Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner

Full Job Description

The Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) III Certified Nurse Practitioner (NP) practices in Hospice and Palliative Care (HPC) to provide a full range of services emphasizing quality, timeliness, and the advancement of the Veterans Affairs (VA) mission.

The NP provides advanced clinical practice, consultation, and management.

Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) Basic Requirements Education: A post-master's certificate or master's or doctoral degree as a Nurse Practitioner.

(Applicants pending the completion of educational requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until the education requirements are met.) Must be a 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).

NOTE: Foreign Education.

Graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing programs, the nurse practitioner degree equivalency must be validated through an Agency recognized degree equivalency evaluation agency, such as the International Consultants of Delaware (ICD).

Candidates with equivalent nurse practitioner masters or doctorate level degrees who possess current, full, active, and unrestricted registration and certification will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant appointment.

License - All APN (NPs) must possess and maintain an active, current, full, and unrestricted APN license to practice as an NP in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.

Basic Board Certification - All APN (NPs) must maintain full and current basic board certification in one of the following: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP), Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP), Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP), Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP), or Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (GNP) from one of the following: the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB), or other nationally recognized certifying body in the area in which the Nurse Practitioner is academically prepared.

NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and an APN (NP) assignment that are also 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.

The following Scope, Education and Experience, and Dimension criteria must be met to qualify for Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) III: Scope: Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches to management of complex client care.

Education and Experience Requirement: Meets basic education requirement for an APN (NP) AND one year of specialized APN (NP) experience equivalent to the Nurse II grade level.

Dimension Requirement: APN (Nurse Practitioners) at grade III are expected to meet the following dimension requirements: Clinical Practice.

Influences and models the delivery of evidence- based health care, demonstrating expertise in the ability to manage a patient panel, population, or program. Outcome Focus.

Leads and implements changes that enhance the quality and timeliness of Veteran/patient care applying research and evidence in the delivery of healthcare for patient populations. Leadership.

Initiates and leads interdisciplinary teams informed by structured approaches and processes to improve outcomes that positively impact care for a patient panel, population, or program.

Professional Development. Acquires knowledge and skills, then disseminates acquired information within and/or outside the medical facility. Professionalism/Collegiality.

Initiates and leads interdisciplinary teams developing systems that positively impact outcomes at the panel, population, or program level.

Demonstrates effective communication skills and professional behavior, promoting cooperation and teamwork Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be able to perform all activities of the position without restriction.

This position may involve standing, walking, stooping, bending, reaching, lifting, and turning. The work may involve going up and down flights of stairs. Major Duties:

The ANP is a licensed independent practitioner with advanced education and national certification who provides evidence-based care for a population of patients.

Major duties and responsibilities of the position: Independently manages a panel of patients with acute and chronic health conditions with an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention using evidence-based practice.

Develops and implements an individualized plan to achieve optimal population health and disease management. Demonstrates leadership and works collaboratively with the interdisciplinary team.

Orders and interprets labs, tests, and diagnostic studies. Prescribes pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions. Initiates referrals and consults to specialty services.

Provides education to patients and their families. Provides coverage for all provides within Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC). Participates in rotational On-Call for Community Living Center (CLC).

Exemplifies the ICARE core values of-Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence.

The Nurse Practitioner is a nonsupervisory position and the incumbent will report directly to the CLC Medical Director.

The incumbent is responsible for self-directed performance of the below approved clinical privileges: Assess, diagnose, treat, and manage, monitor, promote health and protect from disease and manage illness and injuries of patients in the outpatient setting.

Assess, stabilize, and determine disposition of patients with emergent conditions consistent with medical staff policy regarding emergency and consultative call services.

Core privileges also include but are not limited to admitting patients the hospital, performing and document history and physical examinations, develop and order plans of care, provide counseling and education to patients, families, and caregivers as appropriate, provide consultation to staff nurses, medical staff and interdisciplinary colleagues, assist staff in the development of innovative, cost effective programs or protocols of care, prescribe legend drugs according to VA regulation and controlled substances within the guidelines of the Federal Controlled Substances Act, prescribe devices, supplies and durable medical equipment, order and interpret diagnostic testing and therapeutic modalities (including but not limited to laboratory tests, EKG, radiological studies hemodynamic monitoring, treatments, IV fluids and electrolytes, oxygen, etc.), order VA specialty consults and initiating requests for non-VA care.

Order ancillary services (including but not limited to pharmacy, physical, occupational and speech therapy, nutrition, prosthetics, etc.), write admission orders, obtain, and document informed consent, implement palliative and end-of-life care (including but not limited to writing life sustaining progress notes and orders, etc.), Wound care to include debridement and simple wound closure, I&D, suture, and suture removal.

Arthrocentesis, Injection into a joint, skin biopsy, cryotherapy of skin lesions, external G-tube extraction/replacement, nasogastric tube extraction, suturing lacerations, I&D of superficial abscesses, PICC Line extraction, Foley Catheter extraction/placement, suprapubic catheter extraction/replacement, extraction of sutures/staples, coude catheter extraction/placement, nail debridement and trimming, Ear Lavage and Cerumen Extraction, D/C JP drain, and placement of life vest.

In addition to Core Extended Care and Rehabilitation Nurse Practitioner Privileges, incumbent will function as an Medical Coverage Provider (MCP).

Incumbent must be BLS-certified to serve as an MCP and will lead and/or participate in codes.

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: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.