Acupuncturist: Clinician The acupuncturist may treat a wide range of conditions and acupuncture may be used alone or as an adjunct to traditional medical care. The acupuncturist includes the stimulation of specific points along the skin of the body using thin needles with or without the addition of electric stimulation. The acupuncturist may use various techniques commonly taught in East Asian Medicine or Acupuncture schools. All requirements must be met by the close date of this announcement, 12/16/2024 Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: Individual must meet one of the requirements below: Master's degree in acupuncture or oriental medicine from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM). OR Advanced level degree in acupuncture or oriental medicine from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM). Certification: Acupuncturists hired in the VHA must be board certified through the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). The board certification must be current and the acupuncturist must abide by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education. Licensure: Current, full, active, and unrestricted license to practice acupuncture in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e. Puerto Rico) of the United States, or District of Columbia. English Language Proficiency: Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who are not proficient in written and spoken English. Grade Determinations: GS-9 Acupuncturist (Entry Level) Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. GS-11 Acupuncturist (Full Performance Level) Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level, which is directly related to the position to be filled. OR Education: Doctoral degree or equivalent degree from an accredited college or university in an acupuncture or oriental medicine. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Ability to screen referrals and direct veterans to other services as appropriate. 2. Ability to formulate an appropriate differential diagnosis. 3. Ability to formulate an acupuncture treatment plan independently or with other health care professionals. 4. Ability to educate patients on health lifestyle changes including nutrition, exercise, sleeping habits, stress management, mind body techniques and other matters related to acupuncture care. This includes the ability to communicate with individuals of varying backgrounds. 5. Skill in the selection and use of the appropriate acupuncture tools and supplies based on needs of the patient. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. ["The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. Duties include, but are not limited to: Provide individualized acupuncture treatment. The acupuncturist will utilize standard medical evaluation procedures and East Asian Medicine evaluation to formulate a differential diagnosis to develop an acupuncture treatment plan. The acupuncturist shall incorporate the various training techniques taught within East Asian Medicine and acupuncture. The acupuncturist shall educate patients on health lifestyle changes including nutrition, exercise, sleeping habits, stress management, mind body techniques and other matters related to acupuncture care. Provide group acupuncture. The acupuncturist will provide group acupuncture as determined. Complete clinical notes in electronic health record system. The acupuncturist shall document and code information related to patient care in the VA's electronic health care record on a timely basis following VHA policies. iMed consent shall be completed prior to acupuncture treatment where any needling procedure occurs. Oral informed consent is valid for auricular acupuncture only. The acupuncturist communicates with other health care providers as appropriate. Maintain trainings and attend required meetings. The acupuncturist shall maintain up-to-date VHA and professional trainings. Required meetings must be attended. Administration. The acupuncturist will review referrals, screen for appropriateness of care, and direct Veterans to others services when necessary. The acupuncturist is the subject matter expert on acupuncture and East Asian Medicine services and will provide guidance when requested regarding purchased care. Work Schedule: Full-time; 0800-1630 Telework: If approved, will be on an ad-hoc basis Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized"]
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.
