Registered nurse - inpatient staff (acute care)

Summary

This Inpatient Staff Registered Nurse will assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care tailored to age-specific needs. Coordinate comprehensive care emphasizing patient education, self-management, and satisfaction across the care continuum. Administer medications and procedures according to established policies. Enhance care outcomes through collaboration with interdisciplinary team members, ensuring quality and patient-centered services.

Duties

Major duties include but are not limited to:

• Provide fundamental knowledge-based nursing care to assigned clients, focusing on age-specific assessments, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
• Coordinate patient care with a focus on education, self-management, and ensuring customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care.
• Administer medications and procedures in accordance with established policies and guidelines, maintaining safety and accuracy.
• Collaborate effectively with interdisciplinary team members to influence positive care outcomes and improve patient experiences.
• Demonstrate growth in nursing practice through increased self-direction and responsible task delegation.
• Assess patient needs and formulate individualized care plans based on comprehensive nursing assessments.
• Seek guidance and continuously improve care quality by applying principles and theories with limited critical thinking initially, progressing over time.
• Support patient education initiatives and facilitate safe transitions across different healthcare settings.
• Assist in directing nursing staff, including vocational nurses and nursing assistants, to ensure quality care delivery.
• Lead efforts in nursing education, orientation, and competency development to promote professional growth within the team.
• Engage in quality improvement activities to enhance care outcomes and adhere to evidence-based practices.
• Demonstrate proficiency in managing complex patient situations through deliberate planning and self-directed goal setting.
• Validate and understand the rationale behind clinical decisions and care processes, questioning practices to ensure evidence-based care.
• Manage competing priorities effectively, demonstrating competence in decision-making, critical thinking, and deliberate planning.
• Take responsibility for ongoing professional development, integrating knowledge, skills, and judgment to deliver safe, effective, and patient-centered care.
• Other duties as assigned.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package:

• 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)
• Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory
• Work Schedule: 7:30pm - 8:00am, Including weekends and holidays.
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• EDRP Authorized: This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program.

Requirements

Conditions of employment U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 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 is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. 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 than 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.

Preferred Experience:

Basic Life Support (BLS) / Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.