Summary This is an open continuous announcement. Applications accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available. The Nurse Practitioner will be assigned to the Medical Service of the Battle Creek VA Medical Center. The Nurse Practitioner will provide outpatient primary care services to Veterans of a Patient Aligned Care Team. Responsibilities VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards The Nurse Practitioner will work in a outpatient setting. Duties include but are not limited to: Educates patients about preventative care and prescribes treatments. Conducts physicals assessments, order tests and serve as a patient's primary healthcare provider. Serves as a NP for a variety of specialty treatment programs within their area of service. Leads and organizes delivery of care to assure continuity of care and peer accountability for practice, including access to care and discharge planning. Uses advanced clinical knowledge/judgment to promote staff involvement in planning, decision-making, and evaluating outcomes. Functions as an expert in clinical practice and/or areas related to the assigned roles and responsibilities. Evaluates current practice, and formulates outcomes for groups of patients and/or organizational processes within an area of expertise. Guides, develops, and support staff from a leadership perspective. This announcement will be used to fill Nurse Practitioner vacancies in several areas of the Battle Creek VA Medical Center. 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 through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm. Hours may be rotated or extended based on the needs of the Medical Center and our Veterans Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications COVERAGE. The following are the requirements for appointment as an Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) (APN (NP)), 0610 occupational series. All professional practice as a Nurse and APN may be considered upon appointment. Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Citizen of the United States [in accordance with section 7402(c) of title 38, United States Code (U.S.C.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with 38 U.S.C. §7407(a). Education. A post-master's certificate or master's or doctoral degree as a Nurse Practitioner. (NOTE: the post-master's certificate is formal education awarded from an acceptable school of professional nursing and is not considered board certification as described under 2.c.(2) of this appendix). Education Accreditation Requirement. Nursing education must be from a school of professional nursing accredited by one of the following accrediting organizations at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN),3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326. The ACEN accredits all levels of nursing programs, including clinical doctorate, masters/post-master's certificate, baccalaureate, associate and diploma nursing education programs. (NOTE: The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission/NLNAC changed its name to ACEN in May 2013 ACEN's website may be utilized to verify accredited programs using automated inquiry processes; however, for verification of any nursing program's accreditation prior to 1998,an automated inquiry cannot be used and ACEN must be contacted directly via their email contact information on the ACEN website to verify.); or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), 655 K Street, NW, Suite 7, Washington, DC 20001. The CCNE is an accrediting arm of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing(AACN) and accredits nursing education programs at the bachelor and master's level. Foreign Education. Graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing programs, the nurse practitioner degree equivalency must be validated through an Agency recognized degree equivalency evaluation agency, such as the International Consultants of Delaware (ICD). Candidates with equivalent Nurse Practitioner masters or doctorate level degrees who possess current, full, active and unrestricted registration and certification(see paragraph 2c) will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant appointment. Licensure and Certification. The following licensure and certification requirements are considered conditions of employment. License. All APNs (NPs) must possess and maintain an active, current, full and unrestricted APN license to practice as a NP in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Basic Certification. All APNs (NPs) must maintain full and current board certification in an area of clinical specialty from one of the following: The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC); The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board(AANPCB); or Other nationally recognized certifying body in the area in which the Nurse Practitioner is academically prepared. The required basic certification as a Nurse Practitioner must be identified in support of any position being established or filled as an APN (NP). An approved list of NP/APN certifications may be found on the Office of Nursing site at the Office of Nursing Services. Basic certification as a nurse practitioner is a condition of employment and qualifying factor for the specific assignment. APNs (NPs) are credentialed and privileged to provide care based upon scope of practice, formal graduate nursing educational preparation, certification and patient population. It is the focus of care based on patient care needs, not the care setting, that defines the provider's scope of practice and basic certification required. The scope of practice is determined by the provider's formal academic education and basic Nurse Practitioner certification. The assignment will either require a specific basic certification as a nurse practitioner ,i.e., Mental Health, Women's Health, etc., or may allow for more than one basic nurse practitioner certification. The APNs (NPs) may also hold a specialty certification which in many cases is not specific to a Nurse Practitioner role. Specialty certifications may be highly recommended but are not required as a condition of employment or required for an assignment and do not support the basic board certification nurse practitioner requirement. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Requirements: Recency and Quality of Experience. Recency or quality of training and experience as a Nurse/APN should be carefully reviewed when determining the appropriate grade. To be creditable, specialized experience requirements must be met for each level and/or grade. APN (Nurse Practitioner) II. Education and Experience Requirement. Meets basic education requirement for APN (CNS). Nurse II is considered the entry grade level for APN (NPs); no experience is required. APN (Nurse Practitioner) III. Education and Experience Requirement. Meets basic education requirement for an APN (NP); and One year of specialized APN (NP) experience equivalent to the Nurse II grade level. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-6a, Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner). Physical Requirements: Light lifting, under 15 pounds; Light carrying, under 15 pounds; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking; Standing; Repeated bending; Both legs required; Ability for rapid and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Hearing (aid permitted); Mental and Emotional Stability. 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. Additional Information Annual leave shall accrue for full-time Nurses, and Nurse Anesthetists at the rate of 8 hours for each full biweekly pay period. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.