Registered Nurse (Surgical Case Manager)

Veterans Health Administration • Loma Linda, CA

11h • Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Nurse (Surgical Case Manager) is accountable for the nursing process when providing or supervising direct patient care. The RN assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, and evaluates care according to surgical and age-related needs, and prepares patients for surgical or medical procedures, including procedures involving sedation or anesthesia. The role coordinates care with a focus on patient education, self-management, customer satisfaction, and collaboration with the interdisciplinary team. The nurse also participates in unit-level quality improvement and customer service initiatives.

In the clinic, the case manager coordinates patient scheduling and clinic operations, triages unscheduled patients, supports care decisions and patient education, and ensures required pre-appointment testing is completed. The role manages incoming consults, coordinates studies and labs, routes patients to appropriate clinics, and discontinues consults with documented rationale.

The case manager maintains patient documentation and correspondence, including paperwork, clinical records, secure messages, and communications with non-VA and inter-facility personnel. The nurse coordinates clinics and provider schedules, schedules pre- and post-operative visits, and ensures follow-up after radiation or chemotherapy. Additional duties include maintaining educational materials and coverage calendars, facilitating orders, resolving scheduling concerns, assisting with incomplete documentation, and participating in unit planning and responses to Congressional issues.

The stated schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; hours may change based on facility needs. Telework is not available, and this is not a virtual position. Physical demands include moderate carrying of 15–44 pounds, pulling, pushing, reaching above the shoulder, walking, standing, repeated bending, and specified visual, hearing, coordination, and hand-use abilities.

Requirements

• Graduate of an approved school of professional nursing accredited by ACEN or CCNE, or meet an applicable education pathway described in the posting.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted professional nurse registration in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia, subject to the stated Graduate Nurse Technician exception.
• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Meet the education and experience requirements for the assigned VA nurse grade and level.
• Meet pre-employment requirements, including applicable background/security investigation, drug screening for testing-designated positions, and physical evaluation.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• U.S. citizenship; non-citizens may be appointed only when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Submit transcripts when relying on education to qualify; foreign education requires the specified equivalency documentation.
• Comply with Selective Service registration requirements for males born after December 31, 1959.

Nice To Haves

• BSN and at least one year of surgical or clinical experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide and supervise direct patient care, applying the nursing process to assess, plan, implement, coordinate, and evaluate care.
• Prepare patients for surgical and medical procedures, including procedures involving sedation and anesthesia.
• Coordinate care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members and participate in unit-level quality improvement and customer service initiatives.
• Remain available in the clinic with nurse practitioners, residents, attending providers, and technicians.
• Schedule patients according to Clinically Indicated Dates (CID) versus Patient Preferred Dates (PPD), overbooking when appropriate per provider order.
• Involve patients and families in care decisions and provide education based on identified needs.
• Triage unscheduled patients and submit consult orders.
• Ensure required pre-appointment labs and studies are completed and reschedule appointments as needed.
• Manage consults within two days using service agreement criteria; ensure required studies and labs are ordered and completed, schedule patients in the appropriate clinic, and discontinue consults with rationale.
• Track patient paperwork, including SDI and FMLA documents; document in CPRS and manage secure messages as appropriate.
• Place inter-facility and NVCC consults for radiation therapy and communicate with non-VA and inter-facility personnel, including sending and receiving patient information by fax and secure email.
• Order and facilitate labs, studies, and medications requested by non-VA healthcare providers.
• Coordinate with clinicians to create schedules and collaborate with the clinic manager to open clinics.
• Adjust clinic grids according to provider availability, provider-to-patient ratios, and patient acuity.
• Respond to ancillary staff questions and concerns about patient care and scheduling.
• Schedule pre-operative and post-operative appointments according to operation dates and provider CID follow-up dates.
• Ensure follow-up care is provided after patients complete radiation or chemotherapy treatment.
• Participate in developing unit goals, standards, protocols, policies, and standard scheduling patterns.
• Retrieve voicemail messages and return calls daily as appropriate.
• Ensure patients receive appropriate pre-appointment paperwork and maintain or develop patient educational materials.
• Create and maintain clinical and surgical provider coverage calendars.
• Enter medications, labs, testing, and supplies needed for appointments.
• Troubleshoot patient scheduling and complaint issues with MSAs.
• Participate in responding to Congressional issues and advise or assist patients with interdisciplinary contact information.
• Review incomplete encounters and notes and assist with their completion.

Benefits

• Competitive salary with 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.
• Federal 401(k), with VA contributions up to 5%.
• 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
• Education Level: Associate degree