Registered Nurse - Community Care Coordinator

Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; Walla Walla (WA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration within the Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a Clinical Nurse Coordinator to provide clinical care coordination for veteran referrals. You will help determine disposition of care and work with VA and community providers to ensure smooth transitions.

The role emphasizes leadership in coordinating care, managing referrals, and supporting clinicians with documentation and testing to optimize patient outcomes.

Qualifications

• Graduate of a nursing program with RN licensure.
• Current, full and unrestricted RN license in a U.S. state or territory.
• Preferred experience in care coordination and referrals.
• English proficiency for direct patient care.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate care for veterans across VA and community providers.
• Lead in triage, referrals, and pre-consult testing management.
• Collaborate with VISN facilities to ensure timely transitions of care.
• Analyze care processes and report on referral trends and issues.
• Support providers in coordinating dual care with community and VA facilities.

Skills

Care coordination

Case management

Referral management

Education

RN with state licensure

Job description

Summary

The Clinical Nurse Coordinator position is located within the Office of Community Care - which is a clinical service under the Chief of the Office of Community Care. The primary function of this position is to provide clinical care coordination for Veteran referrals. This includes making recommendations for the disposition of Veteran medical care and services based on clinical review.

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: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13058318
• 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Preferred Experience or Specialized Experience: Care Coordination - Case Management - and Referral Management

Duties

• Duties include but are not limited to: Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership - experience - and creative approaches to the management of complex patient care referrals
• Care will be provided in the least restrictive - most cost-effective manner - through use of outpatient utilization management criteria - clinical practice guidelines - clinical pathways and developed triage tools
• Assist with significant collaboration between community and VISN healthcare personnel in the transition of veterans through the VA Healthcare system
• Clinical Nurse Coordinator will provide quality and performance analysis and report on consult trends and systems issues through the utilization of the nursing process
• Clinical Nurse Coordinator is responsible for the triage and care coordination of complex patients - works closely with Veterans to ensure smooth transition of care to community or VA facilities and care related to referrals - improvement meetings and service meetings
• Communicates with Veterans their health care options including local VA - other VA Medical Centers and the community based on eligibility criteria for community care per the National Directives
• Clinical Nurse Coordinator processes all indicated referrals ensuring necessary pre-consult testing - labs - imaging and clinical records associated with the referral are reviewed and documented
• Clinical Nurse Coordinator will provide support to providers daily: coordinating dual care with community and other VA facilities
• Clinical Nurse Coordinator will work closely with Medical Support Assistants during the referral coordination process - ensuring Veterans are scheduled for care timely
• Works closely with VA Medical Centers - contracted facilities and community facilities to remove obstacles that would impede the Veteran from utilizing all available services they are eligible to use
• Assist in the development/expansion of local referral coordination teams at each VISN facility - as directed by supervisor
• 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 - 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized