The Employee Occupational Health (EOH) Nurse Practitioner (NP) is assigned to the Clinical Directorate of Medicine at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC) in North Chicago, Illinois. FHCC is a VA and DoD dually integrated healthcare center providing care services to Veterans, Active-Duty Military Personnel, and their beneficiaries, including outpatient pediatric services.

Duties

The Employee Occupational Health NP is a professional nurse with advanced clinical knowledge and competence to function in a variety of roles. The Employee Occupational Health NP evaluates the interactions between employees' work and health in the workplace. With administrative oversight by the EOH Service Chief/Department Head, the Employee Occupational Health NP provides health care services and consultation to VA civilian employees, VA paid residents, fellow, and volunteers of the FHCC facility. The Employee Occupational Health NP holds clinical privileges and practices in collaboration with the Occupational Health Physician and the Occupational Health (OH) team. The incumbent possesses a general knowledge of the work environment, including worksite operations; familiarity with the toxic properties of materials used by the employees as well as the potential hazards and stressors of work processes and jobs or tasks. Major Duties and Responsibilities Conducts a comprehensive assessment to determine patient's nature and degree of health care problems. Assesses and interprets patient data, differentiating between normal and abnormal findings, formulating differential diagnoses. Develops appropriate diagnosis and treatment plans. Prescribes and performs selected laboratory and other diagnostic tests, treatment, referrals, and consultations deemed pertinent as defined in the individual clinical privileges. Participates in management of patients with acute and chronic diseases of other health problems, as well as preventive health when appropriate. Through health teaching, increases patient and family understanding of disease processes, self-care and treatment plan. Ensures instruction to the patient based on identified learning needs. Assesses patient health status expectations. Reviews patient management with the physician preceptors and/or Occupational Medicine Physician as appropriate. Coordinate patient appointments and procedural instructions, follow-up and report test results to the appropriate providers. Maintains up-to-date records in the Federal Electronic Health Record (FEHR), of all patient interactions to document care provided and facilitates intervention of various other health care providers. Collaborates with the Occupational Health Physician and Occupational Health team to improve efficiency of the clinic and manage both work-related, and non?work related medical problems that affect the employees safety or ability to perform their job. Participates in frequent Occupational Health clinic team huddles and other team or committee meetings. Contributes to a supportive and healthy work environment. Serves as a committee chair, board member, or task force member. Collaborates with the health care team and other providers within and outside the clinic to ensure continuity of the patient's care through all health care settings. Promotes effective communication among health care team members and patients. Integrates regulatory recommendations into a single plan of care. Develops collaborative relationships with other services and commands to facilitate and support quality care. Demonstrates a leadership role in Occupational Health care that includes innovation, consultation, advocacy, accountability and responsibility for improved Occupational Health services. Participates in Performance Evaluation and Improvement (PE & I) activities in Occupational Health by evaluating patient care systems that may include standards, protocols, and documentation for efficiency, safety, and quality (i.e., standards by Joint Commission, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, etc.). Plans care based on patient needs and health care needs. Utilizes nursing interpretations to alert physicians to significant changes or abnormalities and provide medical information about the patient's condition, medical history and specialized treatment plan or protocol to other professionals. Applies critical thinking and analytical skills to identify barriers for care delivery. Utilizes creativity and innovation and recommends changes that will improve patient care and/or clinic efficiency, or decrease costs associated with care delivery. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm cst Telework: Not available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. EDRP Authorized: Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance at [email protected]. Learn more. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

Requirements

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. 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. Master's or Doctoral Degree from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing or the Commission (ACEN-Formerly NCLAC) or the Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). 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. Nurse Practitioners must be licensed or otherwise recognized as a nurse practitioner in a State and maintain full and current certification as a nurse practitioner from the American Nurses Association or another nationally recognized certifying body. The certification must be in the specialty to which the individual is being appointed or selected. Preferred Experience and Certifications Have a Master's Degree from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE); Have at least two (2) years of increasingly complex NP/RN nursing practice; Be currently certified in Basic Life Support (BLS); Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification is preferred. Be proficient in the written and spoken use of the English Language. Board certification in Occupational Health Nursing (COHN) is 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 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. 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. Working Conditions: To perform in a fully successful manner, the individual must have the physical ability to perform the following job-related duties: moderate lifting (minimum of25 pounds); light carrying (under 15 pounds); reaching; use of all fingers; use of both hands; walking (up to 6 hours); standing (up to 6 hours); climbing stairs; use of both legs; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; use of both eyes; ability to distinguish basic colors; and ability to distinguish shades of colors. A health examination must be successfully completed prior to this assignment and periodically thereafter as required by the Employee Occupational Health Clinic policy. There will be intermittent exposure to blood and body fluids.

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/.

IMPORTANT: 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.

IMPORTANT: For foreign education equivalency the only certifying body the VA recognizes is CGFNS and its' subsidiary, International Consultants of Delaware (ICD). Without certification of BSN-equivalency, the VA can only consider the degree at the associates level and pay will be determined accordingly.

Contacts

• Address Captain James A Lovell Federal Health Care Center 3001 Green Bay Road North Chicago, IL 60064 US
• Name: Antionette Sneed-Clay
• Email: [email protected]