Registered Nurse - Nursing Officer of the Day

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• English language proficiency – ability to read, write, and speak basic English.
• Graduate of a professional nursing program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) at the time of completion.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in any U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• For graduates of foreign nursing schools: a current, full, active, and unrestricted registration plus a formal degree equivalency validation from an accepted evaluator (e.g., International Consultants of Delaware).
• Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) exception – candidates meeting education requirements but lacking licensure may be appointed on a temporary 120‑day basis (extendable up to two years) while pursuing licensure.
• Grandfathering provision – current VHA employees in the 0610 series performing the described duties as of 1/29/2024 meet all qualification requirements.

Grade Determinations (Scope – Education – Dimension criteria) are detailed in the online assessment:

• Nurse I – Level I: Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing; no additional professional experience required.
• Nurse I – Level II: ADN/Diploma + 1 year specialized nursing experience OR BSN with no additional experience.
• Nurse I – Level III: ADN/Diploma + 2 years professional experience (one year equivalent to Level II) OR BSN + 1 year experience OR MSN or related master’s degree with no additional experience.
• Nurse II: BSN + 2 years experience OR MSN + 1 year specialized experience OR related master’s + BSN + 1 year specialized experience OR Doctoral degree in nursing (or related field with BSN) with no additional experience.
• Nurse III: MSN + 2 years specialized experience (including one year equivalent to Nurse II) OR related master’s + BSN + 2 years specialized experience OR Doctoral degree in nursing (or related field with BSN) + 1 year specialized experience.

Preferred Experience

• Leadership experience such as Charge Nurse, Lead Nurse, or Nurse Manager.
• Minimum of five (5) years nursing experience, preferably in ICU, step‑down, or med‑surge settings.

Duties

• Deliver and coordinate safe, efficient, and effective patient care throughout all facility areas.
• Provide care and direct others in health promotion, illness prevention, and injury prevention using the nursing process (assessment, judgment, intervention, evaluation).
• Execute medical regimens, including administration of medications and treatments prescribed by authorized providers.
• Demonstrate leadership and creative approaches to managing complex patient care, including planning, organizing, and ensuring continuity of care and peer accountability.
• Serve as the facility’s nursing expert at all hours, supporting and facilitating emergency medical response.
• Identify escalating medical crises and allocate staffing resources appropriately across the facility.
• Promote staff involvement in planning, decision‑making, and outcome evaluation using clinical knowledge and judgment.
• Evaluate current practice, formulate outcomes for patient groups or organizational processes, and guide staff development based on professional standards and scientific evidence.
• Assume authority, responsibility, and accountability for managing employees, staffing units, and resources during weekends, holidays, and after‑hours tours in the absence of nursing management.
• Conduct rounding and act as a consultant to providers.
• Collaborate with the Administrative Officer of the Day (AOD) and interdisciplinary team for ongoing patient care decisions and emergency/disaster response.
• Provide programmatic outcomes to nursing leadership to improve organizational processes and patient care delivery.

Compensation and Benefits

• Competitive salary with regular increases and potential performance awards.
• Paid Time Off: 50 days per year (26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, 11 Federal holidays).
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5‑year vesting) and federal 401(k) with up to 5 % VA contributions.
• Insurance: Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long‑term care coverage (many plans portable into retirement).
• Licensure: Requires one full, unrestricted license from any U.S. State or territory.

Work Schedule

Shift: 11:30 am – 8:00 pm with holiday and weekend rotation. Tour changes may vary based on operational needs. Telework and virtual work are not available; relocation/recruitment incentives and PCS are not authorized.