Registered Nurse - Acute Care

Summary

The Acute Care Registered Nurse is responsible for the coordination of care focused on patient education - self-management - and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care. Administers medications and procedures per established policies and guidelines. Influences care outcomes by collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team. Core elements of performance include participation in the unit level quality improvement processes and customer service programs

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 that 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 1 ;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 2
• OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I - Level 2
• 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 3
• OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I - Level 3
• OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I - Level 3
• OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience
• OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with 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 *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 and one 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 one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III
• *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity - keen hearing - clear and distinctive speech - and manual dexterity
• It involves potentially prolonged periods of walking - standing - stooping - sitting - bending - pulling - and pushing - with a maximum weight requirement of 35 pounds in accordance with the Safe Patient Handling Program Directive 2010-032
• The role may also involve transferring patients and objects
• mechanical inpatient lifts are provided to assist with these tasks
• The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to wear protective clothing in isolation situations - during operative or invasive procedures - or in home settings
• Occasionally - there may be exposure to patients who are combative due to conditions such as delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
• The ideal candidate will be a mature - flexible - and sensible individual capable of working effectively under stress - with the ability to adapt priorities based on patient needs
• Additionally - the employee must complete all annual health requirements - such as TB screening or testing - as a condition of employment.

Duties

• The Acute Care Inpatient Registered Nurse (RN) is responsible for delivering competent - evidence-based care to assigned patients and supervising licensed vocational nurses and nursing assistants
• The nurse will assist in directing nursing education - orientation - competency development - and quality improvement initiatives - as well as provide consultation on outcomes utilization
• Demonstrating leadership - the RN will promote comprehensive - patient-centered care through collaborative strategies with the healthcare team
• The nurse will continually evaluate clinical practices based on the latest evidence
• Additionally - the RN will foster a safe and supportive environment that encourages the professional growth of healthcare staff
• The RN contributes a professional nursing perspective during interdisciplinary team discussions - collaborates with colleagues to implement changes - and strives to achieve optimal patient outcomes
• They will also share knowledge - educational insights - experiences - and ideas with peers - while questioning clinical practices to ensure adherence to evidence-based standards
• The RN actively participates in initiatives that support a culture of evidence-based practice
• Additionally - during periods of low census or as directed - the inpatient Registered Nurse (RN) will be assigned to float to the Community Living Center by the unit nurse manager
• During this assignment - the RN will seek documentation guidance from the Minimum Data Set (MDS) coordinator to ensure the accuracy of the Resident Utilization Group (RUG) score
• Duties include but are not limited to: Lead the provision of nursing care to patients with complex care needs utilizing the nursing process in alignment with the ANA Standards of Nursing Practice
• Apply clinical knowledge/judgment to lead staff involvement in planning - decision-making - and evaluating outcomes within the immediate practice setting
• Improve Veteran/patient driven care by resolving experience issues such as coordination of care - timeliness or process issues - common themes of dissatisfaction - or environment of care concerns for the immediate practice setting
• Serve as an advocate for patients - families - and caregivers - improving outcomes for the immediate practice setting
• Lead the implementation of high reliability principles and I CARE values to increase consistency of care delivered and improve patient outcomes
• Apply evidence-based practice/research resulting in improved outcomes in the immediate practice setting
• Lead patient care improvement through monitoring - analyzing - and evaluating care outcomes in the immediate practice setting
• Preferred Experience: Two years of experience as a registered nurse (RN) in a nursing care facility - emergency setting - or PACT team clinic
• 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: 6:00pm-6:30am Rotating Shifts Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.

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