Registered Nurse-Implant Coordinator

Veterans Health Administration • Fort Wayne, IN

34d • Onsite

About The Position

Responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing and/or supervising direct patient care. Assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, and evaluates implants for use as indicated. Communicates effectively with healthcare member, vendors, and patients to ensure continuity of care within the Veterans Affairs Health Care System. Assumes responsibility for the coordination of care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction.

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/examination.
• 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

• Tracking biological and non-biological implants, maintaining inventory and consignment agreements, documenting implants in EHR; Coordinating procurement, replacement, billing, storage, and monitoring and collaborating with clinical, supply, prosthetic and interdisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Providing competent, evidence-based care to assigned patients.
• Responsiveness to patients and provider's requests and ensuring customer satisfaction which reflects an understanding of implants and tissue processes.
• Overall management and oversight of implant and tissue inventory, stocking, supply and implant and tissue program for the entire facility.
• Ensuring that VA and Veterans Health Administration (VHA) policies governing the management of implants are followed.
• Implementing a system (manual or automated) for tracking and storing all biological implants, from vendor or distributor to the recipient at implantation and that all necessary staff have access to local training on the system.
• Coordinating all aspects of implant management by working with Supply Chain Management (SCM), Prosthetic and Sensory Aid Service (PSAS), Sterile Processing Service (SPS), the Contracting Officer (CO), and other clinical areas using implants.
• Ensuring biological and non-biological implants are entered into the electronic health record (EHR) by clinical service personnel upon implantation.
• Reconciling implants used with VA-owned inventory and vendor consignment stock or list by ensuring that adequate stock is available.
• Coordinating with all applicable services to ensure implant availability, input of consults, replacement of used stock and payment for used stock.
• Assisting respective clinical service in developing all requirements and documents needed for consignment agreements.
• Reporting any known issues with consigned inventory, such as expired implants or inadequate inventory levels.
• Monitoring the processing of PSAS consults to ensure the timely procurement of needed implants and/or the payment for or replacement of used implants.
• Assisting with staffing providing a wide variety of highly specialized direct and indirect patient care in the intensive care settings within the pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative phases of intervention.
• Validating understanding of the rationale for care processes and decisions.
• Questioning clinical practices for the purpose of providing evidence-based care.
• Demonstrating the ability to cope with and manage competing priorities while displaying competence in practice and decision-making, deliberate planning, and critical thinking skills.
• Supporting colleagues through knowledge sharing to provide safe, quality nursing care.
• Sharing educational findings, experiences, and ideas with peers.

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) and 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