Registered Nurse (Charge Nurse) Operating Room w/Approved Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP)

Operating Room Charge Nurse Registered Nurse (RN)

Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• The Operating Room Charge Nurse Registered Nurse (RN) executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches to management of complex patient care.
• Demonstrates performance and leadership that is broad enough to improve the care for a group of patients.
• Fosters a safe and supportive environment conducive to the professional development of health care professionals.
• Evaluates outcomes of evidence-based decisions and practice changes for individuals, groups, and populations.
• Responsible for the documented outcomes at the program or service level.
• Functions as a frontline leader within Veterans Affairs North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS) to maintain responsibility for the operations of the nursing unit over a specific time period.
• Demonstrates leadership in the application of the nursing process as it relates to clinical practice, teaching, leading staff, managing operational processes, and ensuring that patient needs are met.
• Works collaboratively with the nurse manager in clinical and administrative duties such as delegating unit and patient care responsibilities, holding others accountable for providing safe patient care, providing input in monitoring and measuring staff performance, and collaborating with other health care and service providers to deliver safe and effective patient-centered care.
• Charge nurse core functions include but are not limited to: assisting the unit with meeting VANTHCS' organizational goals and values; setting the tone for the unit and establishing an appropriate work environment; considering patients' and family's needs; assessing the skills, personalities, and strengths of other staff; and providing and reevaluating a flexible staffing plan for shift needs.
• Planning, directing and coordinating the care of every patient undergoing operative and other invasive procedures
• Functioning proficiently in both the circulator and scrub role within the OR
• Maintain knowledge of current Association of peri-Operative Registered Nurses (AORN) Standards, VHA Directives, and service level standard operating procedures
• Assuring the sterility of the surgical field is maintained and all instrumentation and equipment in play is used in a safe and efficient manner
• Protecting the patient from injury caused by chemical, electrical, mechanical, and thermal sources, and extraneous objects
• Performing counting procedures to protect the patient from unintended retained surgical items
• Participating in the Time Out process to ensure correct site, side, and level, and follow implant and tissue/tissue-based product documentation, policy, and procedures
• Managing patient's specimens in the appropriate manner
• Administering medications safely and correctly
• Performing interventions to maintain the patient's wound and tissue perfusion at or above baseline levels, and perform interventions to protect the patient from surgical site infection
• Ensuring comprehensive documentation of all care provided during the perioperative experience in the electronic health record.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package:

Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards

50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)

Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory

Monday through Friday, 8 or 10 hours shifts, 6:00am-4:30pm, 9:00am-6:30pm, or 10:00am-10:30pm; May be required to work other shifts, be on call, work weekends and/or holidays as patient care and needs of the service require. Should operational needs dictate, candidates must be willing to work within other units (including community based outpatient clinics, for example) to assist and support continuation of the organization's mission.

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. Learn more Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Please contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance at View email address on click.appcast.io