The nurse in this role does not do direct patient care. The incumbent practices as an RN on the Referral Coordination Team (RCT) at the Eastern Colorado Health Care System under the direction of the RCT Nurse Manager. The RN will triage internal specialty consults and review patient community care eligibility and medical necessity of services requested. Incumbent works in a multidisciplinary team to coordinate internal specialty care consults.

Duties

The incumbent practices as a Registered Nurse (RN) on the Referral Coordination Team (RCT) at the Eastern Colorado Health Care System under the direction of the RCT Nurse Manager. The RN will triage internal specialty consults and review patient community care eligibility and medical necessity of services requested. Incumbent works in a multidisciplinary team to coordinate internal specialty care consults. Incumbent is authorized to telework and will be reviewed annually in accordance with agency policy. The RN will: 1) apply the nursing process to systems or processes to improve care; 2) demonstrate leadership by involving others in improving care; 3) support and enhance client self-determination; 4) serve as a resource for clients and staff in resolving ethical issues; 5) identify and assesses resource utilization and safety issues, take appropriate action; 6) acquire knowledge and skills to maintain expertise in areas of practice; 7) participate in educational activities to improve clinical knowledge and enhance role performance; 8) evaluate practice of self and others using professional standards, relevant statutes, and regulations, and take action to improve performance; 9) use the group process to identify, analyze, and resolve care problems; 10) educate colleagues and/or students and serve as a preceptor and/or mentor; 11) initiate/participate in quality improvement activities that result in improved outcomes; 12) use a body of research to validate and/or change work group practice. Specific duties include, but are not limited to: Triages and applies a collaborative team approach in identifying, analyzing, optimizing utilization of VHA/ECHCS resources. 2. Provide clinical knowledge and act as a clinical resource to non-clinical multidisciplinary staff. 3. Educate providers on medical management processes. 4. Communicates with Veterans on their health care options via phone including local VA, other VA Medical Centers and community based eligibility. 5. Works closely with other VA Medical Centers, contracted facilities and community facilities to remove obstacles that would impede the Veteran from utilizing the services of other VA medical centers. 6. Outpatient specialty clinic care coordination and patient flow management, including appointment management. 7. Collaborates with clinic staff to ensure patients are given timely appointments and expedite new patient consults. 8. Reviews internal and/or community care referrals for medical necessity of requested services using clinical judgement. 9. Redirection of ECHCS enrollees into VHA network. 10.Collaborates referral services and consultant services to assist in a collaborative creation of care coordination agreements (service agreements). 11.Educates staff on care modality options to include tele-health or e-consults. 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: Tour of duty will be Monday - Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30pm. Compressed/Flexible: Available. Virtual: This is a virtual position. Has to be within commuting distance, due to mandatory surge training, RQI and quarterly in-service. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. 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. 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. 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. 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 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 Eastern Colorado HCS Denver 13611 E. Colfax Ave Aurora, CO 80045 US
• Name: Julia Heath
• Phone: (720) 723-4804
• Email: [email protected]