As a Primary Care (PC) Provider of a Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) teamlet, the San Juan, Ponce, Arecibo, Ceiba, Guayama, St. Croix and St. Thomas Advance Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), uses the nursing process and evidence-based practice to provide a comprehensive inter-professional, team-based healthcare for a panel of patients under his/her care.

Duties

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. The PC Nurse Practitioner is a member of the interdisciplinary team providing assessment, diagnosis, treatment and follow up care. The PACT Nurse Practitioner role requires advanced knowledge about professional nursing practice, advanced pharmacology, as well as the physical, psychosocial, and cultural aspects as they relate to health and illness behaviors. The PACT Nurse Practitioner provides primary health care to patients with chronic and acute conditions, episodic illness in diverse settings, focusing on health promotion, disease prevention, health maintenance, illness, and disability minimization. Primary health care is the provision of comprehensive, coordinated, continuous, accessible health care service by clinicians. This clinician is accountable for addressing a large majority of health care needs and practicing in the context of family and community in Ambulatory Care. The PACT Nurse Practitioner provides patient and family health education with a focus on self-management, prevention, and wellness, based on the goals established by the provider and the patient. The PACT Nurse Practitioner is prepared in advanced practice across the health continuum, this practice includes independent and interdependent decision-making and direct accountability for clinical judgment and care provided. The incumbent is responsible for entering accurate, complete, timely progress notes for each episode of care in the patient's electronic record. This is accomplished by utilizing the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS), respond to patient telephone calls, inform patients of test/lab results, renew medication prescriptions, give telephone, or e-mail advice to other providers, and administrative duties, if any. The PACT Nurse Practitioner role includes participating in and use of research, development and implementation of health policy, leadership, education, care management and consultation. The Primary Care Nurse Practitioner provides care and counseling of persons and promotes maintenance of health and prevention of illness and injury based upon the nursing process which includes systematic data gathering, assessment and evaluation of human responses to actual or potential health problems through services such as: health education and counseling, provision of care supportive to or restorative of life and wellbeing and prescribing treatment as indicated. The Primary Care Nurse Practitioner has advanced knowledge and skills in the assessment and management of the physical and psychological problems of the population by which he/she serves. Utilizing the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) approach for delivery of services, the Nurse Practitioner will have a Functional Statement which guides their individual practice and is granted full practice authority in accordance with the By-Laws for the Medical Staff. The care delivery for the PACT Nurse Practitioner will be performed in conjunction with the inter-professional team members and includes management of the patients assigned under his/her care and the Nurse Practitioner will provide comprehensive care to meet that patient's needs. This can include but is not limited to assessment of the patient's current condition, the status of any known chronic illness, diagnosis of any new illnesses, and prescribing appropriate treatment and therapies (including medications) in accordance with either his/her functional statement or credentialing authority by the Chief of Staff. The Primary Care PACT Nurse Practitioner is responsible for applying all relevant clinical guidelines when recommending care, and provides recommendations based on these nationally recognized standards. He/she may be required to cover other providers when needed or perform any number of functions as a member of the healthcare team. He/she provides care in a non-judgmental, non-discriminatory manner that is sensitive to the adult or elderly patient and family's diversity, preserving their autonomy, dignity, and rights. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 7:30am to 4:00pm. Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized to a highly qualified candidate and selectee must sign a service agreement prior to entrance on duty (EOD) date for a specified period of service with the VA Caribbean Healthcare System. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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 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 Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). 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 (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Additional requirements for Nurse Practitioners Nurse Practitioners. A nurse practitioner must be licensed or otherwise recognized as a nurse practitioner in a State, possess a master's degree from a program accredited by the NLNAC or CCNE, and maintain full and current certification as a nurse practitioner from the American Nurses Association or another nationally recognized certifying body. Preferred Experience: Proficient in written and spoken Spanish, preferred. Minimum of one (1) year of NP experience in primary care that includes chronic and emergency care, preferred. 2-3 year of nursing practice/experience, preferred. 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 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 year's 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 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience. 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: This position involves lifting, moving and transporting patients, assist with transferring patients from wheelchair to to stretcher or radiology suite table and vice versa. Also assist with transferring patients to wheelchairs and/or may need to escort a patient to other areas. This position involves exposure to blood borne pathogens, fine manipulation, standing, walking, bending, crouching and reaching patients. It requires dealing with the acutely ill, with patients who may display disturbed behaviors, and with stressful situations. Moving patients and weighing patients in excess of 50 kg. or more. Wearing of a respirator may be required at times in the performance of the duties of this position. When required to use respirator, employee cannot have facial hair or any condition that interferes with the face to face piece seal or valve function of the respirator. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address San Juan VA Medical Center 10 Calle Casia San Juan, PR 00921 US
• Name: Luis Burgos-Pena
• Email: [email protected]