Summary

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families - caregivers - and survivors" - 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 whole health care to Veterans?

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/12937620
• 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
• Preferred experience/education: Case Management experience - Master of Science in Nursing degree preferred
• Women's health experience - with strong communication skills highly preferred
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Duties

• The Registered Nurse (RN) Maternity and Fertility Care Coordinator (MFCC) focus is on individual growth and development in practice with increased levels of self-direction
• This nurse brings principles and theory with limited application of critical thinking skills
• Ensures the effective coordination of care between Veterans Affairs (VA) and maternity care providers in the community - and all relevant VA and community specialist providers treating the pregnant Veteran
• Works with the local Office of Integrated Veteran Care (IVC) to collaborate on referrals for care in the community
• Ensures coordination of care among relevant VA providers and the Women Veterans Program Manager (WVPM) and Women's Health Medical Director
• Facilitates coordination of maternity care for pregnant Veterans on inpatient psychiatric units and/or in residential care programs
• Monitors the provision of services and tracking of maternal and fetal outcomes
• Retrieves statistical data on maternity care and utilization at the local VA using Veterans Health Administration (VHA) databases
• The MFCC ensures contact every 8-12 weeks via telephone or VA Video Connect (VVC) - to include 12 months post-partum - while the Veteran is in the care of the VA and VA authorized providers in the community and documents the call(s) in the electronic health record (EHR)
• Informs the Veteran of VA's authority to furnish newborn care and the need for other non-VA payment options (e.g. - Medicaid) to be in place to cover any newborn care required beyond VA's authorization
• Educates the Veteran on local and community resources (e.g. - Women - Infants - and Children (WIC) Program)
• Ensures the Veteran schedules postpartum care with the VA-authorized provider in the community
• Provides the Veteran with information about the VA's process to obtain maternity care and health supplies (e.g. - breast pumps - maternity belts - disposable nursing pads - breast milk storage bags - lanolin cream - intra-uterine devices)
• Ensures that Veterans with positive screening results for depression - Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)/Domestic Violence (DV) - Military Sexual Trauma (MST) - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - and perinatal mental health during their pregnancies or postpartum are referred to the appropriate specialists
• Evaluates care and outcomes to ensure timely and appropriate provision of services
• Advocates for holistic care through Veteran/family education and provider interaction and implements an educational plan to meet the Veteran care needs
• Facilitates coordination of maternity care for pregnant Veterans on inpatient psychiatric units and/or in residential care programs
• The MFCC is responsible for compliance with Directive 1330.03 - Maternity Health Care and Coordination
• The MFCC coordinates and expedites care from diagnosis to treatment
• Analyzes and manages laboratory and radiology results and provides information to the providers
• Utilizes databases to provide population management to track patient care through all episodes of care
• Provides patient management - care coordination - and discharge/disposition planning for inpatient and outpatient settings
• Assists Veterans - family members - and caregivers with receiving the most appropriate options and services to meet their complex health care needs
• 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 - Friday - 8:00 a.m
• - 4:30 p.m
• Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Physical Requirements: The population of male and female Veterans served ranges from the adult - age 18 - to the elderly adult - age 65 and over
• This position requires visual acuity - keen hearing - clear distinctive speech - and manual dexterity
• This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking - standing - stooping - sitting - bending - pulling - and pushing
• Transferring patients and objects may be required
• The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures
• The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations.