Advanced Practice Nurse (Certified Nurse Anesthetist) Intermittent

Come Join Our Team! The APN Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) provides anesthetic care to patients under their scope of practice. Care includes pre-anesthesia evaluation, peri-operative anesthetic administration and post-operative management. Specific practice settings are in Acute Medical & Surgical inpatient and outpatient. This position is located within Surgical Care at the Salem VA Medical Center in Salem, Virginia. *NOTE: This is a Temporary Not to Exceed 1 year position.

This is an open continuous announcement. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available. Applications will remain on file for 90 days.

The CRNA is directly responsible and accountable to the supervising anesthesiologist or surgeon. Duties include but are not limited to: The CRNA is responsible for the provision of direct care, assessing monitors, providing IV sedation, conduction anesthesia or general anesthesia for patients. Performs pre-operative evaluation for surgical patients.

Participates in a team approach to ensure appropriate patient assessments, anticipate patient care needs, prevent avoidable complications and achieve optimal patient conditions and outcomes. The CRNA acts in adherence of nursing care in accordance with ethical principles and functions within the scope of practice. The CRNA is responsible and accountable for maintaining BLS and ACLS training to performing activities that reflect the educational, experiential and competency

requirements

Nursing Practice, Quality of Care, Performance, Educational/Career Development, Collegiality, Ethics, Collaboration, Research, Resource Utilization. Maintains confidentially of electronic, written and/or verbal patient/employee information. Demonstrates working practices that include adherence to infection control standards and the safe use and operation of equipment and adherence to safety practices.

Conforms with all medical center and service/service line safety policies, procedures and protocols to avoid injury and/or illnesses to self or others. Employee prepares all reports and documentation pertaining to injuries within established time frames utilizing the ASISTS Program. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Pay: Competitive salary.

Intermittent pay will be pro-rated based on actual hours worked. Insurance: Intermittent employees may be eligible Federal health/long-term care (e.g., if expected to work 130 hours per month or more for at least 90 days).

Licensure

1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory Work Schedule: Intermittent work schedule, Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm. Hours based on needs of the service, not to exceed 1820 hours per year. Appointment Type: This is a Temporary Not to Exceed 1 year position. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Advanced Practice Nurse (Certified Nurse Anesthetist) Basic Requirements Education. A masters or doctoral degree in nurse anesthesia. (Applicants pending the completion of educational requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until the education requirements are met.) Nursing education must be from a school of professional nursing anesthesia accredited by Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs (COA) at the time the program was completed by the applicant.

Licensure and Certification. The following licensure and certification requirements are considered conditions of employment. License.

All APN (CNAs) must maintain an active, current, full and unrestricted license to practice as a CNA or equivalent, in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia. Basic Certification. All APN (CNAs) must maintain full and current certification by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) or an equivalent Nurse Anesthetist certification recognized by the COA.

Exception to Licensure for Graduate Certified Nurse Anesthetist: (a) Candidates who otherwise meet the basic requirements, but do not possess the required CNA licensure and/or certification, may be appointed at the entry step of the Nurse II, as a Nurse Anesthetist on a temporary appointment up to any period not-to-exceed one year and a day under the authority of 38 U. S. C. § 7405(c)(2)(B). (b) Nurse Anesthetists must take the national certification examination at the earliest opportunity following the date of their temporary appointment. (c) In all cases, Nurse Anesthetists must actively pursue and obtain required licensure and certification within a year and a day and sign a statement of understanding. (d) Failure to achieve licensure and certification within this period will result in separation from service with two-week's notice. NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and an APN (CNA) assignment that are also 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. The following Education, Experience, and Knowledge, Skills and Abilities must be met for Advanced Practice Nurse (Certified Nurse Anesthetist) II: Exception to Licensure for Graduate Nurse Technicians.

Candidates who otherwise meet the basic requirements, but do not possess the required APN (CNA) licensure and/or certification, may be appointed at the entry step of the Nurse II, as a Nurse Anesthetist on a temporary appointment up to any period not-to-exceed one year and a day under the authority of 38 U. S. C. § 7405(c)(2)(B). Education and Experience Requirement. Meets basic education requirement for an APN (CNA).

Nurse II is considered the entry grade level for APN (CNAs); no experience is required. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. The following list of knowledge, skills and abilities present the minimum skill set expected of an Entry Level CNA.

Entry level into practice may include but are not limited to the following: Ability to translate into anesthesia care the principles of professional nursing practice including the patients' rights to autonomy, dignity, privacy, and safety. Knowledge of current research and practice guidelines to frame anesthesia practice including up to date techniques, pharmacology, and equipment. Ability to obtain, document and verify informed anesthesia consent and perform a pre-anesthetic patient history and physical, which includes managing pre-operative consults and interpreting data.

Ability to formulate a patient-specific anesthetic plan and describe salient anesthetic risks, benefits, and options to the patient. Ability to administer inhalational, regional, intravenous, local, and topical anesthetics. Skill in detecting and treating anesthesia or surgically related physiologic changes and ability to treat accordingly in order to maintain homeostasis.

Skill in assessing patient status for appropriateness of transfer of care to another healthcare provider and communicating essential patient information to other providers effectively. Ability to participate in collaborative responsibility for proper patient positioning, physiologic monitoring, infection control and anesthesia documentation. Skill in responding to emergency situations by providing airway management, fluid and medication administration, invasive line insertion and management and the use of advanced cardiac life support techniques.

Ability to provide patient care that is abreast of changing concepts and advancements in the profession, (e.g., ultrasound techniques.) Ability to practice anesthesia in an interdisciplinary environment utilizing a collaborative concept of anesthesia care. Knowledge of quality improvement processes to maintain ongoing review and evaluation of anesthesia care to improve outcomes. Ability to demonstrate a practice emphasis on safety, current established guidelines and protocols while recognizing the duty to report unsafe conditions or errors.

The following Education, Experience, and Knowledge, Skills and Abilities must be met for Advanced Practice Nurse (Certified Nurse Anesthetist) III: Education and Experience Requirement: Meets basic education requirement for an APN (CNA) AND One year of specialized APN (CNA) experience equivalent to the APN (CNA) II grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Progressively responsible experience in the administration of anesthetics as indicated in the knowledge, skills and abilities listed below. Ability to plan, administer and manage anesthesia for a broad range of complex surgical procedures skillfully employing continuous assessment and anesthetic adaptation based on patient response and comorbidities.

Work assignments will vary by facility. Ability to participate in assignments that are technically challenging, encompass a variety of anesthetizing locations and utilize advanced equipment and procedures while adapting techniques to solve various complex anesthesia problems including the development of individualized programs of post-op anesthesia care. Skill in responsibility and accountability to perform to the extent of the CNA standards of practice as a licensed healthcare professional in any model of anesthesia practice.

Ability to contribute to the educational mission as a mentor or preceptor providing didactic and clinical instruction in anesthesia to student nurse anesthetists, medical and dental residents, and other health care trainees. Knowledge to participate in the development, implementation and maintenance of auditing processes that ensure and improve the quality and consistency of anesthesia and associated documentation. Ability to contribute to departmental administrative processes through quality assurance, shared governance, or committee representation as applicable.

Ability to serve as a representative on interdisciplinary teams to establish and maintain guidelines and communication. Skill demonstrated in the ability to embrace the safety culture emphasis by continuously assessing for safety risks, actively reporting safety concerns, and maintaining a just culture by identifying faults in systems rather than individuals. Physical

Requirements

Heavy lifting (45 lbs. and over); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; walking (3 hours per day); standing (6 hours per day); kneeling (2 hours per day); ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correctable at 13" to 16"; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; ability to distinguish basic colors; hearing (aid permitted). See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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.

English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U. S. C. 7402(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. 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…