The Close to Me Service seeks to reduce travel time for Veterans, improve VA care continuity, and provide Veteran-centric care. Studies show that transportation and travel can be the biggest financial barrier to Veterans accessing care. Furthermore, conflicts with work, other commitments, caregiver time constraints, or cost of transportation can be reasons that prevent Veterans from having the ability to travel. These barriers may hinder Veterans' abilities to receive consistent treatments and adhere to their care regimens. Close to Me (CTM) employs an innovative care model to address Veteran need for more accessible cancer care services.
Duties of the CTM Registered Nurse (RN) include, but are not limited to:
- Travels to and from Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs)affiliated with coordinating site VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System (VAAAHS) located in Howell, Michigan and Toledo, Ohio
- Coordinates patient care with local CBOC staffing outside of VAAAHS such as calling or messaging local CBOC clinic RN, Medical Support Assistants (MSAs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), patients, providers
- Verifies labs for patients outside of VAAAHS (within VA system) and coordinating with Nurse Practitioner (NP) or Medical Doctor (MD) as needed - making sure labs within parameters
- Provides care and counseling of persons or in the promotion and maintenance of health and prevention of illness and injury
- Performs systematic data gathering, assessment, appropriate nursing judgment, and evaluation of human responses to actual or potential health problems through such services as case finding, health teaching or health counseling
- Verifies vitals for patients at CBOC sites affiliated with coordinating site - making sure no fevers, hypotension, etc.Double checking identity via telehealth with coordinating site if needed - video/phone call live on-site with another infusion RN
- Engages in clinical efficiency management, including implementation of advanced clinic access principles and is responsible for ongoing evaluation and implementation of clinic efficiency enhancement (e.g. technology, scheduling, clinic operational practices) in collaboration with specialty clinic team members and physicians.
- Administers medications and treatments prescribed by a licensed or otherwise legally authorized provider
- Participates in the facilitation of access to Hematology-Oncology care in assessment of new patients, devising care plans, direct delivery of care and coordinating the disease processes and care
- Administers parental chemotherapy, biotherapy and hormonal therapy as well as the supportive infusions therapy of drugs and blood products
- Orders labs, consults and schedules appointments
- Transports potentially hazardous substances including waste materials and chemotherapy from Pharmacy, Infusion Center or other hospital location (e.g. clinic) - this may be done between VAAAHS and CBOC sites, or within the local CBOC site (if locally compounded and stored)
- Conducts quality of care assessments with patients and providers as needed - surveys for patient satisfaction, experience, preferences as part of program evaluation (primarily done by Program Manager NP)
- Verifies temperature of compound storage and general integrity of compounds - making sure the cooler with infusion drugs is within range at pickup, making sure that vials/bags not broken, making sure that drug color/clarity is reasonable
- Plays a central role in pain and symptom management, palliative care and end of life care by assessing and counseling patients and collaborating with other professions including physicians, pharmacists, social workers and other nurses
- Provides both team and disease based case management to patients
- Carries out preventive health screening including patient education, performing health screening and providing vaccinations
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; 7:30AM-4:00PM
Telework: Available; Ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Starting at $77,014 Per Year (VN 00)