Registered Nurse (Patient Aligned Care Team)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Smyrna (GA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Retirement benefits

Insurance programs

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking an Outpatient PACT Registered Nurse located in Smyrna, Georgia. This role involves day-to-day patient case management within a primary care team model. Candidates must possess a graduate nursing degree, an unrestricted nursing license, and ideally, have experience in ambulatory care and triage. Benefits include competitive salary, extensive paid time off, and eligibility for the Education Debt Reduction Program.

Qualifications

• Basic written and spoken English proficiency for direct patient care.
• Completed professional nursing education from an accredited agency.
• Possession of a current, unrestricted nursing registration is required.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate clinical knowledge in patient care.
• Triage and collaborate to resolve patient care problems.
• Assess patient needs and resources for achieving health goals.

Skills

English Language Proficiency

Ambulatory Care Experience

Med-Surg Experience

Triage Experience

Ambulatory Care Certification

Education

Graduation from a professional nursing school

Current full, active, and unrestricted registration as a nurse

Job description

Summary

This is an open continuous announcement. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available. The Outpatient PACT Registered Nurse is responsible for organizing team members to achieve desirable patient outcomes through day-to-day case management. The RN functions in the Primary Care Clinic which utilizes a Patient Aligned Care Team model. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): APPROVED! Learn more.

Qualifications

• English Language Proficiency – The 38 U.S.C. 7403(f) requires basic written and spoken English proficiency for direct patient care positions.
• Graduate of a professional nursing school approved by a recognized accrediting agency (ACEN or CCNE) at the time the program was completed.
• OR individuals attending a master's‑level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor’s degree may become registered as a nurse prior to completion of the bridge program.
• Upon achievement of a state license, the individual may be appointed on a temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment after successful completion and graduation from the bridge program.
• (Reference VA Handbook 5005 – Appendix G6)
• OR graduates of foreign nursing schools – possession of a current, full, active, and unrestricted registration is required for appointment as a nurse who has completed an approved degree‑level nursing education.
• Credit for foreign nursing education higher than an associate degree 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 U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) exception: candidates who meet basic education requirements but lack licensure may be appointed at the entry grade level on a 120‑day temporary appointment while pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case‑by‑case basis).
• Grandfathering provision – all persons currently employed in VHA in the 0610 series and performing duties described in the qualification standard on the effective date (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements.
• Grade determinations are based on scope, education, and dimension criteria detailed for each grade and level. Evaluation available at https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12933760.
• Preferred Experience: 1‑2 years Ambulatory Care Experience; 1‑2 years Med‑Surg Experience; Triage Experience (telephone and/or face‑to‑face care coordination); Ambulatory Care Certification.
• Physical Requirements: straight pulling (6 hours), pushing (2 hours), walking (6 hours), standing (2 hours), repeated bending (6 hours), specific visual requirement (20/30 corrected).

Duties

• Duties include, but are not limited to: demonstrating clinical knowledge in assessing, planning, implementing, documenting, and evaluating care for a designated group of patients across the continuum of care.
• Triage and collaborate with the team to identify, analyze and resolve patient care problems.
• Collaborate with patients to assess and identify needs, issues, care goals and resources essential for achieving desired outcomes for discharge, post‑hospital recovery and health maintenance/wellness.
• Maintain current knowledge of multidisciplinary resources, programs and services, and refer patients to community resources as appropriate.
• Utilize problem‑solving methodologies and advance clinical knowledge to resolve system and/or process issues that impact patient care.
• Assist with navigation of health systems and intervene or refer as needed to facilitate achievement of patient outcomes.
• Provide care respecting patient’s personal values, culture and belief systems.
• Assists with the development, assessment and monitoring/evaluation of comprehensive care plans to ensure efficient, effective and coordinated care in meeting and promoting standards of wellness.
• Coordinate an interdisciplinary approach to assure physical, psycho‑social and environmental needs and resource delivery to achieve patient goals.

Benefits & Compensation

• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.
• Pay: Competitive salary with regular salary increases; potential performance awards.
• Paid Time Off: 50 days per year (including 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 federal holidays).
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401(k) with up to 5% VA contribution.
• Insurance: Federal health, vision, dental, term life, long‑term care (many federal insurance programs may be carried into retirement).
• Licensure: One full and unrestricted license from any U.S. State or territory.
• Work Schedule: To be determined as openings become available.
• Telework: Not available; this is not a virtual position.
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.
• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) – eligible for a student loan payment reimbursement program. Applicants must meet specific eligibility requirements and submit an EDRP application within four months of start date. Approval and award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (1–5 years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review.
• Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply again.
• For EDRP questions, contact [e-mail].