Nurse (Care Coordination) Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program

Summary
Boise VAMC (BVAMC) is an interdisciplinary teaching facility with service-lines serving medical, surgical, inpatients and outpatients, with an Emergency Department, and multiple community-based outpatient clinics (CBOC). There is a large outpatient psychiatric population, with admissions for medical co-morbidities. Home-Based Primary Care is provided in the veteran's home.
This job is open to

• The public
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency
Open to all US Citizens
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Duties
A Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) Nurse executes the position and responsibilities that demonstrates leadership, experience, and creative approaches to the management of complex care for patients in the BHIP program. Duties include, but not limited to:

• Adhering to established policies, standards of care and standards of practice and for demonstrating leadership and improving care for a caseload of patients who are experiencing mental illness and may have chronic medical illnesses and/or mental health diagnoses.
• Conducting standardized assessments of patient's clinical status and providing these assessments to other treating providers, utilizing the nursing process in evaluation, problem identification, crisis resolution, treatment planning and evaluation of outcomes.
• Works in collaboration with other members of the multidisciplinary treatment team, under the direction of the BHIP Program Manager.
• Providing services to improve the quality of care delivered to veterans with mental health concerns with a variety of complex needs. This care may be done in various settings including the patient's home, assisted living, group home, on the VA campus or other community settings as deemed appropriate.
• Complying with established BHIP performance indicators. The Registered Nurse in BHIP will be compliant with established policies and procedures that meet accreditation standards for both The Joint Commission and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.
• Using professional standards of care and practice to evaluate self and others using professional standards, relevant statutes and regulations and takes action to improve performance.
• Additional and special assignments that are necessary to meet program goals or customer needs as required.
• Demonstrating proficiency in technical skills in the assigned area. Accepts assignment to Veterans with a variety of complex needs who have been identified as Mental Health.
• Making assignments consistent with personnel's abilities and Veteran needs.
• Establishing work priorities to accomplish assignments.
• Demonstrating increasing expertise in knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the Veteran population in accordance with area of assignment, including the ability to obtain and interpret information to identify Veteran needs and to provide the care need.
• Reporting to the Mental Health Program Supervisor, who reports to the Chief, Social Work.
• Provide oversight of day-to-day nursing services of the RN and will notify the supervisor of any nursing concerns.
• Accepting direction from his/her respective service leadership and facility nursing policies.
• Assessing the health status of individuals and groups of individuals;
• Identifying health care problems that are amenable to nursing intervention;
• Establishing goals to meet identified health care needs;
• Planning a strategy of care;
• Prescribing nursing interventions to implement the strategy of care;
• Implementing the strategy of care, including administering medications and treatments as prescribed by those health care providers authorized to prescribe medication;
• Authorizing nursing interventions that may be performed by others and that do not conflict with this chapter;
• Maintaining safe and effective nursing care rendered directly or indirectly;
• Evaluating responses to interventions;
• Teaching the theory and practice of nursing;
• Managing the practice of nursing;
• and Collaborating with other health professionals in the management of health care(Idaho Statute 54-1402, chapter 14).

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, 8am- 4:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: NOT Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): NOT Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
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.
• 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
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: At least 6 months of Behavioral Health Experience
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: Moderate lifting (15-44 lbs); Reaching above shoulders; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Both legs required; Ability for rapid mental 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; Depth perception; Hearing (aid may be permitted)
Environmental Factors: Working alone
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/.
Additional information
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.

• Benefits
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How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect c...