Advanced Practice Nurse (Occupational Health Program Manager)

The Occupational Health Advanced Practice Nurse understands and assesse the interactions between employees' work and health in the workplace.

Qualifications:

Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) 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 and Certification:
  • 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 Certification. All APN (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), 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.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, and sitting, lifting, carrying, pushing, reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands, both legs and repeated bending while wearing protective lead. Heavy lifting (45 lbs. and over); Heavy Carrying (45 lbs. and over); Straight Pulling (up to 4 hours); Pushing (up to 4 hours); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (up to 8 hours); Standing (up to 8 hours); Repeated bending (up to 8 hours); Both legs required; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Specific visual requirement: Read typed Chapters; Correctable vision :20/40 in one eye; Ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of colors; Hearing (aid permitted). The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders; Emotional and Mental Stability: The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed primarily in a patient care setting; adequately lighted, temperature controlled, and ventilated. Office temperatures fluctuate periodically; involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as clinics, offices, meeting and training rooms or libraries; exposure to noise and dust on occasion. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures

Responsibilities:

• General knowledge of the work environment, including worksite operations; familiarity with the toxic properties of materials used by employees as well as the potential hazards and stressors of work processes and jobs and tasks
• Ability to recognize, evaluate, and treat occupational illnesses and injuries.
• Knowledge of workers' compensation laws; local, state and federal regulatory requirement; and systems for maintaining health records
• Ability to organize and manage the delivery of Occupational Health Services
• Knowledge of legal and ethical issues related to occupational health practice
• Leads and organizes delivery of care to assure continuity of care and peer accountability for practice, including access to care and discharge planning.
  • Uses sound clinical judgment in assessing, planning, implementing, documenting, and evaluating nursing care, based on the ANA Standards of Nursing Practice.
  • Guides staff in the application of critical thinking and process improvement to improve patient care.
  • Anticipates and recognizes medical/surgical/psychiatric emergencies and initiates or leads others to implement appropriate and timely actions
• 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.
• Systematically evaluates current practice and formulates outcomes for groups of patients and/or organizational processes within area of expertise.
• Guides, develops, and supports staff from a leadership perspective.
• Uses professional standards of care, scientific evidence, and practice to evaluate programs/service activities.
• Demonstrates grade-appropriate and consistent critical thinking skills.
  • 7.1. The nurse can recognize the patient has a problem.
  • 7.2. The nurse can manage the problem safely and effectively, recognizing his/her scope of practice
  • 7.3. The nurse has a relative sense of urgency.
  • 7.4. The nurse takes the right action for the right reason.
• Role-specific Competency Checklist is complete and is rated competent in all measured areas.

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: 0700-1530 OR 0730-1600 OR 0800-1600 OR 0830-1700
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Salary : $137,815