Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Qualifications Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
English Language Proficiency
In accordance with 38 U.S.C
7402(d), 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 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)
The approving official may authorize a waiver of the requirement for ACEN or CCNE accreditation of any degree in nursing provided the college or university has regional accreditation from an accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education at the time of the candidate's graduation and the composite qualifications of the applicant warrant such consideration
In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing
OR The completion of coursework equivalent to a nursing degree in a MSN Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration constitutes the completion of an approved course of study of professional nursing
Students should submit the certificate of professional nursing to sit for the NCLEX to the VA along with a copy of the MSN transcript
(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
Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (ie, Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia
Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade: Nurse I Level I - An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional nursing practice/experience required
Nurse I Level II - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 1 year of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a bachelor's degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience; OR a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional nursing practice/experience
Nurse I Level III - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a BSN with approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) or related field with a BSN and no additional nursing practice/experience
Nurse II - A BSN with approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing or meets basic requirements for appointment and has doctoral degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience required
Nurse III - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience
Note regarding MSN degrees: If your MSN was obtained via a Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration, a BSN is not required
Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-6 Nurse Qualification Standard
This can be found in the local Human Resources Office
Physical Requirements: All applicants must be physically able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position
A pre-placement physical examination shall be completed prior to appointment.

Duties "VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards This is an open continuous announcement until December 27, 2024.
Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available.
Duties include, but are not limited to: Responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing and/or supervising direct patient care Assesses, plans, implements and evaluates care based on age-specific components Assumes responsibility for the coordination of care focused on patient transition through the continuum of care, patient and family education, patient self-management after discharge, and supporting factors that impact customer satisfaction Considers all characteristics of the individual, including age and life stages, state of health, race and culture, values, and previous experiences Administers medications and procedures per established policies and guidelines Influences care outcomes by collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team.
Core elements of performance include knowledge and active participation in unit/program level quality improvement processes and initiatives as well as customer service programs.
This position is 100% direct patient care.
Work Schedule: Full-Time, Part-time and Intermittent Schedules Available Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be Authorized EDRP Authorized: May Be Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Notifications: This is a Bargaining Unit Position This position is in the Excepted Service The Professional Standards Board (a peer-review group) will recommend the grade and salary for new appointments based on the candidate's education and experience.
For internal selectees being promoted, the board will determine grade and HR will determine step in accordance with policy 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 VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards"