This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

The Registered Nurse Advisor (RNA) role is complex and requires expert knowledge in areas of clinical care, applicable coding guidelines, and quality standards, as well as an ability to communicate effectively with the clinical care team. RNA provides support to top management, Service Chiefs, and other Medical Center staff in planning, designing, integrating, implementing, modifying, and administering an effective Quality Assessment and Improvement Plan to evaluate the effectiveness of and to improve compliance with the Clinical Practice Guidelines, the VHA, VISN, and local Performance Measures. The Registered Nurse Advisor executes leadership and is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for population groups or integrated programs that cross service and discipline lines and influence organizational mission and healthcare. The incumbent works under the guidance of the RN Advisor Program Manager, Chief of HIM, and Assistant Chief of HIM. Registered Nurse Advisors support to the Clinical Documentation Integrity (CDI) program strive to promote accurate and complete documentation in the health record. This documentation demonstrates the resources used in patient care and justification of resources utilized. The RNA will review clinical documentation to ensure diagnoses and conditions are accurately documented based on supporting clinical indicators. The RNA serves as an essential liaison to the clinical team and works with CDI staff to ensure all relevant conditions requiring or receiving healthcare resources throughout a patient's hospitalization are accurately documented. This enables accurate capture of final coded data and a complete patient record. Complete and precise documentation promotes better patient care and disease management while appropriately reflecting the acuity, severity, and overall outcome of each patient. The RNA provides leadership for and participates in performance improvement activities. RNA uses performance improvement methodologies and education strategies to develop formal training improvement programs for the medical/hospital staff concerning clinical documentation opportunities, coding, and reimbursement issues. The RNA applies broad clinical and coding knowledge to discern relevant clinical conditions. RNA provides ongoing documentation education updates as International Classification of Disease (ICD) coding, Diagnosis Related Group (DRG), and clinical data changes. RNA must possess the ability to interact with a wide variety of employees and work independently to accomplish assignments and program goals. 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: Monday - Friday, 7:00 am - 3:30 pm Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. 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. 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: Current AHA BLS 3-5 years of medical, surgical, emergency care, and intensive care clinical experience in the patient care unit of assignment. Evidence of core training in the specialty, as appropriate. National Certification in area of responsibility. (NOTE: Certification from CDI association of clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists (ACDIS) OR American Health Information Association (AHIMA) certifying body is preferred but not required. The Registered Nurse possesses an expert understanding of clinical indicators, treatment modalities, organization, and administration of the VA Healthcare delivery systems, educational principles, clinical information systems, accreditation and program development. Evidence of Clinical Documentation Improvement processes. 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 potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. This position requires potentially long periods of continued heavy lifting (45 pounds & over), heavy carrying (45 pound & over), straight pulling (1-2 hours), pushing (1-2 hours), reaching above shoulder, walking (2 -4 hours), standing (2-6 hours), ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, both eyes requires, ability to distinguish shades of colors, and hearing (aid may be permitted). Physical Demands: 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.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center 2002 Holcombe Boulevard Houston, TX 77030 US
• Name: Sonia Williams
• Phone: 318-840-6458
• Email: [email protected]