Registered Nurse - Community Care (Referral Coordination Team)

Veterans Health Administration • Tucson, AZ

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Referral Coordination Team (RCT) Registered Nurse (RN) is responsible for executing a streamlined approach to receiving, triaging, and directing timely, coordinated care. The RCT 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. The RCT RN uses nursing knowledge and systems theory to assess, organize, facilitate, and guide Veterans through their full range of care options including internal/direct care in Veterans Affairs (VA) and care in the community. The RCT RN 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 RCT RN will triage incoming referrals, discuss available care options, provide scheduling guidance, and be a resource within the service. The RCT 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. RCTs serve as the 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 RCT RN will comply with VA-mandated use of health information solutions that serve to store, exchange, and track referral care information. The RCT nurse will work collaboratively with the Office of Integrated Veteran Care to triage Request for Services (RFS) to promote in­house service access. The RCT 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. Provides peers with informal constructive feedback for improvement. Fosters a safe and supportive environment conducive to the professional development of healthcare professionals. Contributes professional nursing perspective in discussions with the interdisciplinary team. Partners with others to effect change and produce optimal outcomes. Supports colleagues through knowledge sharing to provide safe, quality nursing care. Shares educational findings, experiences, and ideas with peers. Questions clinical practices for the purpose of providing evidence-based care. Participates in activities and strategies to sustain an evidence-based ­practice culture.

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.)
• 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

• An ADN or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional professional nursing required. (for Nurse I, Level I)
• An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 1 ; OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional professional nursing experience required. (for Nurse I, Level II)
• An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I, Level 2; OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I, Level 2; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience; OR a Master's degree in a related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience. (for Nurse I, Level III)
• A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Master's degree in a related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience; OR a Doctoral degree in a related field with a BSN with no additional professional nursing experience. (for Nurse II)
• MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Master's degree in related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in a related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III. (for Nurse III)
• Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees.

Responsibilities

• Executing a streamlined approach to receiving, triaging, and directing timely, coordinated care.
• Using nursing knowledge and systems theory to assess, organize, facilitate, and guide Veterans through their full range of care options including internal/direct care in VA and care in the community.
• Supporting 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.
• Triaging incoming referrals, discussing available care options, providing scheduling guidance, and being a resource within the service.
• Guiding 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.
• Serving as the 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.
• Complying with VA-mandated use of health information solutions that serve to store, exchange, and track referral care information.
• Working collaboratively with the Office of Integrated Veteran Care to triage Request for Services (RFS) to promote in­house service access.
• Utilizing 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.
• Providing peers with informal constructive feedback for improvement.
• Fostering a safe and supportive environment conducive to the professional development of healthcare professionals.
• Contributing professional nursing perspective in discussions with the interdisciplinary team.
• Partnering with others to effect change and produce optimal outcomes.
• Supporting colleagues through knowledge sharing to provide safe, quality nursing care.
• Sharing educational findings, experiences, and ideas with peers.
• Questioning clinical practices for the purpose of providing evidence-based care.
• Participating in activities and strategies to sustain an evidence-based ­practice culture.

Benefits

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
• As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.

What This Job Offers

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