The James E. Van Zandt (JEVZ) VAMC is an integrated healthcare system comprised of one hospital in Altoona, PA and 5 community based outpatient clinics (CBOCs). The Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) Acupuncturists' provides examination, diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular conditions. The position is based at the Johnstown CBOC, which is a primary care clinic and has PM&R staff there full-time.

Duties

Duties include but not limited to: Clinical Duties: Services provided by the Acupuncturist shall include, but are not limited to, the following, and all acupuncturist must provide the following: 1. Patient Care: Acupuncturists are expected to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the promotion of health, prevention of illness, treatment of disease, and care at the end of life. 2. Medical/Clinical Knowledge: Acupuncturists are expected to demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving evidenced based practices, and the application of their knowledge to patient care and the education of others. The Acupuncturist will function within their approved scope of practice as defined by the state licensing board for their license, and National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). Additionally, the PM&R clinician will complete annually, all the required competencies for their position. 3. Clinical Judgment: To ensure evidenced based learning and improvement, acupuncturists are expected to be able to use scientific evidenced based practice and methods to investigate, evaluate, and improve patient care. 4. Interpersonal & Communication Skills: Acupuncturists are expected to demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that enable them to establish and maintain professional relationships with patients, families, and other members of the health care team. 5. Professionalism: Acupuncturists are expected to demonstrate behaviors that reflect a commitment to continuous professional development, ethical practice, and understanding and sensitivity to diversity, and a responsible attitude toward their patients and their profession. 6. Systems-Based Practice: Acupuncturists are expected to demonstrate both an understanding of the contexts and systems in which health care is provided, and the ability to apply this knowledge to improve optimizing health care. 7. Telehealth: Acupuncturists are expected to provide telehealth services to appropriate patients, through means of Clinical Video Telehealth (CVT), VA Video Connect (VVC), and other telehealth means approved by VA. Additionally, return phone calls and contact patients as necessary through telephone. 8. Provide individualized acupuncture treatment: The acupuncturist will utilize standard medical evaluation procedures and East Asian Medicine evaluation to formulate a differential diagnosis to develop an acupuncture treatment plan. The acupuncturist shall incorporate the various training techniques taught within East Asian Medicine and acupuncture. The acupuncturist shall educate patients on healthy lifestyle changes including nutrition, exercise, sleeping habits, stress management, mind body techniques and other matters related to acupuncture care. The acupuncturist will collaborate with Primary Care and PM&R services to ensure the whole health approach to patient centered care. The Acupuncturist will complete evaluations, re-evaluations, plan of care, treatments, and discharges. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Compressed/Flexible:Not Authorized Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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. Education. Individual must meet one of the requirements below: (1) Master's degree in acupuncture or oriental medicine from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM). OR (2) 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. e. 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. English Language proficiency; ability to speak and write English Physical requirement. pre-employment physical for entrance on duty. 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). All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series that are performing the duties as described in this qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following apply: (1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) Acupuncturists who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (3) Acupuncturists who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry as an acupuncturist Grade Determinations: GS-11 (Full Performance Level) Experience or Education: Individual must meet at least one of the requirements below: Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level, which is directly related to the position to be filled. OR Education. Doctoral degree or equivalent degree from an accredited college or university in an acupuncture or oriental medicine. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to screen referrals and direct veterans to other services as appropriate. Ability to formulate an appropriate differential diagnosis. Ability to formulate an acupuncture treatment plan independently or with other health care professionals. Ability to educate patients on health lifestyle changes including nutrition, exercise, sleeping habits, stress management, mind body techniques and other matters related to acupuncture care. This includes the ability to communicate with individuals of varying backgrounds. Skill in the selection and use of the appropriate acupuncture tools and supplies based on needs of the patien References: VA Handbook 5005/100, Part II, Appendix G53 dated 2/7/2018. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 only. Physical Requirements: Work includes regular and recurring physical excretion, with long periods of standing, bending, kneeling, walking, reaching, gripping, sitting, twisting, pulling or pushing carts with inventories or activities involving retrieving items from shelves and cabinets. and patient transfers. Intermittent light lifting (up to 20 lbs. or more), is often required. The work involves moderate risks or discomforts requiring normal safety precautions typical of a hospital setting.

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 James E Van Zandt VA Medical Center 2907 Pleasant Valley Boulevard Altoona, PA 16602 US
• Name: Shanice Moore
• Email: [email protected]