Registered Nurse II

Title: Registered Nurse II

State Role Title: RN II/Nurse Prct I/Phy Asst

Hiring Range: $84,418 (salary commensurate with experience.)

Pay Band: 5

Agency: Dept Behavioral Health/Develop

Location: Western State Hospital

Agency Website:

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties
• $7,500 sign on bonus will be awarded to new hires to state service with a one-year written agreement required.

The above bonus is available for Registered Nurse II that are new to DBHDS or have not worked for at least one year for Department of Behavior Health Developmental Services (DBHDS).


Schedule: This position works a set 12-hour shift on a two-week rotating schedule. Employees work 36 hours one week and 48 hours the following week or vice versa. Available shifts are 7:00 a.m.-7:30 p.m. or 7:00 p.m.-7:30 a.m.

Competitive salaries: RN II-Starting Pay from $84,418 and increases to commensurate with experience, education, and credentials. Total compensation including paid time off and benefits begins at $120,408 for this role.


Shift Differentials
• 1st shift weekend-$5.50 per hour
• 2nd shift-weekday-$5.50 per hour/2nd shift weekend/holidays-$6.00 per hour
• 3rd shift-weekday-$4.00 per hour/3rd shift weekend/holidays-$7.00 per hour
Exceptional State Benefits Include:
• 13 paid holidays, 12+ paid vacation days, 9 paid sick days and 4+ paid family personal days per year; Family Medical Leave, Short- and Long-term disability coverage; Low-cost, comprehensive Anthem or AETNA health insurance benefits; Group life and optional life insurance, and Flexible Reimbursement accounts.
Other state benefits include:
• Internships, Career Ladders and Continuing Education Opportunities
• Referral Bonuses
• Student Loan Repayment opportunities
• Virginia 529 College Savings Plan may be available for this role
• Relocation Reimbursement may be available for this role
• State Employee Discounts and More!

Position Overview
Purpose of this position is to provide direct patient care in a safe, therapeutic environment for a specific patient population in a 24-hour 7 day a week psychiatric hospital that conforms to care and treatment policies and procedures and demonstrates knowledge of population specific needs and competencies.
• Providing quality care as a part of an interdisciplinary team
• Maintaining accountability in a safe, secure, and therapeutic environment
• Creating healthy interpersonal interactions on adult acute admissions unit, geriatric unit, and extended rehabilitation service unit
• Observing and reporting feedback regarding interventions, treatments, behaviors, physical and emotional wellbeing, and other situations
• Documenting and communicating
Using specialized training for promoting mental wellness recovery

The Nursing Department provides 24-hour direct care services to psychiatric patients. The goal of care is to facilitate discharge to a less restrictive setting by assisting patients to improve and/or maintain their physical, mental and social functioning. This nursing care goal is achieved in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team.


Who We Are
Western State Hospital, part of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS), has been a leader in psychiatric treatment since 1828. WSH is a 302-bed Joint Commission/CMS-accredited psychiatric facility located in the scenic Shenandoah Valley. Just 30 minutes from vibrant university towns, our hospital serves adults with serious mental health needs and is nationally recognized for our Psychosocial Rehabilitation "Learning" programs.

WSH provides a modern clinical setting and a therapeutic environment for patients, supported by highly qualified staff. Employees also enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the Shenandoah Valley, with nearby cities such as Charlottesville and Harrisonburg offering dining, entertainment, and outdoor activities, making Staunton an attractive place to live and work.

DBHDS is seeking dedicated, experienced Registered Nurse Professionals. A Registered Nurse II at DBHDS is responsible for providing advanced nursing care for patients with psychiatric disorders in accordance with hospital policies and procedures, as well as nursing standards and regulations. Registered Nurses are also responsible safely implementing the use of Seclusion/Restraints including knowledge of physical/emotional risk factors of the patients served at the facility.

Key Responsibilities
- Provides leadership in performance management by clearly communicating unit goals, coaching and mentoring staff, delivering constructive feedback, and addressing performance concerns in a timely and well-documented manner.
- Ensures staff competency by providing ongoing education, identifying training needs, documenting completed education, and collaborating with RNCB/RNC regarding staff performance and development.
- Promotes a safe and therapeutic environment by conducting monthly environmental rounds, monitoring safety issues, and modeling professional behavior and recovery-oriented principles.
- Demonstrates effective communication skills through clear, respectful verbal, written, and electronic communication; appropriately uses the chain of command; and collaborates with scheduling, shift leadership, and other unit RNs.
- Provides direct patient care using the nursing process and evidence-based practices, including medication administration, assessment of patient status, documentation of care, and active engagement in treatment planning.
- Monitors patient and milieu acuity through regular rounding, promptly reports significant clinical changes to supervisors and physicians, and ensures accurate documentation on patient tracking tools.
- Participates in interdisciplinary collaboration by exchanging clinical information, contributing to patient education and clinical evaluations, and engaging in Psychosocial Rehabilitation programs through group leadership or curriculum support.
- Demonstrates professional development by completing required annual competencies, maintaining BLS certification, completing the core competency packet, and providing in-service training to nursing staff.
- Supports unit reliability and teamwork by maintaining dependable attendance, responding to emergencies, assisting coworkers, accepting pull assignments, and flexing schedule or working extended shifts to meet patient care needs.
- Upholds professional nursing standards by effectively delegating tasks, supervising staff, practicing trauma-informed care, and utilizing critical thinking skills to recommend improvements and problem-solve within the clinical setting.

Detailed position description will be provided at the time of interview.

Minimum Qualifications
• Current licensure or eligibility for licensure as a Registered Nurse in the Commonwealth of Virginia/Compact licensure.
• Graduation from an accredited nursing program (BSN preferred).
• Ability to delegate and supervise nursing staff. Effective communication (written, verbal, and sign).
• Ability to participate in an interdisciplinary team. Ability to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate patient care.
• Experience with creating training material and maintaining a training program is preferred.
• Prior experience as a Nurse Supervisor or training is preferred.
• Familiarity with Nursing philosophy of care, to include trauma-informed, person-centered, and relationship-based tenets.
• Ability to work overtime due to staffing emergencies in a 24-hour, 7-day-per-week psychiatric hospital, which at times may mean working a 16-hour shift if and when necessary.
• Complete all annual competency training to include TO III with physical restraints
• Complete and maintain Basic Life Support (BLS) certification for Healthcare Providers with the American Heart Association
• Demonstrates knowledge of recovery/trauma informed care.

Additional Considerations

Bachelor's and Masters Degree in Nursing from an accredited institution or higher education.
Psych Nursing experience preferred
Veteran or Spouse of Veteran
Bilingual - Spanish

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to "Your Application" in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

Application Requirements: Applications and résumés for this position are accepted electronically through the Commonwealth of Virginia's Electronic Recruitment System only. Interview decisions will be based solely on the information provided in your electronic application and/or résumé. Please ensure you clearly and specifically detail all relevant work experience; we will not make assumptions about your qualifications.

Background Investigation: All applicants are subject to an extensive background investigation and a pre-employment drug screening. This investigation may include fingerprint checks (State Police, FBI), local agency checks, Department of Social Services/Child Protective Services checks, employment verification, and verification of education relevant to the position.

Under Virginia Code §§ 37.2-314 and 37.2-408.1, the Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services (DBHDS) cannot employ or utilize as volunteers, individuals convicted of specific ("barrier") crimes or those with pending "barrier" charges.

Reasonable Accommodations: Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities during the application and/or interview process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require assistance or accommodation, please notify Human Resources at View phone number on click.appcast.io during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).

Equal Opportunity: The Commonwealth of Virginia is committed to conducting all aspects of human resource management without regard to race (or traits historically associated with race, including hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, veteran status, political affiliation, disability, genetic information, and pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.* There shall be no retaliation against anyone making allegations of violations of this policy.

Veteran Preference: DBHDS is a Virginia Values Veterans (V3) certified employer and provides hiring preference to qualified veterans and service members. We strongly encourage veterans, active members of the Virginia National Guard, and U.S. Military Reserve members to apply to the state application and respond accordingly.

Contact Information

Name: Elizabeth Weber

Phone: View phone number on click.appcast.io

Email: View email address on click.appcast.io

In support of the Commonwealth's commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at View phone number on click.appcast.io.

Note : Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.

Each agency within the Commonwealth of Virginia is dedicated to recruiting, supporting, and maintaining a competent and diverse work force. Equal Opportunity Employer