Registered Nurse (Inpatient Mental Health)

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Pay Scale and Grade

Determines the salary of the job.

Work Schedule

Full-time - six 12-hour shifts (07:30 am to 08:00 pm) and one 8-hour shift (07:30 am to 04:00 pm) each pay period, with rotating weekends and holidays.

Open to Current Employees

Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Major Duties

- Improves patient and organizational outcomes by providing patient-centered and recovery-oriented care, maintaining self-awareness while caring for patients living with MH conditions, and managing the milieu. - Facilitates shift reports, warm hand-offs, and develops content as well as facilitates nurse-led psychoeducational groups. - Uses therapeutic communication techniques, practice de-escalation techniques, and utilizes recovery-oriented language. - Actively participates in Mental Health interdisciplinary treatment team, Environment of Care rounds, directs team response to psychiatric emergencies, reports safety concerns, and assists in safety concern resolution. - Documents nursing assessments, nursing plan of care, patient safety observations, and environmental safety rounds according to facility policy. - Maintains professional boundaries to protect patient vulnerabilities and act in the best interest of the patient. - Collaborates in the development, implementation, evaluation, and revision of policies, procedures, and/or guidelines. - Demonstrates performance and leadership that is broad enough to improve the care for Mental Health patients. - Provides peers with formal or informal constructive feedback for improvement. - Fosters a safe and supportive environment conducive to the professional development of health care professionals. - Evaluates Mental Health outcomes of evidence-based decisions and practice changes for individuals, groups, and populations. - Responsible for the documented Mental Health outcomes at the program or service level.

Preferred Experience

Experience in inpatient mental health or psychiatric nursing, including care of high-acuity patients; ability to manage behavioral escalation using therapeutic communication and de-escalation techniques; familiarity with safety protocols, seclusion/restraint procedures, and electronic health record documentation.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements

- English Language Proficiency: No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. - Graduation from a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE); OR Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor's level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program. Upon achievement of a State license, the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program. (Reference VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G6); OR In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of a current, full, active, and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement for graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program. Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD). - Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements, but do not possess the required licensure, may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.) - Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification.

Scope, Education, and Dimension Criteria

- Nurse I, Level I: Delivers fundamental, knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies. - Nurse I, Level II: Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex. - Nurse I, Level III: Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations. - Nurse II: Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others. - Nurse III: Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting.

Physical Requirements

Physical requirements are managed per VA Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service.