Registered Nurse Inpatient Mental Health Nurse

General Description of Assigned Duties: Responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing and/or supervising direct patient care. Assesses plans implements and evaluates care based on age specific components. 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 care outcomes by collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team. Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care.

Functions or Scope of Assigned Duties: The Inpatient Mental Health (MH) Registered Nurse (RN) executes their position duties to improve patient and organizational outcomes by providing patient-centered and recovery oriented care maintaining self-awareness while caring for patients living with MH conditions and managing the milieu. The nurse facilitates shift reports warm hand-offs and develops content as well as facilitates nurse-led psychoeducational groups. They 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 directs team response to psychiatric emergencies reports safety concerns and assists in safety concern resolution. The nurse documents nursing assessments nursing plan of care patient safety observations and environmental safety rounds according to facility policy. The nurse maintains professional boundaries to protect patient vulnerabilities and act in the best interest of the patient. Collaborates in the development implementation evaluation and revision of policies procedures and/or guidelines. Demonstrates performance and leadership that is broad enough to improve the care for MH patients. Provides peers with formal or informal constructive feedback for improvement. Fosters a safe and supportive environment conducive to the professional development of health care professionals. Evaluates MH outcomes of evidence-based decisions and practice changes for individuals groups and populations. Responsible for the documented MH outcomes at the program or service level. Program or service level outcomes must be broad and complex and can be demonstrated at any organizational level within a facility.

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: 0730-2000 with every other weekend and holiday availability
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 the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

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 masters level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelors 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.)