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Summary

This Registered Nurse-Dialysis position is located in Nursing Specialty Clinics at the West Haven location. This position is Intermittent.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• English Language Proficiency
• In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f) - 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 the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited 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)
• OR Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor's level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program
• Upon achievement of a State license - the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program
• (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 to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program
• Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD)
• 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
• Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements - but do not possess the required licensure - may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.) NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification
• Preferred Experience: Hemodialysis experience
• Peritoneal Dialysis experience
• Grade Determinations: The following Scope - Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates - and if appropriate - the level within a grade
• The Dimension requirements (Practice - Veteran/Patient Driven Care - Leadership - Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12758072
• Grade/Level Scope Education Nurse I - Level I Delivers fundamental - knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies
• An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing - with no additional professional nursing required
• Nurse I - Level II Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts - cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex
• An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I - Level 1 ;OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional professional nursing experience required
• Nurse I - Level III Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning
• Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations
• An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I - Level 2
• OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I - Level 2
• OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience
• OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience
• Nurse II Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others
• A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I - Level 3
• OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I - Level 3
• OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I - Level 3
• OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience
• OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with no additional professional nursing experience
• Nurse III Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership - experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting
• MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience - one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III
• OR a Master's degree in *related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience - one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III
• OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III
• OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III
• *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Position is subject to a pre-employment physical and medical examination
• This position requires: lifting - carrying
• reaching above shoulder
• use of fingers
• walking (8 hours)
• standing (8 hours)
• repeated bending
• working alone
• protracted or irregular hours of work and occasional emotional strain.

Duties

• The Dialysis Registered Nurse (RN) is a professional nurse with specialized knowledge and skills who demonstrates leadership when providing - directing - and improving care for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) - acute kidney injury (AKI) - and late-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD)
• Duties include but are not limited to: Responsible and accountable for providing and directing effective dialysis nursing care to individual and groups of patients for an aging - adult population
• Clinically and administratively accountable to the Dialysis Unit Nurse Manager
• Documents observations - assessments - and changes in patient's condition
• Collaborates with health team members to facilitate positive patient care outcomes
• Provides a full range of nursing care to patients with a variety of physical and/or behavior problems
• Demonstrates clinical practice and skills - problem-solving skills - and decision-making skills
• Considers all characteristics of the individual - including sex and sex role identification - age and life stage - state of health - race and culture - socio-economic status - values and previous experience with similar events - in order to assist each patient to identify and meet basic health needs and improve his/her health status to the individual's maximum
• Demonstrates knowledge of VA policies - procedures and clinical protocols
• Influences outcomes by collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team
• Core elements of performance includes knowledge and active participation in unit / program level quality improvement processes - initiatives - and customer service
• Takes initiative in developing and evaluating unit level and/or disease specific to standards of care - policies - procedures and nursing programs that guide nursing practice and/or measure performance
• Manages Acute and Chronic Hemodialysis treatments
• Set up and checks dialysis equipment and ensure it is operating properly - making or reporting necessary corrections to appropriate personnel
• Provides and documents in electronic medical record patient education
• Initiates and discontinues dialysis treatment for patients with perm catheters - fistulas - grafts - and temporary accesses per Provider instructions
• Must be poised and articulate in communicating with people of varied educational levels and varied ethnic backgrounds
• Responsible for ensuring his/her actions contribute to a mode of continued accreditation readiness regarding Joint Commission (TJC) - Office of Inspector General (OIG) - Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) - VA surveyors - Laboratory College of American Pathologists (CAP) - and other survey teams
• Consistently protects printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws - federal regulations - statues and policy - and VHA policy
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Pay: Competitive salary - pro-rated - regular salary increases - potential for performance awards 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: Intermittent - Days and Evenings per the needs of the facility
• Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
• Notifications: This position is a Bargaining Unit position
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 (Notice of Personnel Action)
• The SF-50 must identify the position title - series - grade - step - tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted)
• In some cases - more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held
• This position is in the Excepted Service
• The salary is based on the grade and step approved for the selected candidate.