Description of Duties:

• Develop, evaluate, and interpret health program policies, provide recommendations regarding clinical aspects of nursing practice and nursing programs of national scope and importance pertaining to a variety of health care providers or suppliers;
• Consult with experts in the delivery of nursing services and health care delivery to obtain information or assistance related to issues of concern;
• Conduct special studies and develop comparative analyses to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical practices and health care services provided;
• Provide contract or project management or oversight related to the quality of nursing services and health care delivery;
• Prepare policies, issue papers, specifications for regulations, issuances, manuals, reports to Congress, and correspondence for an assigned health policy area including clinical coverage issues for patient care, medical and nursing assessments and clinical case management;
• Provide professional consultation and authoritative technical advice to quality improvement staff within the Department.

Qualifications:

GS-11 Level:

1. Education: Degree or diploma from a professional nursing program approved by the legally designated State accrediting agency at the time the program was completed. Note: You must submit a copy of your transcript.

-OR-

2. I have three full years of progressively higher level graduate education or have completed all requirements for a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) in nursing with a concentration in a field of nursing (e.g., teaching, a clinical specialty, research, administration, etc.) or in a closely related non-nursing field directly applicable to the requirements of the position to be filled.

-OR-

3. Have a combination of experience as described below and graduate education as described in "B" above.

-AND-

GS-11 Level:

In addition to meeting the basic requirements above, applicants must possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 or higher grade level in the Federal service that demonstrates experience providing nursing consultation and technical advice by applying knowledge of the principles and theories of clinical practice and health care services; and evaluating and conducting analyses of clinical programs for improvement.

-AND-

Registration: Must have an 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. Note: An applicant who has graduated from an approved nursing educational program within the past 12 months may be appointed pending State registration as a professional nurse within six (6) months of appointment. A person appointed pending registration may not be retained beyond six (6) months, or promoted, if registration has not been attained. Note: You must submit a copy of your active, current registration.

GS-12 and GS-13:

1. Education: Degree or diploma from a professional nursing program approved by the legally designated State accrediting agency at the time the program was completed. Note: You must submit a copy of your transcript.

-AND-

2. Registration: Must have 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. Note: An applicant who has graduated from an approved nursing educational program within the past 12 months may be appointed pending State registration as a professional nurse within six (6) months of appointment. A person appointed pending registration may not be retained beyond six (6) months, or promoted, if registration has not been attained. Note: You must submit a copy of your active, current registration.

- AND-

GS-12 level:

In addition to meeting the basic requirements above, applicants must possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level that demonstrates experience identifying problems, gathering information, drawing conclusions and recommending solutions; developing and coordinating projects; and providing comprehensive nursing consultation and technical advice using knowledge of the principles and theories of clinical practice and health care services.

GS-13 level:

In addition to meeting the basic requirements above, applicants must possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service that demonstrates experience reviewing, evaluating and assessing the integrity and quality of clinical aspects of program operations; providing direction in the development and execution of multiple projects; negotiating acceptance and implementation of recommendations; and providing authoritative nursing consultation and technical advice.

Geographical Locations:

Nurse Consultants are located at HQ (suburban Washington, D.C.) and in facilities throughout the U.S.