Registered Nurse - Inpatient Mental Health

Job Title

Major Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Provides direct, evidence-based nursing care to adult and geriatric Veterans on an inpatient mental health unit, integrating biopsychosocial principles to meet simple and complex patient needs.
• Coordinates care across the continuum, including patient assessment, treatment planning, transition support, patient and family education, and discharge planning.
• Conducts comprehensive nursing assessments, including evaluation of depression, suicidal ideation, aggressive or assaultive behavior, unpredictable behavior, and comorbid medical conditions.
• Administers medications and procedures per policy and maintains accurate, timely documentation of assessments, interventions, and patient observations.
• Establishes therapeutic nurse-patient relationships utilizing recovery-oriented, non-judgmental, and culturally sensitive communication and interventions.
• Promotes and maintains a safe and therapeutic milieu; identifies and reports safety hazards; participates in Environment of Care rounds; and follows emergency, infection control, and safety protocols.
• Utilizes de-escalation techniques, therapeutic communication skills, and crisis intervention strategies in psychiatric emergencies.
• Facilitates and/or supports therapeutic groups, psychoeducational classes, and structured patient activities promoting recovery and self-management.
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary treatment teams in developing patient-centered goals and evaluating outcomes.
• Serves as a patient advocate, ensuring patient rights, autonomy, dignity, privacy, and safety are consistently upheld.
• Provides age- and developmentally appropriate care considering cognitive, emotional, physical, and lifestyle factors across young adult, middle adult, and older adult populations.
• Protects patient confidentiality under the Privacy Act, HIPAA, and VA information security requirements; safeguards printed/electronic sensitive data; and adheres to computer access policies.
• Participates in unit-based performance improvement initiatives, quality and safety activities, and high-reliability organizational practices.
• Maintains competence through participation in unit-based education, mandatory training, skills validation, and Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
• Assists in orienting new staff, participating in shared governance activities, and contributing to continuous accreditation readiness (TJC, OIG, CARF).
• Demonstrates physical ability to meet job demands, including transferring patients, prolonged standing/walking, and use of personal protective equipment.
• May be required to work rotating shifts, weekends, holidays, or non-administrative tours in a 24/7 inpatient environment.
• Performs other duties as assigned to support patient care, unit operations, and organizational mission.

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: 12 hour shifts, 7:30am - 8:00pm, Weekends and Holidays
• 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. Contact View email address on click.appcast.io for questions/assistance. Learn more
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
• Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required