Summary The Nursing Educator (Perioperative) coordinates, facilitates and supports staff education and responds to assessed educational needs. Responsibilities include orientation of new nursing personnel, in-service education, continuing education and career development and coordinating academic affiliations. Responsibilities The incumbent demonstrates leadership in planning, implementing, evaluation and improving educational services while ensuring compliance with the Lexington VA Health Care Systems mission and nationally recognized standards. The Educator executes leadership that is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for integrated programs that cross service and/or discipline lines and influence organizational mission and health care. The incumbent provides leadership in the clinical nursing areas while encouraging and fostering participation and involvement in educational programs. The Educator is responsible to designated supervision, within a designated service, to independently carry out their assignment. Responsibilities include leadership in evaluation of clinical practice, enhancement of staff knowledge, development of patient education and clinical support to area managers and administration. The individual assumes substantial responsibility for meeting a variety of clinical and accreditation standards and performance improvement. The individual assures special assignments as needed by the service/organization. Responsible and accountable for the coordination of care focused on patient transition through the continuum of care, patient and family education, patient self-management after discharge, and supporting factors that impact customer satisfaction. Applies the nursing process and care management principles within a collaborative, interdisciplinary practice setting, which will then enable effective implementation of health promotion and prevention practices, management of acute and chronic illnesses, and attainment of appropriate lengths of stay and the effective level of care. Core functions include daily assessment of patient care needs to determine the most appropriate use of expertise in clinical coordination, patient and staff education, attention to systems issues that require intervention, and quality and performance measures. Assists the nursing staff in the provision of complex patient care. Design, implement and evaluates patient-specific and population-based programs of care. Influence care outcomes by providing expert consultation and guidance to nursing staff within the field of his/her specialty and by implementing improvements in health care delivery systems. Collaborate with staff and multidisciplinary treatment teams to resolve complex patient care/family issues. 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: N01J Work Schedule: Day Tour of Duty such as 0730-1600 Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. 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 2 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/12892726. 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 MSN with focus on education or clinical specialty in perioperative nursing 3 years or greater clinical nursing experience particularly in operating room setting Certification in perioperative nursing such as Certified Nurse Operating Room Proficiency in using educational technology and tools for simulations and e-learning Reference For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements VA policy is to ensure all selected applicants and employed personnel are physically, mentally and emotionally fit to perform the duties 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 appointed in the VA. The examination will be concerned with the mental and physical ability of the applicant to satisfactorily perform the duties 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 Influenza vaccination, TB screening or testing as a condition of employment. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
