Registered Nurse II

Salary up to $120,574 with a $7,500 sign-on bonus for new hires to state service (one-year agreement required). Bonus available for Registered Nurse II new to DBHDS or those who have not worked for DBHDS in at least one year.

Pay

• Starting pay: $84,418, increasing commensurate with experience, education, and credentials
• Total compensation (including paid time off and benefits) begins at $120,408
• Shift differentials:
  • 1st shift weekend: +$5.50/hour
  • 2nd shift weekday: +$5.50/hour
  • 2nd shift weekend/holidays: +$6.00/hour
  • 3rd shift weekday: +$4.00/hour
  • 3rd shift weekend/holidays: +$7.00/hour

Schedule

• Set 12-hour shifts on a two-week rotating schedule: 36 hours one week and 48 hours the following week (or vice versa)
• Available shifts: 7:00 a.m.–7:30 p.m. or 7:00 p.m.–7:30 a.m.
• Overtime may be required due to staffing emergencies, including potential 16-hour shifts

Benefits

• 13 paid holidays per year
• 12+ paid vacation days per year
• 9 paid sick days per year
• 4+ paid family/personal days per year
• Family Medical Leave, Short- and Long-term disability coverage
• Low-cost, comprehensive Anthem or AETNA health insurance benefits
• Group life and optional life insurance
• Flexible Reimbursement accounts
• Internships, career ladders, and continuing education opportunities
• Referral bonuses
• Student loan repayment opportunities
• Virginia 529 College Savings Plan eligibility
• Relocation reimbursement (may be available)
• State employee discounts and more

About the role

This position provides direct patient care in a safe, therapeutic environment for a specific patient population in a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week psychiatric hospital. Responsibilities include:

• Conforming to care and treatment policies/procedures while demonstrating knowledge of population-specific needs and competencies
• Providing quality care as part of an interdisciplinary team
• Maintaining accountability in a safe, secure, and therapeutic environment
• Creating healthy interpersonal interactions on adult acute admissions, geriatric, and extended rehabilitation service units
• Observing and reporting feedback regarding interventions, treatments, behaviors, physical/emotional wellbeing, and other situations
• Documenting and communicating patient information
• Using specialized training to promote mental wellness and recovery

The Nursing Department provides 24-hour direct care services to psychiatric patients, aiming to facilitate discharge to less restrictive settings by improving or maintaining patients' physical, mental, and social functioning through collaboration with the multidisciplinary team.

About the facility

Western State Hospital (WSH), part of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS), is a 302-bed Joint Commission/CMS-accredited psychiatric facility located in the Shenandoah Valley. Established in 1828, WSH serves adults with serious mental health needs and is nationally recognized for its Psychosocial Rehabilitation “Learning” programs. The hospital offers a modern clinical setting and therapeutic environment, with nearby cities like Charlottesville and Harrisonburg providing dining, entertainment, and outdoor activities.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership in performance management by communicating unit goals, coaching/mentoring staff, delivering constructive feedback, and addressing performance concerns
• Ensure staff competency through ongoing education, identifying training needs, documenting completed education, and collaborating with RNCB/RNC on staff development
• Promote a safe and therapeutic environment via monthly environmental rounds, monitoring safety issues, and modeling professional/recovery-oriented behavior
• Demonstrate effective communication through clear, respectful verbal/written/electronic interactions, appropriate chain-of-command use, and collaboration with scheduling/shift leadership
• Provide direct patient care using the nursing process and evidence-based practices (medication administration, patient assessment, documentation, treatment planning)
• Monitor patient and milieu acuity through regular rounding, reporting clinical changes, and ensuring accurate documentation on tracking tools
• Participate in interdisciplinary collaboration by exchanging clinical information, contributing to patient education/evaluations, and engaging in Psychosocial Rehabilitation programs
• Demonstrate professional development by completing annual competencies, maintaining BLS certification, and providing in-service training to nursing staff
• Support unit reliability and teamwork through dependable attendance, emergency response, assisting coworkers, accepting pull assignments, and flexing schedules as needed
• Uphold professional nursing standards by delegating tasks, supervising staff, practicing trauma-informed care, and utilizing critical thinking for clinical improvements
• Safely implement Seclusion/Restraint procedures, including knowledge of physical/emotional risk factors for patients

Requirements

• Current or eligible licensure as a Registered Nurse in the Commonwealth of Virginia/Compact licensure
• Graduation from an accredited nursing program (BSN preferred)
• Ability to delegate and supervise nursing staff
• Effective communication skills (written, verbal, and sign language)
• Ability to participate in an interdisciplinary team
• Experience assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating patient care
• Familiarity with trauma-informed, person-centered, and relationship-based nursing philosophies
• Ability to work overtime due to staffing emergencies in a 24/7 psychiatric hospital (may include 16-hour shifts)
• Completion of annual competency training, including TO III with physical restraints
• Maintenance of Basic Life Support (BLS) certification for Healthcare Providers (American Heart Association)
• Demonstrated knowledge of recovery/trauma-informed care

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Nursing from an accredited institution
• Psychiatric nursing experience
• Veteran or spouse of veteran status
• Bilingual (Spanish)
• Experience creating training materials and maintaining training programs
• Prior experience as a Nurse Supervisor or training