Registered Nurse (Outpatient - Primary Care Mental Health Integration)

Summary

VA South Texas Health Care System's Office of Nursing/Mental Health Service is seeking to fill an RN (Outpatient - Primary Care Mental Health Integration) position at Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans' Hospital.

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
• Education: 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)
• License/Registration: 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.) Grandfathering Provision Note - 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

Duties

• Outpatient Mental Health RN with Primary Care Mental Health Integration is responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing direct patient care
• These RN assess - plan - implement and evaluate care based on age-specific components
• They assume responsibility for the coordination of care focused on patient education - self-management - and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care while influencing care outcomes by collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team
• They execute position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership - experience - and creative approaches to management of complex client care
• Typical Duties may include but are not limited to: Serving as a Collaborative Care Manager Providing patient-centered and recovery-oriented care and maintaining self-awareness while caring for patients living with MH conditions Facilitating care coordination - linking with the Inpatient MH Units to facilitate continuity of care Participating in MH interdisciplinary treatment team huddles and meetings - warm hand-offs - and developing content as well as facilitating nurse-led psychoeducational groups Using therapeutic communication techniques - practicing de-escalation techniques - utilizing recovery-oriented language - and providing Veterans - their family members - and/or significant others with education regarding their illness - medications - and treatment plan Reporting - assisting and/or directing safety concern resolution and collaborating with program leadership to help improve patient and program outcomes
• and directing team response to psychiatric and medical emergencies Documenting nursing triage assessments - risk screens - measurement-based care tools - clinical reminders - and patient plan of care according to facility policy
• Maintaining professional boundaries to protect patient vulnerabilities and act in the best interest of the patient
• Providing peers with formal or informal constructive feedback for improvement Supporting colleagues and other nurses through knowledge sharing Fostering safe and supportive environment conducive to the professional development of health care professionals Working with infectious patients and/or contaminated materials requiring prolonged wearing of various levels of personal protective equipment Working in various work environments based on patient care - organizational needs - and/or safety requirements Working with patients who may be combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or behavioral health conditions Working while exposed to loud noises - alarms - chaotic situations or other distractions and stressors in which the RN must maintain professional bearing and composure Working in modified work environments - caring for patients on isolation precautions - screen potentially infectious patients - and participating in labor pools - etc
• 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 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Work Schedule: TBD (Typically 0730-1600 CST - may be required to work nights - holidays and/or weekends) Telework: Available on an ad-hoc (as needed) basis Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Duty Location: Audie L
• Murphy Memorial Veterans' Hospital VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards