Advance Practice Certified Nurse Anesthetist - Veterans Health Administration Careers

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Nurse Anesthetists must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate State-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). In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. Nursing education must be from a school of professional nursing anesthesia accredited by the following accrediting organization at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs (COA) www.coacrna.org 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. Current active certification by the Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists is a requirement for employment. Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade: Entry Level: Nurse II Experience and Education. None beyond the

Basic Requirements:

• The following list of knowledge, skills and abilities present the minimum skill set expected of an Entry Level Nurse Anesthetist
• Entry level into nurse anesthesia practice may include but are not limited to the following: Ability to translate into anesthesia care the principles of professional nursing practice including the patients' rights to autonomy, dignity, privacy and safety
• Knowledge of current research and practice guidelines to frame anesthesia practice including up to date techniques, pharmacology and equipment
• Ability to obtain, document and verify informed anesthesia consent and perform a pre-anesthetic patient history and physical, which includes managing pre-operative consults and interpreting data
• Ability to formulate a patient-specific anesthetic plan and describe salient anesthetic risks, benefits and options to the patient
• Ability to administer inhalational, regional, intravenous, local and topical anesthetics
• Skill in detecting and treating anesthesia or surgically related physiologic changes and ability to treat accordingly in order to maintain homeostasis
• Skill in assessing patient status for appropriateness of transfer of care to another healthcare provider and communicating essential patient information to other providers effectively
• Ability to participate in collaborative responsibility for proper patient positioning, physiologic monitoring, infection control and anesthesia documentation
• Skill in responding to emergency situations by providing airway management, fluid and medication administration, invasive line insertion and management and the use of advanced cardiac life support techniques
• Ability to provide patient care that is abreast of changing concepts and advancements in the profession, (e.g., ultrasound techniques.) Ability to practice anesthesia in an interdisciplinary environment utilizing a collaborative concept of anesthesia care
• Knowledge of quality improvement processes to maintain ongoing review and evaluation of anesthesia care to improve outcomes
• Ability to demonstrate a practice emphasis on safety, current established guidelines and protocols while recognizing the duty to report unsafe conditions or errors
• Full Performance Level: Nurse III Experience and Education
• In addition to meeting the requirements for Entry Level, the APN (CNA) has had progressively responsible experience in the administration of anesthetics as indicated in the knowledge, skills and abilities listed below
• These individuals must demonstrate the ability to participate in a program for nurse anesthesia care and demonstrate knowledge of anesthetizing locations, methods, equipment and procedures
• At this level, the APN (CNA) has experience in the administration of anesthetics that has demonstrated the nurse anesthetist's ability to participate in team programs that are technically challenging and/or complicated
• Typically candidates can demonstrate the knowledge, skills and abilities of Full Performance Level within 2 years from entering the occupation
• Full Performance Level practice in nurse anesthesia includes but is not limited to the following: Ability to plan, administer and manage anesthesia for a broad range of complex surgical procedures skillfully employing continuous assessment and anesthetic adaptation based on patient response and comorbidities
• Work assignments will vary by facility
• Ability to participate in assignments that are technically challenging, encompass a variety of anesthetizing locations and utilize advanced equipment and procedures while adapting techniques to solve various complex anesthesia problems including the development of individualized programs of post-op anesthesia care
• Skill in responsibility and accountability to perform to the extent of the CNA standards of practice as a licensed healthcare professional in any model of anesthesia practice
• Ability to contribute to the educational mission as a mentor or preceptor providing didactic and clinical instruction in anesthesia to student nurse anesthetists, medical and dental residents and other health care trainees
• Knowledge to participate in the development, implementation and maintenance of auditing processes that ensure and improve the quality and consistency of anesthesia and associated documentation
• Ability to contribute to departmental administrative processes through quality assurance, shared governance or committee representation as applicable
• Ability to serve as a representative on interdisciplinary teams to establish and maintain guidelines and communication
• Skill demonstrated in the ability to embrace the safety culture emphasis by continuously assessing for safety risks, actively reporting safety concerns and maintaining a just culture by identifying faults in systems rather than individuals
• References: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-7 Nurse Anesthetist Qualification Standard
• This can be found in the local Human Resources Office
• Physical Requirements: Heavy Lifting (45 lbs
• and over); Moderate Lifting (15-44 lbs.); Light Lifting (under 15 lbs.); Light Carrying (under 15 lbs.); Straight Pulling (1-2 hours); Pushing (1-2 hours); Both hands required; Walking (4-6 hours); Standing (4-6 hours); Kneeling (1-2 hours); Repeated bending (1-2 hours); Both legs required: Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye t 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Hearing aid permitted.

Duties

"Clarksburg, in the Mountaineer Country region, offers visitors a rich mix of retail, industrial, professional and governmental services and one of the best preserved historical downtowns in the state.
Clarksburg is considered a Large Town with a population of 41,453 and 2,918 businesses.
The VA Clarksburg Healthcare System is one of the leading health care systems serving Veterans in the Veterans Integrated Service Network 5 (VISN 5), which includes medical centers and clinics in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.CVA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Duties will include, but are not limited to: Performing and documenting a preanesthetic assessment and evaluation of the patient, including requesting consultations and diagnostic studies; selecting, obtaining, ordering, and administering pre-anesthetic medications and fluids; and obtaining informed consent for anesthesia.
Developing and implementing an anesthetic plan.
Initiating the anesthetic technique which may include general, regional, local, and IV sedation.
Selecting, applying, and inserting appropriate noninvasive and invasive monitoring modalities for continuous evaluation of the patient's physical status.
Selecting, obtaining, and administering the anesthetics, adjuvant and accessory drugs, and fluids necessary to manage the anesthetic.
Managing a patient's airway and pulmonary status using current practice modalities.
Facilitating emergence and recovery from anesthesia by selecting, obtaining, ordering and administering medications, fluids, and ventilator support.
Discharging the patient from a post-anesthesia care area and providing post-anesthesia follow-up evaluation and care, as needed.
Responding to emergency situations by providing airway management, administration of emergency fluids and drugs, and using basic or advanced cardiac life support techniques.
Implements acute pain management modalities.
Perform arterial puncture, arterial cannulization and arterial pressure monitoring devices if indicated.
Fiberoptic bronchoscopy.
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 thru Friday, from 07:00 am to 03:30 pm; this position has on call duties; applicants must be available after duty hours for on call duties Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May Be Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact visn5edrpcoordinators@va.gov for questions/assistance.
Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Recruitment Incentive: Approved Relocation Incentive: Approved This position is covered under the AFGE Bargaining Unit Agreement.
Per the AFGE Master Agreement."