Registered Nurse - Triage Call Center

Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; Lexington (KY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Federal pension

Federal health/vision/dental

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, seeks a Registered Nurse for the Daytime Clinical Call Center in Lexington. The role delivers direct and telephone-based nursing care to Veterans, not remote, and requires on-site presence to support clinical operations and urgent triage using established protocols.

The ideal candidate will possess an active nursing license and a track record in medical-surgical or telehealth settings, with strong communication and patient education

Qualifications

• Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by accrediting bodies (ACEN/CCNE).
• State license required; temporary appointment possible during bridge program.
• Foreign nursing graduates must have valid international degree evaluation.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct and telephone-based nursing care per the nursing process.
• Coordinate patient care with education and self-management focus.
• Document patient encounters in CPRS/CRM and ensure quality standards.

Skills

English proficiency

Nursing licensure

Education

Associate Degree in Nursing

Diploma in Nursing

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Job description

Summary

We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Registered Nurse (RN) to join our Daytime Clinical Call Center. This role involves providing high-quality - virtual care to Veterans - focused on promoting health and preventing illness. This position is not remote or authorized for telework. The individual will be required to be on station.

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/13068182
• 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 Qualifications: - BSN preferred - Strong (2 years or more) Clinical experience in Med/Surg and/or ICU with ability to manage complex patient populations
• - Experience in virtual care systems and telehealth modalities
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: It is VA policy to ensure that all selected applicants and employed personnel are physically - mentally and emotionally fit to perform the duties of the position to which assigned
• A pre-placement physical examination is required for all fulltime - part-time and intermittent employees identified by VA Directive and Handbook 5019
• The pre-placement physical examination shall be completed prior to appointment to determine the physical and mental fitness for candidates for appointment in VA
• The examination will be concerned with the mental and physical ability of the applicant to satisfactorily perform the duties of the proposed assignment and will include requisite laboratory and other screening as required by Federal regulatory agencies
• 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
• This position requires that you are able to lift at least 50 lbs
• Transferring patients and objects may be required
• The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures
• 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 - able to shift priorities based on organizational needs
• Must complete annual Employee Health requirements - such as annual Influenza vaccination - TB screening or testing - as a condition of employment.

Duties

• As a Registered Nurse in the Daytime Clinical Call Center - you will be responsible for providing and supervising direct patient care through the nursing process - including assessment - planning - implementation - and evaluation tailored to age-specific needs
• You will coordinate patient care with an emphasis on education - self-management - and ensuring customer satisfaction across the continuum of care while adhering to established policies - guidelines - and procedures to maintain compliance and quality standards
• The role requires effective collaboration with interdisciplinary team members to influence care outcomes - demonstrating leadership and innovative approaches when managing complex patient care scenarios
• You will demonstrate proficiency in practice through conscious and deliberate planning of complex medical issues that patients present with over the phone
• Excellent communication and customer service skills will be essential - along with the ability to perform assessments using critical thinking via telephone consultations
• Your duties will include triaging all clinical calls related to new symptoms or changes in condition using VHG/CRM/CLEAR Internet-Based Protocols - with Briggs protocols as a backup during computer outages - throughout the Medical Centers and Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) in VISN 9
• You will appropriately disposition patients per protocol and network with PACT RNs for handoffs as necessary across all VISN 9 facilities
• Additionally - you will document all patient contacts in CPRS and CRM - and enter encounter/workload captures according to policy
• You will be responsible for reporting unusual occurrences and adverse events - as well as documenting patient encounters accurately in the electronic health record
• During public health emergencies and natural disasters - you will provide consistent care and implement the Emergency Preparedness Plan - ensuring seamless and continuous care
• The Call Center may transition to the VISN 9 Clinical Contact Center in the near future - extending services to Veterans throughout the VISN 9 Medical Centers and their associated community-based outpatient clinics
• 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 Pay Scale: NF23 Work Schedule: Administrative Day Tour of Duty - such as - 0800 to 1630 Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized