ICU Inpatient Staff RN

Surgical Services include:
Cardiovascular Thoracic Transplant Peripheral Vascular Neurosurgical Orthopedic General Surgery Urology ENT and Plastics. Additional conditions include myocardial infarction unstable angina/arrhythmias post PTCA pacemaker placement subdural hematoma post-op cardiothoracic surgery pre/post heart/liver/lung transplant LVAD implant post arrest hypothermia carotid artery and femoral popliteal bypass surgery.

Nursing care is provided on a 24-hour basis by registered nurses and nursing assistants. The nursing process of assessment planning implementation and evaluation is applied in an ongoing systematic manner to all patients. The ICU provides acute level nursing and RNs are intricately involved in the development implementation and evaluation of interdisciplinary care. This requires nursing staff to participate with an interdisciplinary approach in meeting Veteran health care needs including being an active participant in Interdisciplinary rounds consisting of the entire team of Physicians Nurse Practitioners Nutrition Service/Dietician Physical Therapy Occupational Therapy Social Work Pharmacy and other specialty groups as needed; coordinating care of all patients. This systematic process is applied to all patients with
a goal of care to restore the Veteran to maximum function prevent further decline maximize independence and/or provide comfort as necessary. Discharge planning is an essential component of our nursing practice and an interdisciplinary approach for teaching and discharge planning assures continuity of care for the Veterans we serve. RNs respond to Code Blue emergencies and inpatient Rapid Response Calls and recover patients directly from the OR on
off tours.

RNs are required to complete the basic critical care course and/or successfully pass a competency exam (Basic Knowledge Assessment Test). Each RN must complete a period of supervised practice in the ICU. The length of the orientation will be individualized based on assessments of the new employees experience and nursing education as well as preceptor and nurse managers evaluations. No nurse assumes full patient care responsibility or functions as charge nurse until authorized by the nurse manager and completion of the charge nurse classes.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards

Work Schedule: Night Shift
Telework: Not Authorized
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

• 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.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• 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).

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.)

• BSN or Higher preferred
• 2 years of ICU or Acute Care experience preferred