Registered Nurse - Mental Health

Registered Nurse (Mental Health Clinic)

The Registered Nurse (Mental Health Clinic), delivers competent, evidence-based nursing care to Veterans within the Mental Health Clinic of the Washington DC VA Medical Center, a Level 1A tertiary care teaching facility. The RN provides patient-centered care using the nursing process and collaborates with interdisciplinary team members to promote optimal health outcomes. Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Provides direct nursing care using the nursing process, including assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation, to support health promotion, disease prevention, and management of mental health conditions.
• Delivers safe, timely, and technically competent care in accordance with VA policies, accreditation standards, ANA Standards of Nursing Practice, and ethical nursing principles.
• Establishes therapeutic relationships with Veterans, incorporates patient values and preferences, and develops individualized plans of care that enhance satisfaction, safety, and clinical outcomes.
• Collaborates with the interdisciplinary mental health team to plan, deliver, and evaluate coordinated care, ensuring effective and safe transitions across the continuum of care.
• Executes provider-ordered medical regimens, including medication administration, treatments, and clinical procedures, following all regulatory and safety requirements.
• Supports clinic operations by identifying patient care needs, managing workload, and ensuring completion of delegated tasks by licensed vocational nurses and nursing assistants.
• Participates in nursing education, orientation, and competency validation activities, serving as a resource to peers and contributing to professional development within the service.
• Utilizes evidence-based practice, quality improvement principles, and performance data to enhance care quality, resource utilization, and patient outcomes.
• Demonstrates professional communication and leadership skills, promotes teamwork, and contributes to a respectful, safe, and high-reliability work environment.
• Provides age-appropriate and culturally sensitive care across the lifespan, applying knowledge of developmental and age-related changes to support individualized patient needs.
• Maintains compliance with infection control, occupational safety, emergency preparedness, and environment-of-care standards, reports hazards, and supports a safe care environment for patients, staff, and visitors.
• Protects sensitive patient information and adheres to all privacy, security, and data-protection requirements for electronic and printed health information.
• Participates in ongoing accreditation readiness by maintaining accurate and timely documentation, following established policies and procedures, and supporting continuous performance improvement activities.
• Maintains Basic Life Support certification, completes required training, participates in competency assessments, and remains current with mandatory education.
• May perform additional duties as assigned, including support for a 24/7 healthcare environment, schedule flexibility, participation in unit initiatives, and activities that advance the mission of the Mental Health Service.

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: Various Work Schedules, and tour of duties available.

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

EDRP Authorized: 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