The advanced acupuncturist assigned to the Veteran Integrative Pain Management (VIPM), may treat a wide range of conditions and acupuncture may be used alone or as an adjunct to traditional medical care. The incumbent will perform other duties as assigned or delegated by supervisors.

Duties

Duties/ Task: Certified Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA) trainer for WNC HCS. Serve as a VISN contact for BFA and conducts training of staff at other facilities. Facility POC/SME for screening VA Community Care consults for additional sessions and to identify any concerns with treatment. Collaborates with the community to form partnerships for optimized training opportunities. Serves as a leader and educator for pain management training. The advanced acupuncturist will provide group acupuncture as determined. Complete clinical notes in electronic health record system. The advanced acupuncturist shall document, and code information related to patient care in the VA's electronic health care record on a timely basis following VHA policies. iMed consent shall be completed prior to acupuncture treatment where any needling procedure occurs. Oral informed consent is valid for auricular acupuncture only. The advanced acupuncturist communicates with other health care providers as appropriate. Maintain trainings and attend required meetings. The advanced acupuncturist shall maintain up-to date VHA and professional trainings. Required meetings must be attended. Administration. The advanced acupuncturist will review referrals, screen for appropriateness of care, and direct Veterans to other services when necessary. The advanced acupuncturist is the subject matter expert on acupuncture and East Asian Medicine services and will provide guidance when requested regarding purchased care. The advanced acupuncturist will ensure workload is captured and appropriate coding of encounters is done timely. Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Only open to current service line employees

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: Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. After a determination is made that it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens, necessary personnel may be appointed on a temporary basis under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 without regard to the citizenship requirements of38 U.S.C. 7402or any other law prohibiting the employment of or payment of compensation to a person who is not a citizen of the United States. Candidates must meet all other requirements for the grade and position concerned. Education. Individual must meet one of the requirements below: Master's degree in acupuncture or oriental medicine from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM). Or Advanced level degree in acupuncture or oriental medicine from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM). Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign acupuncture programs meet the requirements in subparagraph 3b if they have a full unrestricted and current license to practice acupuncture in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Certification. Acupuncturists hired in the VHA must be board certified through the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). The board certification must be current and the acupuncturist must abide by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education. Loss of Certification. An acupuncturist who fails to maintain the required certificate must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists. Licensure. Current, full, active, and unrestricted license to practice acupuncture in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e. Puerto Rico) of the United States, or District of Columbia. Loss of licensure. An acupuncturist who fails to maintain the required license must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists. Grandfathering Provision. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements, completion of a minimum of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Skill and ability to perform safe and effective advanced acupuncture techniques. Knowledge of complex issues surrounding the delivery of care as it relates to acupuncture services, such as evidence based and cost effectiveness. Ability to apply and adapt acupuncture to new and changing programs. Knowledge of research strategies, methodologies and principles. Ability to problem solve issues surrounding delivery of acupuncture. Preferred Experience: Experienced with medical evaluation procedures and East Asian Medicine evaluation to develop an acupuncture treatment plan. Certified in Battlefield Acupuncturist and experience with group sessions. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/15 PART II APPENDIX G27 Physical Requirements: The work requires long periods of standing and physical exertion. The incumbent will lift and bend frequently to position patients for testing. Reaching and stretching is required to set up equipment; pushing and pulling ambulatory equipment is necessary between patient care areas. The incumbent will also be required to walk long distances between testing areas. Dexterity is required.

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 Charles George VA Medical Center 1100 Tunnel Road Asheville, NC 28805 US
• Name: Cesar Busanet
• Email: [email protected]