VA PACT RN vs Nurse Manager

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Would anyone please tell me in a nutshell what the duties are of a PACT RN and a Nurse Manager at CBOCs? I’m really trying to get into a local clinic as a PACT RN, especially after talking to a current one there, but she is advising I also apply for the Nurse Manager role. I’ve read the job descriptions but am very aware they don’t describe it in laymen’s terms. Please help, thank you!

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
On 4/19/2019 at 3:26 PM, JerseyGirl1213 said:

Would anyone please tell me in a nutshell what the duties are of a PACT RN and a Nurse Manager at CBOCs? I’m really trying to get into a local clinic as a PACT RN, especially after talking to a current one there, but she is advising I also apply for the Nurse Manager role. I’ve read the job descriptions but am very aware they don’t describe it in laymen’s terms. Please help, thank you!

Still need info?

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Yes please.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

PACT is just primary care. The nurses get vested with an onerous amount of bureaucratic "reminders." It's akin to standard outpatient, ambulatory nursing but with extra perfunctory requirements.

CBOC is community based outpatient clinic. Sometimes they're remote. Sometimes they're not. We have a CBOC in a city many, many times larger than the one our main hospital campus is in. So a CBOC nurse manager could be busy or no. I know a CBOC nurse manager with like three nurses at the cboc. Typical manager duties with added federal layers of bureaucracy. A lot of the patients are great. Some super guys, and I say guys because most are men.

Nurse manager should be a nurse III. The other just a II. Obviously IIIs make more money. The only nurse V is usually the adpcs/nurse executive for the entire catchment area. I'm a III as a NP and can only be a IV as being perhaps chief or deputy chief of service.

You'll have several "bosses" as a clinic nurse and not so much as a manager. The manager has the potential for making as much as a NP (or much less).

The managers attend a lot of meetings, morning report, and generally digest policy to fill in their people, deal with scheduling, staff shortages or overages, sail measures, etc

Any specific questions?

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Thank you very much, it sounds like what I did at a large military clinic. I’m going to apply for the PACT RN (the Nurse Manager vacancy expired) as I need a break managing folks. I’ve heard how lengthy the hiring process is and just praying that my veteran status and retired military spouse preference will help my chances. I also have current VA employees on my references list. This CBOC isn’t very large.

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On 5/24/2019 at 6:12 PM, JerseyGirl1213 said:

Thank you very much, it sounds like what I did at a large military clinic. I’m going to apply for the PACT RN (the Nurse Manager vacancy expired) as I need a break managing folks. I’ve heard how lengthy the hiring process is and just praying that my veteran status and retired military spouse preference will help my chances. I also have current VA employees on my references list. This CBOC isn’t very large.

While pact jobs can vary with clinic, the general idea is to alleviate provider load in a team environment. With my VA, the RN is responsible for care management of patients with chronic illnesses. They aid in tracking patient lab values, requesting medication changes from pcps, subspecialty coordination, and also educating patients to more adequately control a range of chronic illnesses. It's a good job for someone who wants good primary care experience where they are intricately involved in patient outcomes.

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Thank you for the reply. Primary care is definitely my passion and I’m just hoping to get the opportunity.

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Hi JerseyGirl1213,
Wondering if you're now in primary care with the VA?
If so, did the veterans' preference help?
Thanks

On 5/27/2019 at 8:54 PM, JerseyGirl1213 said:

 

 

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On 9/28/2020 at 7:13 PM, DEADPOOH said:

Hi JerseyGirl1213,
Wondering if you're now in primary care with the VA?
If so, did the veterans' preference help?
Thanks

 

At the VA, I believe veterans preference only helps you in getting in the door at the interview stage. Speaking from someone who did some RN interviews, not a word was mentioned about veteran status and it solely came down to experience and interview skills. 

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Specializes in Primary Care/ Trauma.

Long term PACT nurse here. Have to agree with  djmatte the best candidate is who I’ve seen chosen. That could perhaps differ depending on the hiring manager. 

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