Registered Nurse (Inpatient Mental Health)

Job Title

Nursing Position

Job Description

Responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing and/or supervising direct patient care. Assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates care based on age specific components. Assumes responsibility for the coordination of care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Able to respond to emergent situations involving the suicidal or violent patient. Capable of making emergent decisions regarding the safety of the patient, staff, and others.
• Demonstrates good judgment in determining the need for restraints, either safety or security, for the protection of the patient, staff, or others.
• Effectively communicates and interacts with patients and their significant others to help them with problem solving and developing coping skills.
• Able to evaluate patients withdrawing from alcohol or drugs, responding to significant symptoms.
• Capable of re-directing patients who display inappropriate behaviors, assisting them in gaining insight into their actions and behaviors.
• Demonstrates knowledge in the rehabilitation process, able to assist residents in working toward an alcohol and drug free lifestyle.
• Maintains current/active BCLS certification.
• Assesses the patient in restraint for the continued need for the ability to have the restraints removed and is able to contract with the patient for his/her and others safety.
• Directs care of the patient in restraints, assessing for physical needs i.e. nutrition and hydration, toileting and range of motion exercises.
• Assesses the patient for the developmental, abuse, gender, and ethnicity concerns that may affect the patients emotional stability.
• Capably provides guidance and direction to the LPN and NAs in the care of the Psychiatric/drug and alcohol patient at the various stages of their illness, focusing on age related needs.
• Demonstrates knowledge in caring for patients with acute medical illnesses such as but not limited to CHF, Diabetes, and Chronic Liver Failure.
• Assesses needs on admission with respect to developmental stage, age, sex, religion, ethnic and socioeconomic status and needs.
• Is able to assess and provide care for the dual diagnosis patient with focus on drug and alcohol counseling and prevention of an exacerbation of psychiatric symptoms.
• Provides safe, knowledgeable care for the patient with neurological disturbances such as Alzheimer disease, brain injury, CVA and direct care to the Nursing Assistants and LPNs in the provision of care.
• Other related duties as assigned.

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)

Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory

Work Schedule: 7pm - 730am six days per 2-week pay period, and 11pm - 730am one day per 2-week pay period.

Compressed/Flexible: Not Applicable

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Learn more

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized