Registered Nurse - Endoscopy

Summary

The Malcom Randall Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Gainesville - FL - is seeking a highly qualified Registered Nurse (RN) to serve in the Endoscopy Unit within the Gastrointestinal (GI) / Medical Day Stay - which specializes in gastrointestinal routine screenings - diagnostic procedures - and therapeutic interventions.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• English Language Proficiency
• In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f) - 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 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)
• OR Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor's level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program
• Upon achievement of a State license - the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program
• (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 to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program
• Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD)
• 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
• Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements - but do not possess the required licensure - may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.) NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and 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
• Grade Determinations: The following Scope - Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates - and if appropriate - the level within a grade
• The Dimension requirements (Practice - Veteran/Patient Driven Care - Leadership - Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment:
• Grade/Level Scope Education Nurse I - Level I Delivers fundamental - knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies
• An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing - with no additional professional nursing required
• Nurse I - Level II Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts - cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex
• An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I - Level 1 ;OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional professional nursing experience required
• Nurse I - Level III Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning
• Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations
• An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I - Level 2
• OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I - Level 2
• OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience
• OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience
• Nurse II Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others
• A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I - Level 3
• OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I - Level 3
• OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I - Level 3
• OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience
• OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with no additional professional nursing experience
• Nurse III Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership - experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting
• MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience - one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III
• OR a Master's degree in *related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience - one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III
• OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III
• OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III
• *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees
• Preferred experience: Bachelor's Degree in Nursing One year of satisfactory Medical Unit - Medical Step-Down Unit - or Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) experience as an RN
• GI experience ACLS (within one year) Medical/ Surgical certification or specialty certification Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity - keen hearing - clear - distinctive speech - and manual dexterity
• This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking - standing - stooping - sitting - bending - pulling - and pushing
• Transferring patients and objects may be required
• Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided
• The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations - operative/invasive procedures - or home settings
• The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations and 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
• The incumbent who provides care in home settings or other off-site locations may be required to drive and/or ride in GSA-vehicles.

Duties

• The Endoscopy Registered Nurse (RN) is responsible for providing competent - evidence-based procedural care to assigned patients and oversight of licensed vocational nurses and health/nursing assistants - as appropriate to the procedural setting
• This nurse provides patient care - care coordination - health promotion - health education - and coaching on wellness - disease prevention - and chronic care management
• Functions or scope of assigned duties include - but are not limited to: Performs pre and post-care of the Veteran patient undergoing various Gastrointestinal (GI) procedures
• Manages the Patient Undergoing Conscious Sedation
• Assists residents - fellows and staff physicians in performing basic and complex endoscopic procedure - ie
• espohagogastroduodenoscopy [EGD] - small bowel biopsy - colonoscopy - esophageal dilation with a variety of dilators - percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy [PEG] - percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy [J-TUBE]
• (placement of catheters) - esophageal prosthesis placement - endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) - endoscopic ultrasound [EUS]
• flexible fiber optic sigmoidoscopy - stents and drains - esophageal - sclerotherapy - liver biopsy - paracentesis; - mono polar electrocautery - lasers/ablation (HALO) - argon plasma - heater probe (coagulation of GI bleeding) - and Small Bowel (PILL-Cam) Endoscopy - Cryotherapy
• Participates in quality improvement measures - recommending and implementing practice changes when indicated
• Serves on GI-related committees - incorporating practice improvement measures
• Delivers and manages the care of patients undergoing therapeutic and diagnostic endoscopy procedures - including both inpatients and outpatients
• Assesses the patient's physical and mental status prior to procedures - educates on procedural and post-procedural care - and documents responses to interventions - findings - and reports any changes
• Partners with the patient - family - and interdisciplinary team to promote effective and safe transitions across the health care continuum - including the Veteran's goals of care
• Maintains proficiency in the maintenance - cleaning - and preparation of endoscopy-specific equipment
• Recognizes changes in patient care situations and initiates appropriate emergency measures
• Adapts to changes in the daily schedule
• 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 - 0930 -1800
• On-call rotation is required
• On-call hours will be 1730 - 0700 M-F and Saturday - Sunday - and Holidays 0700-0700
• Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.