Advanced Practice Nurse - Neurology

Veterans Health Administration • Seattle, WA

22h • Onsite

About The Position

The Neurology Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) provides and coordinates patient care for neurology specialty outpatient clinics. The role requires autonomous clinical decision-making grounded in nursing practice, knowledge of nervous system diseases, and medical genetics where indicated. The APN provides specialty health care services and demonstrates leadership in applying the nursing process, organizational processes, and systems to improve outcomes in the specialty practice setting and at the program or service level.

The position delivers and coordinates care for patients in neurology specialty clinics and for patients involved in special projects across service lines and within the medical center. It also models clinical practice within the clinic, service line, medical center, and community. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; compressed or flexible scheduling is authorized. Telework is not available, and this is not a virtual position.

The role requires a post-master’s certificate or a master’s or doctoral degree as a Nurse Practitioner, graduation from an appropriately accredited professional nursing program, an active and unrestricted APN license, and current basic board certification in an approved Nurse Practitioner specialty. Nurse II is the entry grade and requires no experience beyond the basic requirements. Nurse III requires one year of specialized APN experience equivalent to Nurse II. A temporary Graduate Nurse Technician appointment may be available for otherwise qualified candidates who lack required licensure or certification, for a period not to exceed one year and one day. The preferred background is experience managing Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders.

Requirements

• 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.
• 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, full basic board certification in an approved Nurse Practitioner specialty: FNP, ANP, AGPCNP, ACNP, AGACNP, or GNP, from ANCC, AANPCB, or another nationally recognized certifying body in the area of academic preparation.
• For Nurse III qualification, one year of specialized APN experience equivalent to the Nurse II grade level; Nurse II is the entry level and requires no experience.
• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English for direct patient care.
• U.S. citizenship, except where non-citizens may be appointed under VA policy when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Subject to background/security investigation and, if tentatively selected for a testing-designated position, pre-employment urinalysis.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical evaluation and participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must complete the required online onboarding and application documentation.
• Foreign nursing education must meet applicable degree-equivalency validation requirements.
• For the Nurse II level, demonstrate evidence-based clinical practice, outcome focus, leadership and collaboration, professional development, and professionalism/collegiality.
• For the Nurse III level, demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches to complex client-care management, as well as the applicable clinical practice, outcome focus, leadership, professional development, and professionalism/collegiality dimensions.

Nice To Haves

• Experience managing the special needs of patients with Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders, including knowledge of pharmacotherapy options, non-pharmacologic interventions such as deep brain stimulation, nonmotor symptoms and their treatment, and indications for referral to allied health services.

Responsibilities

• Provide and coordinate patient care for neurology specialty outpatient clinics.
• Lead effective application of the nursing process, organizational processes, and systems to improve outcomes at the program, service, and specialty-practice levels.
• Gather and assess historical information to investigate health problems or health needs.
• Perform neurological examinations.
• Diagnose health problems by interpreting patient history, physical examination findings, and diagnostic test results.
• Develop individualized treatment plans, including health education and pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment.
• Prescribe medications in accordance with appropriate state licensure.
• Evaluate treatment outcomes and modify plans as needed to achieve treatment goals.
• Refer patients for evaluation or treatment of health problems outside the scope of neurology specialty clinic care.
• Direct and coordinate health care services for neurology clinic patients and patients in special projects across service lines and within the medical center.
• Model clinical practice within the clinic setting, service line, medical center, and community.
• Use research and evidence-based practice to evaluate care delivery and contribute to improvements in quality and timeliness.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to improve patient and population outcomes.

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 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