Overview

ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSE (NURSE PRACT/FAMILY PRACTICE) GS-0610-13 - Fort Carson, CO

Fort Carson, CO: Located just south of Colorado Springs, Ft. Carson combines scenic beauty, pleasant residential areas, and cultural activities to satisfy every taste. It is an unusually well-rounded military community which offers a variety of recreational and cultural opportunities. World-class ski resorts are available within a short 2 1/2 hour drive, golf courses and biking trails are available on the installation as well as in the surrounding community. Numerous colleges and universities are available for continuing education.

(Fort Carson Landscape)

Working for the Department of Defense comes with an abundance of benefits and perks to include competitive compensation packages, paid-time off, medical benefits, student loan repayments, and retirement package with Thrift Savings Plan to include matching employer contributions. For more information, please visit the following link: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/benefits/

Responsibilities

MAJOR DUTIES:

Supervisory Controls: Incumbent applies a mastery of nursing within the evolving profession of theadvanced practice, Certified Nurse-Midwife. Provides independent and collaborative primary care orspecialty, comprehensive and therapeutic health care services, at Evans Army Community Hospital(EACH). Practices evidence-based care, with competency in assessment, diagnosing andmanagement of a full range of healthcare services for women from adolescence to beyondmenopause; nursing theory; research; and advanced clinical practice in an obstetrics/gynecologydepartment, primary care clinic, inpatient obstetrical unit or other medical treatment facility.

1. Implements and adapts medical theories and technologies, paralleling the latest advancements inscientific evidence, medical initiatives, and evolving obstetrics/gynecology healthcare technologies.Adapts treatment to new, experimental, and ground-breaking theories in the focus of diversepatient care for women, ranging from inpatient to outpatient settings, as well as from available riskmanagement data, supporting the investigation of new drugs. Analyzes epidemiological,biostatistical, environmental, and other appropriate scientific data, related to individual, aggregate,and population health. Duties reflect the growing significance of evidence-based practice, evidence-based interventions, and population-based chronic care management. Critically appraises existingmedical literature/journals to determine and implement the optimal evidence for patient care plan. Initiates and implements strategies to evaluate outcomes of practice, practice patterns, andsystems of care for women against National benchmarks. Serves as project lead or associate in thedesign, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of obstetrics/gynecology healthcare. 

2. Incumbent integrates the art and science of both nursing and midwifery into practice. Assessesacute and non-acute clinical problems. Obtains and records a problem-oriented health history;orders and interprets related laboratory and diagnostic tests; performs a systematic physicalexamination and interprets abnormal and normal findings to form a diagnosis regarding physical,emotional, or social disabilities. Independently manages labor and childbirth in accordance withclinical privileges. Utilizes experimental theories and new developments in the solution of complexhealth care problems, not susceptible to treatment by accepted methods. Prescribes medications;initiates emergency care, as appropriate. Conducts interdisciplinary and intradisciplinarycollaboration with physicians regarding patient management, to include evaluating and revisingtherapeutic plans and managing high-risk, unstable, or extremely complex patients, including theintrapartum setting. 

3. Participates in patient care rounds and conferences, presenting patient cases/topics andcommunicating patient management strategies to members of the patient care team. Implementsthe patient therapeutic care plan, with significant emphasis in the areas of patient/family education,assessment, and support. Responsible for initiating, implementing, and overseeing diseasemanagement/education programs for women, addressing the education/self-care needs, identifiedby the patient/family. Provides teaching to patients and their families regarding disease processesand diagnostic tests; therapeutic regimen, including medication, diet, follow-up care; and methodsof adapting medication and treatment to current lifestyles. Performs within a holistic paradigm,providing counseling to patients and their families in prevention of illness, maintenance of health,and attainment of physical, mental, and social well-being. Oversees compliance/adherence with thepreventive health care needs of all adult patients visiting the obstetrics/gynecology clinic. Developsa therapeutic environment, which facilitates a trust relationship with the practitioner. 

4. Serves in a leadership position and is recognized as a consultant and role model to other healthcare professionals, colleagues, professional groups, and universities. Evaluates care delivery modelsand strategies, using concepts related to community, environmental/occupational health, andcultural and socioeconomic dimensions of health. Designs, directs, and evaluates qualityimprovement methodologies. Acts as a preceptor to graduate students enrolled in physicianassistant programs, and medical students. Integrated fully into Graduate Medical Educationprograms as staff providers/supervisors for interns and residents in the outpatient and inpatientsettings. Coordinates and/or conducts in-service education programs for health care professionalsand serves as an advisor/member of committees, as assigned. Prepares manuscripts, studies, andlectures for professionals and/or community groups, consistent with proper channels ofcommunication. Develops, reviews, and updates policies, protocols, standards of nursing practice,operating procedures, and scope of practice, in collaboration with multidisciplinary members of thehealthcare team. Participates in national and international conferences and workshops, sharing newmethodologies which facilitate advancement in the obstetrics/gynecology healthcare profession.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the experience and education requirements described below. 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; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. 

Basic Requirement for Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner):

Degree: A graduate or higher level degree from an accredited professional nursing educational program in Nurse Practitioner is required. This education must have been accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education, or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.).

Foreign Degree: A degree from a Foreign Nursing School. Official certification from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools is required for individuals who graduated from foreign nursing schools.

Licensure: 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; and you must have passed the National Council Licensure Examination.

Licensure: A current, active, full, and unrestricted license or registration as a professional nurse in the specialty of Nurse Practitioner or related specialty from a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.

Exemption: You are exempt from the basic requirements above if you are a current federal employee occupying a position in the 0610 occupational series and have been continuously employed in this occupational series since September 27, 2017 or before. Applicants claiming this exemption must meet the requirement below. Note: You will be required to provide appropriate documentation to the respective Human Resources Office to validate your status.

Degree or diploma from a professional nursing program approved by the legally designated State accrediting agency at the time the program was completed by the applicant.

Active, current registration as a professional nurse in a State, District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

Professional Nursing Experience: One or more full years of professional nursing experience which includes performing examination and assessments of assigned patients, obtaining and recording health histories of patients, ordering and interpreting laboratory and diagnostic tests for patients, prescribing a variety of medications to patients. 

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.