Registered Nurse-Inpatient Mental Health

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Duties

This Registered Nurse - Inpatient Mental Health position is located with in the Nursing, Mental Health Service at the VA White River Junction Healthcare System, located at the White River Junction, Vermont location. This position is full-time at 40 hours per week. The Inpatient Mental Health Registered Nurse provides competent, evidence-based care, the psychiatric MH nurse independently provides patient-centered and recovery-oriented care, milieu management, and maintains self-awareness while caring for patients living with MH conditions. They facilitate shift reports, warm hand-offs, and nurse-led psychoeducational groups; use therapeutic communication techniques, practice de-escalation techniques, and utilize recovery-oriented language. The nurse actively participates in MH interdisciplinary treatment team, MH Environment of Care rounds, and psychiatric emergencies, reports and addresses safety concerns, and documents nursing assessments, nursing plan of care, patient safety observations, and environmental safety rounds according to facility policy. Duties include but are not limited to: Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations. Assumes responsibility 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 outcomes by collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team. Independently plans and delivers technically competent care to patients with complex needs in alignment with the ANA Standards of Nursing Practice. Manages the care of patients, while organizing and prioritizing patient care needs, and ensuring assigned tasks are completed. Functions as an emerging leader in providing direction to staff to identify, implement and evaluate patient care needs. Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to ensure the plan of care is achieved. VETERAN/PATIENT DRIVEN CARE: Provides and directs others in Veteran/patient driven care that optimizes the patient's experience, satisfaction, and/or safety for a team of patients. Maintains professional boundaries to protect patient vulnerabilities and act in the best interest of the patient. Role models and displays ethical behavior. Recognizes ethical issues related to professional nursing practice and models appropriate action by providing and directing others in the provision of care following established policies and ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses. Models' high reliability principles and I CARE values to improve patient outcomes. EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE/RESEARCH: Applies evidence-based practice/research, considering patient preferences, to improve quality of care and resource utilization, participating in established improvement activities. Models the application of evidence-based practice/research with peers to improve patient care. Models effective resource utilization through the delegation of cost-effective care delivery. Recruits' peers to participate in unit level performance improvement activities. Integrates individual preferences and goals into evidence-based decision-making. Performs additional duties as assigned. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Work Schedule: Full-Time, 12 hour and 8 hour shifts (day/night rotations to include holidays and weekends). TBD during the interview process. Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact Hannah Neilson at [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more 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 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure: Not Required Notifications: This position is in the Excepted Service. Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.

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