Nurse Anesthetist

Crna Position

The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards

Nebraska Western Iowa VA Health Care System is currently seeking a CRNA to join Surgical Care which includes general surgery, vascular surgery, ophthalmology, audiology, cardiology, dentistry, orthopedics, podiatry, and urology. Special procedure anesthesia care is also provided to other service lines. The incumbent ensures quality and timeliness of services provided, customer satisfaction, and compliance with standards of accrediting bodies such as Joint Commission and Inspector General's Combined Assessment Program. CRNA is authorized to perform routine duties on a regular, repetitive basis. These duties include, but are not restricted to:

• Provision of care in the most complex surgical procedures.
• Perform and document a preanesthetic evaluation of the patient before surgery including requesting consultations, additional diagnostic and/or laboratory studies within the scope of practice, consulting with the anesthesiologist for further preoperative work up when necessary.
• Initiation of the planned anesthetic technique that may include general, regional, MAC, or local anesthesia. Interventions include administration of fluids, medications, ventilator support, provision of homeostasis, provision of adequate pain relief and management of anesthesia and surgical side effects.
• Induction of general anesthesia and initial airway management.
• Endotracheal intubation for surgical or procedural cases.
• Placement of endobronchial tubes or blockers for procedures requiring one lung ventilation or lung isolation.
• Central line placement; Pulmonary artery (Swan-Ganz) catheter placement
• Peripheral nerve blocks. Central neuroaxial blocks.
• Epidural blood patches.
• Adjustment of anesthetic drugs and techniques utilized in the maintenance of anesthesia.
• Sedation for field blocks or MAC as discussed in the anesthetic care plan.
• Manages emergence from anesthesia and transition to the post anesthesia care unit.
• Provide anesthetic for: electroconvulsive therapy not requiring intubation; routine eye surgery not requiring general anesthesia; elective cardioversions; ICD checks.
• May participate on the Code Blue Team, primarily to manage the patient's airway, but also to perform other tasks which they are qualified to perform, as directed by the Code Team Leader.
• Emergency airway management throughout the facility, following the ASA Difficult Airway Algorithm and department protocols, as requested.
• Administer sedation or local anesthesia to facilitate urgent/emergent endotracheal intubation.
• Placement of intravenous lines throughout the facility, as requested.
• Management of epidural catheters for post-op pain relief within a protocol guideline ordered by the anesthesiologist.
• Placement of arterial lines as requested by the ICU's.
• Maintains anesthesia equipment in constant readiness and cleans equipment in accordance with hospital guidelines, SOPs, manufacturer's recommendations and CDC guidelines.
• Prepares drugs properly for use in anesthesia administration
• Precepts CRNA students
• Ensures that OR/anesthesia safety regulations and procedures and infection control policies and procedures are observed.
• Complies with Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals
• Complies with VA and Joint Commission documentation requirements
• Eligible to take weekend call when all criteria are met.

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, 0700-1530

Telework: Not available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not authorized