W-2 full-time

Full details

The position carries eligibility for the Education Debt Reduction Program, a student loan repayment reimbursement benefit. Applicants must satisfy VHA eligibility rules and file an application within four months of appointment. Approval, the award amount of up to $200,000, and the length of the eligibility period of one to five years are set by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services office after it reviews the application. Individuals who previously took part in the program may not apply.

The certified nurse anesthetist will work alongside other clinicians to protect patient safety and welfare and to meet compliance standards, aiming for strong confidence and satisfaction among patients and staff. Responsibilities span the full range of anesthesia care: pre-anesthesia assessment and preparation, induction, maintenance and emergence, post-anesthesia recovery, peri-anesthetic support, and emergency response. Care is provided in the operating room and in locations outside it, and the practitioner builds and carries out individualized anesthesia plans for patients receiving local, regional, general, or monitored anesthesia. The role also includes writing preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative orders and medications, adopting evidence-based methods, and striving to raise quality, safety, and outcomes across the facility.

Beyond direct care, the practitioner serves as a teaching resource for staff, can precept, and may act as adjunct clinical faculty for students rotating through the facility. Conduct is expected to reflect the VA's ICARE values of integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect, and excellence.

Compensation and benefits include a competitive salary with regular raises and possible performance awards. Paid time off totals 50 days a year, made up of 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 federal holidays. Retirement comprises a traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and a federal 401(k) with agency contributions of up to 5 percent. Federal health, vision, dental, life, and long-term care insurance are offered, and many of these can be kept into retirement. The job is full-time with hours set by the supervisor, allows telework, is not virtual, and does not include a permanent change of station. Relocation or recruitment incentives may be authorized.

Candidates need a master's or doctoral degree in nurse anesthesia from a program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs at the time of completion; applicants still finishing that degree may be tentatively selected but cannot be hired until it is complete. A full, unrestricted state, territory, or District of Columbia license as a nurse anesthetist is required, along with current certification from the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists or an equivalent COA-recognized credential. A temporary appointment of up to one year and a day is possible for candidates who meet the education standard but lack the license or certification. Entry is at the Nurse II level, and no prior experience is needed; advancement to Nurse III requires one year of specialized anesthesia experience.

Practitioners must show they can obtain informed consent, perform pre-anesthetic histories and physicals, craft patient-specific plans, and explain risks and options. They should be skilled in administering inhalational, regional, intravenous, local, and topical anesthetics, managing physiologic changes, handling airway emergencies and advanced cardiac life support, and communicating clearly at handoffs. Senior roles call for complex case management, mentoring of student nurse anesthetists and residents, participation in audits, quality assurance, and interdisciplinary teams, and a focus on safety culture and reporting. Applicants must be U.S. citizens unless no qualified citizen can be recruited, pass drug screening and a pre-employment physical, complete a background check, and meet English proficiency and influenza vaccination requirements.

The post sits in the Excepted Service and carries no competitive status. Physical demands include long periods of standing and walking, transferring patients, and possible exposure to infectious materials and combative patients, and annual employee health screening is required. The VA encourages applicants with disabilities to apply and emphasizes Whole Health, supporting personalized, proactive care for staff and veterans alike.