Nurse

Beyond direct patient care, 0610 takes in advanced practice nurses and roles in case management, nursing informatics, quality and patient safety, education and nurse management. The Veterans Health Administration is by far the largest federal employer of nurses, and it hires them under Title 38 rather than the GS system, with its own nurse grades, pay schedules and a professional standards board that reviews qualifications.

Recent listings have included nurse practitioner roles in primary care and home-based primary care, registered nurse informaticists, patient safety managers, community care coordinators, nurse managers and quality management consultants. A number of announcements have been open only to current permanent employees of a particular VA health care system, so read the “This job is open to” section before investing time.

Applying tip: every 0610 announcement requires an active, current, full and unrestricted RN license in a US state or territory and graduation from an accredited nursing program; advanced practice roles add certification and prescriptive-authority requirements. State your license, jurisdiction, certifications and years of practice plainly on the first page. The federal benefits guide covers what comes with the job beyond salary.