Nurse Practitioner (Mental Health) Job in Sheridan - 98150116 - ZAFVKWMLQTDIE

Job Title:
Nurse Practitioner (Mental Health)

Department:
Department Of Veterans Affairs

Agency:
Veterans Health Administration

Job Announcement Number:
SS-11-455717-NCS

SALARY RANGE:
$62,562.00 - $104,292.00 /year

OPEN PERIOD:
Wednesday, March 30, 2011 to Saturday, December 31, 2011
SERIES & GRADE:VN-0610-00

POSITION INFORMATION:
Full Time Excepted Service Permanent

DUTY LOCATIONS:
1 vacancy - Sheridan, WY

WHO MAY BE CONSIDERED:
United States Citizens

JOB SUMMARY:

Vacancy Identification Number (VIN): 455717

To fulfill President Lincoln's promise – "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" – by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans.

How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans?

The Sheridan VA Medical Center is currently recruiting for a Nurse Practitioner to be assigned to the Mental Health Service.  Experience in Mental Health is preferable.  This position announcement is open until filled.  All qualified applications that have been received will be referred to the Mental Health Service on 04/19/2011.  Additional applications will be referred on a weekly basis, or until a selection has been made.

As a VA professional nurse, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities at your fingertips. Not only is it the largest, most technologically advanced integrated health care system in the nation, but we also provide many other services to Veterans through the Benefits Administration and National Cemeteries.

VA professionals feel good about their careers and their ability to balance work and home life. VA offers generous paid time off and a variety of predictable and flexible scheduling opportunities.  

For more information on the Department of Veterans Affairs, go to http://www.vacareers.va.gov/ .  

KEY REQUIREMENTS:

• U.S. Citizenship
• Full unrestricted Licensure, Certification, or Registration required.
• Must pass pre-employment examination.
• Designated and/or Random Drug Testing required.
• Background and/or Security Investigation required.
• English Language Proficiency required.

Additional Duty Location Info:
1 vacancy - Sheridan, WY

Clinical Responsibilities:

The Scope of Practice of Registered Nurses in all areas of practice and at all levels is defined by the nine dimensions outlined in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G6 and is specified for the APN as follows: Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches in the management of complex patient care.

VHA Directive 2001-082 provides guidance for the establishment of medication-prescribing authority for APN’s.VHA policy is based on the individual’s State licensure, registration or certification and scope of practice statements must identify the individual practitioner’s prescriptive authority.

The APN must maintain successful collaborative relationships (plan) with team members who include other primary care providers, social workers and other health care providers in accordance with the State Board of Nursing.This plan is available at the work site.

The primary patient care area is the Mental Health department at the Sheridan VA Medical Center.The APN’s practice is based on skill, experience, and education and has a direct impact on patient outcomes for the assigned area and the facility as a whole.

Performance criteria for APN's for the area of clinical practice is based upon the American Nurses Association (ANA) Standards of care and Standards of Professional Performance and other national professional organizations.

The APN delivers comprehensive mental health and preventive care services.The APN functions as an expert clinician in the area of specialty, mental health services, but activities may include education, research, and administration.

The APN is directly responsible to the designated manager for administrative functions.In addition, the position requires the APN to successfully collaborate with team members identified in the collaborative plan.The Nurse Executive has oversight for nursing practice issues.

The APN possesses the knowledge and skills necessary in the following areas:

Clinical Practice/Patient Care:Delivers holistic and comprehensive patient focused services as the primary care provider, utilizing the nursing process which includes: Assessment; Diagnosis; Planning; Implementation and Evaluation and modification based upon the response to the plan of care.Serves as primary care provider, prescribing and monitoring the implementation of pharmacological and other methods of management for health promotion.Orders and interprets laboratory tests.Initiates requests for consultation services with other services within VA as well as non-VA

Administrative/Liaison/Consultation/Collaboration:

Serves as mentor/consultant for nurses, and other health care professionals.Identifies and collaborates in the resolution of system issues which hamper the provision of quality patient care.Participates in medical center and nursing committees, or task forces that contribute to the improvement and or provision of healthcare services.

Research/Outcomes Management/Quality Improvement/ Human Rights/Community Development:

Develops outcome measures to monitor the quality/outcomes of services.Incorporates research, analyzes data collected to improve processes.Conducts and utilizes research that contributes to the improvement of patient outcomes.Participates in the development of health care policy locally and within the VA system.Identifies ethical issues and seeks ethical resolutions and advocates for patients and families and assists in obtaining access to care.

Prepares publications/presentations derived from practice, education or research that contributes to the advancement of healthcare.

Education:

Develops, teaches or secures educational materials for population served.Develops and presents informational/educational presentations for peers, communities and other agencies.

Serves as educator, preceptor or mentor for peers and/or students at the work site.Teaches basic, graduate or continuing education programs to health care professionals or the community.

Other Key Responsibility Areas: Customer/Patient Dedication; Communication Skills; Team Work/Collaboration; Change Agent/Motivator and Self-Leadership.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

Citizen of the United States. 

Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate State-accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant:  The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). 

As a Nurse Practitioner, the education requirments designate that a Master's degree from a program accredited by the NLNAC or CCNE is required.  Additionally, a Nurse Practitioner must possess and maintain full and current certification as a Nurse Practitioner from the American Nurses Association or another nationally recognized certifying body (certification must be in the specialty to which the individual is being appointed or selected).

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.  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.

Must be proficient in spoken and written English.

Applicant's education and length of nursing practice (experience) will be considered by a Nurse Professional Standards Board in determining the grade and salary of the applicant selected.   Experience as a RN will be evaluated to determine if the experience is of an acceptable level of quality with regard to the following four dimensions of nursing: Practice, Professional Development, Collaboration and Scientific Inquiry. Each dimension of practice has criteria that demonstrate essential core competencies for VHA Nursing Personnel. The criteria are as follows: Practice: practice, ethics and resource utilization, Professional Development: performance, education/career development, Collaboration; collaboration, collegiality, Scientific Inquiry: quality of care, research.     Education/Experience Requirements: 

• Nurse II - A BSN with approximately 2-3 years of experience, or ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a bachelors degree in a related field and approximately 2-3 years experience or a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 years experience, or a Doctoral degree in nursing or meets basic requirements for appointment and has doctoral degree in a related field with no experience. 
• Nurse III - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN and approximately 2-3 years experience or Doctoral degree in nursing or related field and approximately 2-3 years experience. 

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Reference: VA Handbook 5005/27, Part II, Appendix G-6 NURSE QUALIFICATION STANDARD http://www1.va.gov/vapubs/viewPublication.asp?Pub_ID=464&FType=2

Veterans' Preference:

When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference on their application or résumé. Applicants claiming preference based on service-connected disability, or based on being the spouse or mother of a disabled or deceased Veteran, must complete an SF 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference. Veterans who are still in the service may be granted tentative preference on the basis of information contained in their applications, but they must produce a DD Form 214 or other proof prior to appointment to document entitlement to preference.  For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/veterans.aspx.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Your application, résumé and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.   You may also be evaluated based upon the question responses you provide during a structured interview. In responding to structured interview questions you should be sure to cite specific examples of experience, explain exactly what you did, and the outcome.

BENEFITS:

Working for the Department of Veterans Affairs offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, health benefits, thrift savings plan, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. In addition to traditional "dollars and cents" benefits, we offer a range of benefits to help balance work and life.  For more information please visit us at http://www4.va.gov/JOBS/Job_Benefits/benefits.asp .

OTHER INFORMATION:

This position will be filled on a full-time permanent basis.  Upon completing any required probationary period, the position will be permanent.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. 

HOW TO APPLY:

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button at the right side of this screen to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.

YOU MUST INCLUDE VA FORM 10-2850a IN YOUR APPLICATION PACKAGE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS VACANCY.   You may upload the completed form to your USAJOBS or Application Manager account if you apply online.  Then you can use the uploaded form again and again when applying for future vacancies.  Please see this guide ( http://www.va.gov/OHRM/joblistings/uploading-and-using-documents-online.doc ) for more information on uploading and re-using the form in your applications.  Other required forms and documents can also be saved in your account and used the same way.   Applicants are urged to apply online; this process is much easier and faster.

Note: To return to a previously Saved or Incomplete application, just reapply through your account in USAJOBS.  Check your account ( https://my.usajobs.gov/Login.aspx ) to see the status of your application after applying, including any messages that may have been sent to you.

If you cannot apply online:

1. Click the following link to view and print the occupational questionnaire: View Occupational Questionnaire.
2. Print this 1203FX form to provide your response to the occupational questionnaire: http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/OPM1203fx.pdf .
3. Fax the completed 1203FX form along with all supporting documents to (478)757-3144.  Your 1203FX form must be placed on top of all materials being faxed and will serve as a cover page for your fax transmission.
4. Keep a copy of your fax receipt in case verification is needed.

To fax supporting documents you are unable to upload:

1. Complete this cover page  http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf using the following Vacancy ID: 455717.  You must use this fax cover sheet in order for your documents to be matched with your online application.
2. Fax your documents to (478)757-3144.

The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Saturday, December 31, 2011.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1.CV or Resume.

2.   VA Form 10-2850a - Application for Nurse and Nurse Anesthetist (Available at  http://www.vacareers.va.gov/jobs_download/vha-10-2850a-fill.pdf) (required).

3.Optional Form 306 - Declaration for Federal Employment (Available at http://www.va.gov/vaforms/va/pdf/OF306.pdf).  This is a required form and must be submitted with your application.

4.If prior military service, include all copies of your DD Forms 214 (required).   Applicants claiming preference based on service-connected disability, or based on being the spouse or mother of a disabled or deceased Veteran, must also complete and submit an SF 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference (available at http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf).

5.   If currently employed in the VA system, include latest SF-50 - Notification of Personnel Action. (required).

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

VAMC Human Resources
Phone: (307)675-3517
Email: SHERIDANVAJOBS@VA.GOV Agency Information:
VAMC Sheridan Office
PLEASE DO NOT MAIL/EMAIL APPLICATIONS
APPLY ONLINE OR FAX ONLY
Thank you, WY 82801

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

After we receive your complete application package (including any required documents), your qualifications will be reviewed to decide if you meet the basic requirements.  You will be notified when this decision is made.