Summary The incumbent provides advanced professional nursing case management and care coordination services to eligible American Indian and Alaska Native beneficiaries. Working with considerable independence, the incumbent manages complex, precedent-setting case management situations, serves as a clinical resource to lower-graded nursing staff, and leads quality improvement. A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021). Responsibilities Conducts nursing assessments incorporating medical history, current clinical status, psychosocial factors, cultural considerations, and social determinants of health, using established assessment frameworks and protocols. Monitors patient progress through follow-up activities, review of clinical data, and participation in case conferences. Coordinates care across providers, disciplines, and care settings to ensure continuity and prevent fragmentation of services. Provides direct professional nursing care to assigned patients with chronic and recurring health conditions Total Compensation Package - Check out IHS's outstanding total compensation package for this job: Registered Nurse Total Compensation | Pay (ihs.gov) Requirements Conditions of Employment Selectee may be subject to a probationary period U.S. Citizenship is required Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 This is a competitive vacancy announcement advertised under Direct Hire Authority. Selections made under this vacancy announcement will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would therefore be given new appointments to the civil service; however, benefits, time served, and all other Federal entitlements would remain the same. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/. You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you. Background Investigation Requirement: This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment. A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service. Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance. Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability. Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process. Financial Suitability Requirement: This position requires a review of the applicant's financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying. Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including, but not limited to, delinquent federal or state tax liabilities, defaulted federal student loans, court-ordered fines or fees, or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service (IHS). Prior to the appointment, candidates must present two valid forms of identification. If one of the documents is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant. Qualifications To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. This position has promotion potential to the GS-11 grade level. Promotion to the next grade level is at management's discretion and is based on your demonstrated ability to perform the higher level duties, the continuing need for the higher level duties, and "Regulatory/Administrative" approval. Promotion to the next higher grade level is not guaranteed and no promise of promotion is implied. BASIC REQUIREMENT(S): Individual Occupational Requirements Note: Employees currently assigned to positions in this occupational series as of September 2017 will be considered to have met the basic requirements for the position occupied. Basic Requirements Education A graduate or higher level degree, bachelor's degree, associate degree, or diploma from an accredited professional nursing educational program is required. This education must have been accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education(external link), Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs(external link), Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education(external link), or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education(external link) at the time the degree was obtained. Degree from Foreign Nursing School: Official certification from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (external link) is required for individuals who graduated from foreign nursing schools. Licensure For all grade levels and positions, applicants must have passed the National Council Licensure Examination(external link). In addition, they must possess a current, active, full, and unrestricted license or registration as a professional nurse from a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States Basic Requirements for the GS-9 Grade Level Possession of a master's degree in professional nursing; or At least one full year of professional nursing experience (equivalent to the GS-7 grade level or above) and possession of a diploma, associate degree, or bachelor's degree in nursing from a professional nursing program. Basic Requirements for the GS-11 Grade Level Successful completion of a PhD or equivalent doctoral degree from a professional nursing educational program or related medical science field; or At least one full year of professional nursing experience (equivalent to the GS-09 grade level) and possession of a diploma, associate degree, bachelor's degree, or master's degree from a professional nursing educational program. In addition, to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below- MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following @type of work and/or tasks: GS-9: Manages an assigned caseload of patients with chronic or recurring health conditions that require case management services; Applies professional nursing judgment within established protocols to balance clinical priorities and available resources; Coordinates referrals, authorizations, and follow-up services related to ongoing care needs; Participates in the review and implementation of case management and care coordination policies GS-11: Provides individualized education to patients and families regarding disease processes, medications, treatment plans, self-management strategies, and post-discharge care requirements; Provides direct professional nursing care to assigned patients with chronic and recurring health conditions; Collects and maintains case management data, including service utilization, identified barriers, interventions, and patient outcomes; Leads or substantially contributes to the review, development, and implementation of case management and care coordination policies You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement. Education This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.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 https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire CompetencyBased Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information) Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. This position is covered by a Bargaining Unit. The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines. This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process. Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds. For additional information please visit: For IHS - http://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/ For NHSC - https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/ For HRSA Nurse Corps - https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/nursecorps You will be evaluated for this position in accordance with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan. As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide short essay responses (200 words or less each) to the following four questions. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? In this role, you will be expected to professionally and efficiently implement executive direction. Provide an example where you implemented leadership direction on a strategy or policy decision that differed from your own recommendation. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Your responses are optional and will not be scored. However, they may be reviewed by hiring managers and agency leadership (or designees) during the evaluation process. You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).
