Registered Nurse - Operating Room

Summary The VA Puget Sound Healthcare System is recruiting for RN to perform duties in the operating room at the VA hospital in Seattle – Washington. This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP). See Duties below for more information. This is an open continuous 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 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). NOTE: Grandfathering Provision – All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification Grade Determinations: The following Scope – Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates – and if appropriate – the level within a grade The Dimension requirements (Practice – Veteran/Patient Driven Care – Leadership – Professional Development and Evidence‑Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment: Grade/Level Scope Education Nurse I – Level I delivers fundamental knowledge‑based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing – with no additional professional nursing required Nurse I – Level II demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts – cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I – Level I; OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional professional nursing experience required Nurse I – Level III demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning – self‑directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I – Level II OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I – Level II OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience OR a Master's degree in a related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience Nurse II demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I – Level III OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I – Level III OR a Master’s degree in a related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I – Level III OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience OR a Doctoral degree in a related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience Nurse III executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership – experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience – one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III OR a Master’s degree in a related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience – one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with a year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III OR a Doctoral degree in a related field with a BSN and a year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III Preferred Experience: 1 year successful peri‑operative (Operating Room) nurse practice with circulating and scrub experience Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting (45 pounds or more); straight pulling (6 hours), pushing (2 hours); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers – both hands required; walking (6 hours); standing (2 hours); repeated bending (6 hours); both legs required; ability to distinguish basic colors – visual acuity 20/30 corrected. Duties Duties may include but are not limited to: Accountable for patient outcomes resulting from the nursing care for the patient undergoing surgical/invasive procedure Assures the sterility of the surgical field is maintained and all instrumentation and equipment in play is used in a safe and efficient manner Protects the patient from injury caused by chemical, electrical, mechanical, and thermal sources and extraneous objects Performs counting procedures to protect the patient from unintended retained surgical items Participates in the Time Out process to ensure correct site, side, and level Follows implant and tissue/tissue‑based product documentation – policy – and procedures Manages the patient's specimens in the appropriate manner Administers medications safely and correctly Performs interventions to maintain the patient's wound and tissue perfusion at or above baseline levels and performs interventions to protect the patient from surgical site infection Responsible for ensuring comprehensive documentation of all care provided during the peri‑operative experience is timely, complete, and accurate in the electronic health record Responsible for knowing what reusable instruments, equipment, medical devices, or supplies are in use in the clinical area Obtains, reads and follows Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all reusable medical equipment (RME) in use in the clinical area and consults Sterile Processing and/or Infection Control as needed Required to be on‑call during off‑tour hours to provide patient care for emergency procedures. Compensation & Benefits 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 401(k) with up to 5% employer contributions 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: Full‑time – Monday to Friday, 7:00 am – 3:30 pm (On‑call status required) Virtual: This is not a virtual position Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized; Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) Authorized – a student loan payment reimbursement program. Must meet specific individual eligibility requirements; submit application within four months of start date. Award amount up to $200,000 and eligibility period one to five years. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply for the program. Email: View email address on click.appcast.io for questions/assistance. #J-18808-Ljbffr