Career Center

This position is located in the Inpatient Acute Psychiatric Unit at the Northport VA Medical Center. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), 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 State-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). In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. OR The completion of coursework equivalent to a nursing degree in a MSN Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration constitutes the completion of an approved course of study of professional nursing. Students should submit the certificate of professional nursing to sit for the NCLEX to the VA along with a copy of the MSN transcript. (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. 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. Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade: Nurse I Level I - An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse I Level II - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 1 year of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a bachelor's degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience; OR a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse I Level III - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a BSN with approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) or related field with a BSN and no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse II - A BSN with approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing or meets basic requirements for appointment and has doctoral degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse III - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-6 Nurse Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5005, Part III, Chapter 2, paragraph 7 and VA Handbook 5019, Occupational Health Services at http://vaww1.va.gov/ohrm/Directives-Handbooks/Documents/5019.doc. ["VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards The Staff RN functions within a nursing process framework for problem-solving and care facilitation: assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Job duties are focused on disease prevention and achieving optimum mental and physical health and well-being. Duties/Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Utilize the nursing process and evidence based practice in order to demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches to the management of complex behavioral health patients in the acute inpatient Mental Health Unit. Act as a key member of the Core interdisciplinary Team (Patient, Behavioral Health Provider, RN and Patient Support) and Expanded Team (family/caregiver, internal and community­ based services involved in providing care to the patient), promoting effective communication and ethical practice. Functions within their scope of practice to provide expert care and management of the delivery of care that assures continuity of care and peer accountability for practice, including problem resolution, de-escalation and recovery based psycho-education. Expected to function as an expert in clinical practice including the areas of medical and psychiatric emergencies, medication compliance, assessment, social skills and patient safety to patients receiving residential rehabilitation treatment. Provides guidance to assist in the development and support of staff using proficiencies and standards of nursing practice. Responsible and accountable for maintaining training required and may be assigned additional duties that reflect the educational, experiential, and competency requirements outlined in the four dimensions noted in the Clinical Nurse Path. Work Schedule: Day tour with rotation to alternate shifts.\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]