Registered Nurse - Mental Health Outpatient

About the role

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment.

Responsibilities

• Delivers fundamental - knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies.
• Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts - cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex.
• Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership - experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting.
• Facilitates care coordination - linking with the Inpatient MH Units to facilitate continuity of care - MH interdisciplinary treatment team huddles and meetings - warm hand-offs - and develops content as well as facilitates nurse-led psychoeducational groups.
• Uses therapeutic communication techniques - practices de-escalation techniques - utilizes recovery-oriented language - and provides Veterans - their family members - and/or significant others with education regarding their illness - medications - and treatment plan.
• Reports and assists and/or directs safety concern resolution and collaborates with program leadership to help improve patient and program outcomes.
• Documents nursing triage assessments - risk screens - measurement-based care tools - clinical reminders - and patient plan of care according to facility policy.
• Maintains professional boundaries to protect patient vulnerabilities and act in the best interest of the patient.
• Provides peers with formal or informal constructive feedback for improvement.
• Supports colleagues and other nurses through knowledge sharing to provide safe - quality nursing care.
• Fosters a safe and supportive environment conducive to the professional development of health care professionals.

  Requirements

  • English Language Proficiency
  • Graduate of 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)
  • 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
  • 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
  • Grade Determinations: The following Scope - Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates - and if appropriate - the level within a grade
  • The Dimension requirements (Practice - Veteran/Patient Driven Care - Leadership - Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13003304
  • Physical Requirements: It is VA policy to ensure that all selected applicants and employed personnel are physically - mentally and emotionally fit to perform the duties of the position to which assigned
  • Pre-placement physical examination is required for all fulltime - part-time and intermittent employees identified by VA Directive and Handbook 5019
  • Visual acuity - keen hearing - clear distinctive speech - and manual dexterity
  • Potentially long periods of continued walking - standing - stooping - sitting - bending - pulling - and pushing
  • Exposure to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures
  • Exposure to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
  • Mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on organizational needs
  • Completes annual Employee Health requirements - such as annual Influenza vaccination - TB screening or testing - as a condition of employment.

    Qualifications

    • Basic Requirements
    • English Language Proficiency
    • Graduate of 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)
    • 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
    • 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
    • Grade Determinations: The following Scope - Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates - and if appropriate - the level within a grade
    • The Dimension requirements (Practice - Veteran/Patient Driven Care - Leadership - Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13003304
    • Physical Requirements: It is VA policy to ensure that all selected applicants and employed personnel are physically - mentally and emotionally fit to perform the duties of the position to which assigned
    • Pre-placement physical examination is required for all fulltime - part-time and intermittent employees identified by VA Directive and Handbook 5019
    • Visual acuity - keen hearing - clear distinctive speech - and manual dexterity
    • Potentially long periods of continued walking - standing - stooping - sitting - bending - pulling - and pushing
    • Exposure to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures
    • Exposure to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
    • Mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on organizational needs
    • Completes annual Employee Health requirements - such as annual Influenza vaccination - TB screening or testing - as a condition of employment.

    Skills

    • Therapeutic Communication Techniques
    • De-escalation Techniques
    • Recovery-Oriented Language
    • Education Regarding Illness - Medications - and Treatment Plan
    • Reporting and Assisting Safety Concern Resolution
    • Care Coordination
    • Linking with Inpatient MH Units
    • Facilitating Warm Hand-Offs
    • Developing Content for Psychoeducational Groups
    • Documenting Nursing Assessments
    • Maintaining Professional Boundaries
    • Providing Constructive Feedback
    • Knowledge Sharing
    • Safe - Quality Nursing Care
    • Professional Development
    • Leadership
    • Experience
    • Creative Approaches to Management
    • Complex Client Care
    • Stressful Situations
    • Shift Priorities
    • Organizational Needs
    • Employee Health Requirements
    • Annual Influenza Vaccination
    • TB Screening or Testing
    • Employee Health Requirements
    • Annual Influenza Vaccination
    • TB Screening or Testing

    Benefits

    VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Pay: Competitive salary - regular salary increases - potential for performance awards Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

    Pay

    Pay Scale: NG 57

    Schedule

    Based on the needs of the service