Nurse - Caregiver Support Program Coordinator

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Open to all U. S. Citizens. Duties

Duties include but are not limited to

Develop and implement the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) for the assigned area, in coordination with the facility Caregiver Support Program Manager, local facility, and VA Central Office (VACO) initiatives. Complete required in-home assessments. Stay current on training, policy changes, guidelines, and deadlines from facility, VISN, and national leadership.

Manage a caseload of caregivers and Veteran-caregiver dyads in accordance with VACO and facility field guides, directives, standard operating procedures, and memorandums. Complete workload for the assigned area while ensuring compliance and collaboration with local facility and VACO Caregiver Support Program initiatives. Apply advanced RN knowledge and skills; demonstrate leadership, motivation, self-direction, initiative, and expertise in quality-management activities.

Maintain knowledge of clinical treatment modalities; administrative and clinical support systems; and national, VISN, and facility healthcare-delivery systems as they relate to clinical-practice guideline development and implementation. Communicate directly with caregivers and Veterans to identify and assess caregiver stress burden and apply directed clinical treatment interventions. Use sound judgment in decision-making and demonstrate a strong quality-management and/or risk-management background.

Lead application of the nursing process to patient care, organizational processes, and systems to improve program- or service-level outcomes. Work directly with the facility Program Manager to implement caregiver-support services and benefits. Use advanced clinical knowledge to increase awareness of caregiver issues and improve the quality and access to caregiver services.

Serve as a consultant on incorporating caregiver issues at the facility, VISN, and national levels. Refer caregivers and Veterans to VA medical and mental-health treatment, VA services and benefits, community-based social services, and other non-VA entitlement programs. Create educational tools, develop programs, and implement training addressing specific caregiver needs and issues.

Provide education and in-service training to VAMC employees, Veterans, families, and caregivers. Apply current trends and relevant theory related to operational efficiency, evidence-based practice, and optimization of care-delivery systems. Conduct caregiver and family clinical interventions to identify caregiver stress, psychiatric illness, emotional distress, and social needs as treatment issues.

Coordinate and integrate findings from needs assessments, inter-rater reliability assessments, and program evaluations into learning activities. Coordinate and participate in Annual National Family Caregivers Month events, summits, resource fairs, and ongoing outreach activities, including announcements, advertising, participant mobilization, education sessions, recognition events, and caregiver-support programming. Safely and effectively use required patient-care equipment; report equipment requiring repair.

Recognize subtle abnormal signs, symptoms, and changes in patient condition; respond appropriately and provide clinically competent nursing care. Assess patient learning needs, preferences, and readiness to learn; modify teaching approaches based on human behavior, motivations, and reactions to situations. Accurately document patient findings and care provided in the medical record.

Use a team approach and group process to identify, analyze, and resolve patient-care problems, improving outcomes at the unit, team, or work-group level. Complete the role-specific competency checklist and maintain competency in all measured areas. Revise interdisciplinary plans of care based on ongoing patient assessment and evaluation.

Function effectively as a charge nurse, team leader, or other leadership role that guides and directs personnel providing patient care. Use the electronic health record and other appropriate software in accordance with policy. Organize and complete assignments safely and timely; assist team members as needed.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards

Functional Statement #: 10340F, 10341F, 10342F, 10343F, 10344F

Licensure

1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory Work

Schedule

Monday - Friday, 0730 - 1600 OR Monday - Thursday, 0730 - 1800 Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP): Authorized/Approved Requirements

Conditions of employment

U. S. Citizenship; 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. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).

Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. 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).

You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. Requires BLS Certification.

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.

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/13029143. 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…