The Palliative & Hospice Care Nurse works closely with the Palliative & Hospice Care Program Manager and serves as backup for her/him. The nurse works with the Palliative Care team and provides appropriate care for Veterans ranging in age from 18 through the geriatric years, taking into consideration diagnoses and physical, psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural needs.

Duties

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 29. 2023 or until vacancy is filled. The first group of eligible applicants will be reviewed August 23, 2023. Subsequent reviews will be conducted as needed until position is filled. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Major Duties include, but are not limited to: The Palliative & Hospice Care Nurse provides high quality care including treatment of symptoms at the end of life through the coordination and integration of various nursing, medical and complementary interventions. The nurse demonstrates, promotes, creates and ensures a culturally diverse workforce in which the values and needs of all individuals are respected, and provides an environment that fosters employees to perform to their full individual potential. Responsibilities include coordination of the efforts of the multiple disciplines involved in caring for patients at the end of life (including inpatient hospice patients), and with the Palliative Care Consult Team (PCCT). Serves as a consultant and resource person; is involved in educational programs for other nurses, and nursing students. Assists in setting up Palliative Care and Hospice consults and family meetings, and phone calls to Veterans and/or their family before and after consults. The nurse helps develop educational materials for faculty, residents, and other trainees in conjunction with palliative care team, and helps develop educational materials for patients and families with regards to palliative and hospice care issues in conjunction with the palliative care team. The Palliative & Hospice Care Nurse serves as the back-up nurse for VA Coordinated Transition Care (C-TraC) program when needed. Demonstrates creative approaches to the management of palliative and/or hospice care patients. Screens patients for medical necessity, and provides appropriate care for veterans, taking into consideration their diagnosis, and physical, psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural needs. Other clinical duties as assigned by the Chief of GEC. 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, 07:30 to 1600 Compressed: Available, at Management Discretion Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Recruitment Incentives: May be Authorized Relocation Incentive: NOT Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not 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 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. 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. Preferred Experience: Experience in Geriatrics, Palliative & Hospice Care. Requires experience and autonomy caring for complex veteran populations. Requires experience working with an interdisciplinary team. Prefer 5 years RN experience to include 2 years of Hospice and/or Palliative Care experience. Prefer experience working and teaching colleagues and students. 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 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 years 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 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 years 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. Physical Requirements: 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. Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations, operative/invasive procedures, or home settings. 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, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment. The incumbent who provides care in home settings or other off-site locations may be required to drive and/or ride in GSA-vehicles.

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 VA Western Colorado Health Care System 2121 North Avenue Grand Junction, CO 81501 US
• Name: Mirasol Smith
• Phone: 708-202-8665
• Email: [email protected]