SCI/D Home Care Nurse Functions:
- Demonstrates a high level of clinical expertise, leadership, and creative approaches to management of the complex care of patients with Spinal Cord Injuries/Disorders.
- Responsible for program development and administration of the SCI/D Home Care program, in accordance with VA Directives, Handbooks and all applicable regulatory and accreditation standards.
- Demonstrates ability to develop, implement and articulate new home care program initiatives by exhibiting leadership in motivating the SCI/D Center inpatient and outpatient clinical teams to implement change in the delivery of patient care.
- Serves as liaison and encourages staff from SCI/D Center and SCI/D spoke sites to adopt innovative clinical practices. Promotes personal growth, continuing education, collaborative working relationships, creative problem solving and flexibility to support SCI/D hub and spokes home care program expansion.
- Ensures ongoing patient safety, dignity and satisfaction. Able to coordinate and lead activities geared towards maintaining and improving existing home care programs. Takes initiative to develop new clinical home care programs in collaboration with the SCI/D Nurse Manager and SCI/D Chief, as the need arises. Able to establish SCI/D Home Care program objectives, standards of care and standards of practice for SCI/D subspecialty clinical populations.
- Establishes methods for tracking patients' progress and evaluating effectiveness of care. Maintains appropriate and timely documentation of patients' care and progress within the plan, in accordance with all applicable standards.
- Develops and monitors home care program quality improvement and performance measures. Reviews quality and performance measures for process improvement. Selects methods for measuring quality of services, measures patient satisfaction and takes appropriate corrective actions based on program evaluation results.
- Provides direct patient care, conducts follow-up assessments, provides patient/caregiver education and training in the home setting, collaborating with team members both within and outside of the SCI/D service in order to coordinate care.
- Travels to patient homes and private care facilities within a 100-mile radius on a frequent basis in order to implement care activities and conduct follow-up assessments in the patient's residence.
- Conducts evaluations of home or institutionalized-living setting, focusing on safety and adequacy of available resources, with consideration for the patient's care needs. Shares findings/concerns with appropriate SCI/D team members and other agencies as appropriate.
- Oversees implementation of SCI/D patient treatment plans in the home setting, collaborating with contract home care agencies, patient caregivers, etc. in order to ensure safe, effective care in the home setting, improving outcomes and maximizing patient independence.
- Maintains an awareness of surroundings and engages in activities that promote personal safety and security.
- Maintains compliance with all rules and regulations related to the issuance and operation of VA vehicles.
- In the performance of most activities, exercises independent professional judgment working in the context of a multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary team. This ability is required to make independent decisions when working with the clinical team while remaining an advocate for the patient/family. (Supervision is of a consultative nature and is usually arranged at the SCI/D Home Care Nurse's request to seek assistance with unusually complicated direct clinical service work or for clarification of administrative issues.)
- Serves on committees, workgroups, and/or subcommittees at the facility, VISN and/or National level, as deemed necessary by the SCI/D Nurse Manager and/or Chief of SCI/D.
- Utilizes telehealth technologies, as needed, to apply clinical process skills and comprehensive assessments and care planning processes.
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: Full-time, M-F, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
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
Starting at $75,535 Per Year (VN 00)