provides patient cross-coverage. The position also includes administrative support for team functioning and clinical preceptorship for APN trainees and students affiliated with area universities. The APN orders and interprets tests, prescribes interventions, initiates referrals, educates patients and families, and adjusts care plans to achieve optimal outcomes. The role exemplifies the VA ICARE values: Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence.

The position is scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized.

Requirements

• A post-master's certificate or master's or doctoral degree as a Nurse Practitioner.
• Graduate of a professional nursing school approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by ACEN or CCNE when the program was completed.
• Maintain an active, current, full, and unrestricted APN license to practice as a Nurse Practitioner in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Maintain current basic board certification in an eligible Nurse Practitioner specialty from ANCC, AANPCB, or another nationally recognized certifying body in the area of academic preparation.
• For Nurse Practitioner III qualification, meet the basic education requirement and have one year of specialized APN (NP) experience equivalent to Nurse II.
• English proficiency for direct patient care.
• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Meet applicable pre-employment screening, security investigation, physical evaluation, onboarding, identification, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must meet Selective Service registration requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct patient care, including order writing, documentation, admitting, discharging, and performing indicated procedures.
• Assist with administrative tasks to improve overall team functioning.
• Organize and direct daily work rounds.
• Ensure cardiothoracic postoperative pathway checklist elements and plans of the day are addressed during daily rounds.
• Provide patient cross-coverage to facilitate house staff attendance at educational conferences.
• Serve as a clinical preceptor for APN trainees and students affiliated with area universities.
• Independently manage a panel of patients with acute and chronic health conditions, emphasizing health promotion and disease prevention using evidence-based practice.
• Develop and implement individualized plans to achieve optimal population health and disease management.
• Demonstrate leadership and collaborate with the interdisciplinary team.
• Order and interpret laboratory tests, other tests, and diagnostic studies.
• Prescribe pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions.
• Initiate referrals and consults to specialty services as indicated.
• Provide education to patients and their families.
• Assess and adjust plans of care to achieve optimal outcomes.
• Exemplify the ICARE core values: Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence.

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.
• Federal 401K 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