Hybrid Registered Nurse - Pre-Admission Testing bei Department of Veterans Affairs

Registered Nurse - Pre-Admission Testing

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania

Salary Range: $61612 - $115108 Per Year

Job Summary: Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills, and technically competent practice while providing care to surgical patients. Assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, and evaluates care based on specific surgical components. Provides comprehensive, professional, and personalized preparation of patients prior to surgical and/or medical procedures, to include patients scheduled to receive sedation and anesthesia care in the surgical setting.

Major Duties:

• Focuses on preparing the patient/family/significant other for his or her experience throughout the peri-anesthesia experience. Interviewing and assessment techniques are used to identify potential or actual problems that may occur. Patient evaluation should integrate necessary testing, access to consultative services and thorough patient education to properly prepare the patient for surgery. The pre-anesthesia nursing assessment identifies patients who are not fit for surgery, thereby preventing unnecessary cancellations. This complex role requires exceptional customer service, communication and organizational skills. The PAT RN considers all characteristics of the individual, including sex and sex role identification, age and life stage, state of health, race and culture, socio-economic status and previous experience with similar events, in order to assist each Veteran and to identify and meet their basic health needs. S/he demonstrates clinical competencies for the area under his/her management. S/he demonstrates an understanding of patient rights, policies relating to patient rights i.e. Advanced Directives, DNR and patient confidentiality. The Preoperative Case Management Tool (POCM) or equivalent is utilized to manage patients that have seen the surgeon but require further management before they can be scheduled for a surgery/procedure. The PAT RN in conjunction with anesthesia and mid-level PAT personnel manages the POCM tool to determine if the patient is a candidate for surgery. He/she is responsible for demonstrating and maintaining full competency in the use and pre-treatment of reusable medical equipment. The employee must ensure that the appropriate Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and manufacturer's instructions are followed for any step in the use and pre-treatment of RME in which he/she is involved. The PAT RN promotes safe patient care by initiating active patient identification with every patient and does not use passive confirmation. The patient's full legal name, including middle name, and full Social Security number privately requested by verbal response for each care encounter and compared to the electronic medical record. In situations where the patient cannot provide correct responses themselves, family members, legal guardians, or conservators verbally provide the patient's identifiers. The PAT RN functions within a nursing process framework for problem-solving and care facilitation: assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Job duties are focused on achieving optimum mental and physical health and illness prevention. This RN is expected to perform data collection and analysis for the purpose of improving care to patient groups, maximizing utilization of resources and enhancing the surgical program. The PAT RN is directly responsible to the designated Nurse Manager and functions to provide, direct, and supervise the delivery of quality nursing care to veteran patients. The PAT RN possesses the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively apply all aspects of the nursing process within a collaborative, interdisciplinary practice setting. This broad-based clinical knowledge enables the PAT RN to effectively implement health promotion and prevention interventions, manage acute and chronic states, assist veterans in the attainment of their optimal levels of health and functioning, and provide supportive measures as indicated for veterans and their significant others. The PAT RN successfully performs activities appropriate to his/her grade as outlined in the Nurse Qualification Standards. These standards identify the educational, experiential and competency requirements for the Registered Nurse at each grade. Performs other duties as assigned. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory Work Schedule: 6:30am to 3:00pm, Monday thru Friday Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications: Basic Requirements: 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. Grade Determinations: The following Scope, Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade. The Dimension requirements (Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12764139. Grade/Level Scope Education Nurse I, Level I Delivers fundamental, knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies. An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional professional nursing required. Nurse I, Level II Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex. 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. Nurse I, Level III Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations. 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. Nurse II Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others. 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. Nurse III Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting. 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. *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: This clinical position includes a level of physicality normally associated with direct patient care duties performed by nurses such as potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, sitting, moderate lifting, repeated bending, or kneeling. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.

How to Apply: All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 07/22/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12764139. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Application Deadline: 2025-07-22