Registered Nurse - Outpatient Mental Health

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides patient-centered, recovery-oriented nursing care to Veterans with a variety of mental health conditions in an outpatient setting.
• Conducts comprehensive nursing assessments, triage evaluations, risk screenings, and develops individualized plans of care using evidence-based practices.
• Collaborates with inpatient mental health units, primary care, specialty services, and interdisciplinary treatment teams to coordinate care across the continuum.
• Facilitates seamless transitions of care through warm handoffs and effective communication with internal and external healthcare providers.
• Leads and facilitates nurse-led psychoeducational groups focused on recovery, symptom management, wellness, and self-management strategies.
• Utilizes therapeutic communication, trauma-informed care, recovery-oriented language, and de-escalation techniques to promote patient safety and engagement.
• Educates Veterans, families, and caregivers regarding mental health conditions, medications, treatment plans, and available community and VA resources.
• Responds to psychiatric and medical emergencies by initiating appropriate interventions and coordinating team responses to ensure patient safety.
• Documents nursing assessments, clinical reminders, measurement-based care tools, risk assessments, and treatment plans in accordance with VA and facility policies.
• Collaborates with program leadership and interdisciplinary teams to identify safety concerns, improve clinical processes, and enhance patient and program outcomes.
• Serves as a clinical resource and mentor by providing constructive feedback, sharing knowledge, and supporting the professional growth of nursing colleagues.
• Demonstrates leadership, sound clinical judgment, and accountability while maintaining professional boundaries and delivering high-quality, evidence-based mental health nursing care.

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)
• 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)

Work Schedule

• Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm

Telework

• Not Available

Virtual

• This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives

• Not Authorized

Educational Debt Reduction Program (EDRP)

• This position is eligible for 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 your start date. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions/assistance.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS)

• Not Authorized

U.S. Citizenship

• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

Selective Service Registration

• Required for males born after 12/31/1959.

Background/Security Investigation

• Subject to background/security investigation.

Required Documents

• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

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); 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.)
• Preferred Experience:
• Some Mental Health Experience