Registered Nurse-Utilization Management

Veterans Health Administration • Fort Wayne, IN

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Nurse Utilization Management (UM) is responsible for providing competent, evidence-based practices within the position. Uses UM Criteria to perform complicated reviews. The UM RN activities include collecting, analyzing, and reporting data, creating, and providing provider education to a variety of providers, collaborating on ordered level of care and treatments plans, and conducting lnterQual reviews on prospective, observation, admission, and continued stay patients. Responsible for creating and providing education and guidance to internal and external customers of varying education levels on admission and continued stay criteria and best clinical documentation and utilization management practices to ensure efficient resource utilization. The individual will assist in directing the provision of nursing education, orientation, competencies and providing quality improvement and outcomes utilization consultation. Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others on the acute care team. The nurse is a proficient nurse who demonstrates proficiency in decision-making and using the nursing process for complex situations that affect performance outcomes at the point of care. Practice is enhanced through development of collegial relationships. The nurse demonstrates collaboration by using the group process to solve problems and impact Veterans in acute care. The focus is on leadership in strategically planning long-term goals for the UM microsystem that impacts operations or resources. The proficient UM nurse demonstrates critical thinking with efficiency and accuracy in assessing and managing situations.

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).
• 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).
• 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.)
• Visual acuity, keen hearing, clear, distinctive speech, and manual dexterity.
• Long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, kneeling, bending, pulling, and pushing.
• Transferring patients and objects may be required.
• Use of fingers, both hands and near and far vision is required.
• Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment.

Nice To Haves

• An ADN or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional professional nursing required.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Responsibilities

• Collecting, analyzing, and reporting data.
• Creating and providing provider education to a variety of providers.
• Collaborating on ordered level of care and treatments plans.
• Conducting lnterQual reviews on prospective, observation, admission, and continued stay patients.
• Creating and providing education and guidance to internal and external customers of varying education levels on admission and continued stay criteria and best clinical documentation and utilization management practices to ensure efficient resource utilization.
• Assisting in directing the provision of nursing education, orientation, competencies and providing quality improvement and outcomes utilization consultation.
• Demonstrating leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others on the acute care team.
• Demonstrating proficiency in decision-making and using the nursing process for complex situations that affect performance outcomes at the point of care.
• Demonstrating collaboration by using the group process to solve problems and impact Veterans in acute care.
• Strategically planning long-term goals for the UM microsystem that impacts operations or resources.
• Demonstrating critical thinking with efficiency and accuracy in assessing and managing situations.

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