Nurse Practitioner - Long Term Care for Geriatrics & Palliative Care

Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. Responsibilities This position is authorized to provide the right candidate with the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) to pay up to $200,000 in qualifying loans!! The Geriatric & Extended Care Nurse Practitioner in collaboration with the Medical Directors and Program Managers of assigned services is responsible for the quality of care provided by the program, for the productivity of the program and for the development and implementation of programs and initiatives to meet the Wilkes-Barre VAMC mission. In addition to observance of Federal National and Local regulatory, policy, and accreditation requirements governing this Health Care System, this position encompasses the following responsibilities. The Practitioner will participate in staff meetings; communicate administrative medical issues or concerns to the service medical director. and Participate in the development and implementations of performance improvement put in practice medical care advances and practice standards Arranging physician coverage and communicating the plan of coverage to the plan, team members when taking leave of absence Serving as back up for other GEC providers Participates in chart reviews, peer review and other process improvement initiatives The staff will complete training requirements, employee health Environmental and Occupational Committee requirements The Practitioner will ensure compliance with the leave and attendance requirements and respond to critical lab / diagnostic test result notifications in a timely manner Clinical Management including direct and indirect patient care : ensure all required encounters are closed the same day the visit was made Respond to consults and complete documentation requirements in CPRS in a timely manner including cosigning of students / fellows / resident' notes documentation Provide oversight of non-physician team members Practitioners will participate in the implementation of action and initiatives relevant to improving and meeting performance measures and goals; participate in the development of the new focus on the Medical Home and Patient Centric Care, Utilization, Quality and Patient Safety oversight, process improvement (system redesign) Provide supervision to non-physician provider within the prescribing authority and achieved competencies and performance as approved by the professional board Participate in maintain safety and environmental standards for the assigned services Provides clinical input and oversight for patients' treatment plans Being readily available to the team members for collaboration when medical or other problems arise Assure that care is provided in a manner, which is in accordance with accepted practices and is evidenced based. Assure that care is provided in a timely manner and in an appropriate setting Assure appropriate oversight of delegated care activities of Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Pharm D's and others practicing with a "scope of practice" Completes documentation of patient's visit with appropriate encounters in CPRS in a timely manner Facilitate appropriate consultation and implementation of consultant recommendations Address issues related to infection control including skin testing, immunization and infection prevention The Practitioner will provide cross coverage to the different clinical GEC services within the approved and recommended privileges 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 to Friday, 8am to 430pm Compressed / Flexible : Not Authorized Telework : Not Authorized Virtual : This is not a virtual position Relocation / Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized EDRP Authorized : Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not Authorized 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. 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 (). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification 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. Qualifications Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) I Basic Requirements Education : A post-master's certificate or master's or doctoral degree as a Nurse Practitioner. (Applicants pending the completion of educational requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until the education requirements are met.) Must be a 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). NOTE : 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 will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant appointment. License : All APN (NPs) must possess and maintain an active, current, full, and unrestricted APN license to practice as an NP in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Basic Board Certification : (Community Living Center) All APN (NPs) must maintain full and current basic board certification in one of the following : Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP), Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP), Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP), Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP), or Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (GNP) from one of the following : the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), 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. NOTE : Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and an APN (NP) 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 Scope, Education and Experience, and Dimension criteria must be met to qualify for Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) II : Exception to Licensure for Graduate Nurse Technicians. Candidates who otherwise meet the basic requirements, but do not possess the required licensure and / or certification, may be appointed at the entry step of the Nurse II, as a Graduate Nurse Technician - Nurse Practitioner on a temporary appointment up to any period not-to-exceed one year and a day under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 405(c)(2)(B). Scope : Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others Education and Experience Requirement : Meets basic education requirement for APN (NP). Nurse II is considered the entry grade level for APN (NPs); no experience is required. Dimension Requirement : APNs (NPs) at level II are expected to meet the following dimension requirements : Clinical Practice. Delivers evidence-based health care, demonstrating proficiency in the ability to manage a patient panel, population, or program. Outcome Focus. Utilizes research and evidence-based practice to evaluate the patient care delivery system within a patient panel or program, presents findings and contributes to changes that enhance the quality and timeliness of veteran / patient care. Leadership. Works effectively as a leader within a team / unit / group and seeks interdisciplinary collaboration as appropriate to enhance patient care. Professional Development. Acquires knowledge and skills to develop expertise in area of practice. Professionalism / Collegiality. Demonstrates effective communication skills and professional behavior, promoting cooperation and teamwork. Participates in interdisciplinary teams and processes that positively impact patient outcomes. The following Scope, Education and Experience, and Dimension criteria must be met to qualify for Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) III : Scope : Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches to management of complex client care. 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. Dimension Requirement : APN (Nurse Practitioners) at grade III are expected to meet the following dimension requirements : Clinical Practice. Influences and models the delivery of evidence- based health care, demonstrating expertise in the ability to manage a patient panel, population, or program. Outcome Focus. Leads and implements changes that enhance the quality and timeliness of Veteran / patient care applying research and evidence in the delivery of healthcare for patient populations. Leadership. Initiates and leads interdisciplinary teams informed by structured approaches and processes to improve outcomes that positively impact care for a patient panel, population, or program. Professional Development. Acquires knowledge and skills, then disseminates acquired information within and / or outside the medical facility. Professionalism / Collegiality. Initiates and leads interdisciplinary teams developing systems that positively impact outcomes at the panel, population, or program level. Demonstrates effective communication skills and professional behavior, promoting cooperation and teamwork Physical Requirements : See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service Education Additional Information Reference : For more information on this qualification standard, please visit During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. 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. 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. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration / Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA / OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.