Nurse (Veterans Community Care)

Veterans Health Administration • Boise, ID

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Veteran Community Care (VCC) Registered Nurse (RN) is responsible for executing a streamlined approach to receiving, triaging, and directing timely, coordinated care. The VCC RN possesses intimate knowledge of the internal referral care process, clinical review criteria, utilization management standards, clinical documentation requirements, community care regulations, and Veterans Health Administration (VHA) standards and guidelines. Duties include, but are not limited to: Supports the medical center's mission to improve timely access to care, empower Veterans to make more informed care decisions and ensure eligible Veterans who want to receive care in the community are referred and scheduled into the community. The VCC RN will triage incoming referrals, discuss available care options, provide scheduling guidance, and be a resource within the service. The VCC RN will guide Veterans through their full range of care options including internal/direct care in VA and care in the community utilizing a national standardized triage tool. VCC RN serves as a liaison between ordering or referring VA providers and specialty care services by clinically triaging consults or referrals to confirm the appropriate care is requested and all necessary pre-work and tests are completed. The VCC RN will comply with VA-mandated use of health information solutions that serve to store, exchange, and track referral care information. The VCC RNs will triage Request for Services (RFS) to promote in-house service access. The VCC RN will utilize delegation of authority, if applicable, to function at their highest level of role performance and align high quality care with key performance indicators to ensure business practice standards meet patient care needs. Supports colleagues and other nurses through knowledge sharing to provide safe, quality nursing care. Fosters a safe and supportive environment conducive to the professional development of health care professionals. Evaluates outcomes of evidence-based decisions and practice changes for individuals, groups, and populations. Responsible for the documented outcomes at the program or service level. Program or service level outcomes must be broad and complex and can be demonstrated at any organizational level within a facility.

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.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).
• 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 evaluation.
• 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.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
• 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. Upon achievement of a State license, the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program. (Reference VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G6); OR
• 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.
• Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD).
• 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 (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.)
• 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.

Nice To Haves

• 5 years of clinical experience
• Utilization review experience preferred

Responsibilities

• Triage incoming referrals
• Discuss available care options with Veterans
• Provide scheduling guidance to Veterans
• Serve as a resource within the service
• Guide Veterans through their full range of care options (internal/direct care in VA and community care) using a national standardized triage tool
• Serve as a liaison between ordering/referring VA providers and specialty care services by clinically triaging consults/referrals
• Confirm appropriate care is requested and all necessary pre-work and tests are completed
• Comply with VA-mandated use of health information solutions for storing, exchanging, and tracking referral care information
• Triage Request for Services (RFS) to promote in-house service access
• Utilize delegation of authority to function at the highest level of role performance
• Align high-quality care with key performance indicators to ensure business practice standards meet patient care needs
• Support colleagues and other nurses through knowledge sharing to provide safe, quality nursing care
• Foster a safe and supportive environment conducive to the professional development of health care professionals
• Evaluate outcomes of evidence-based decisions and practice changes for individuals, groups, and populations
• Be responsible for documented outcomes at the program or service level

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Regular salary increases
• Potential for performance awards
• 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting)
• Federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
• 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree