Registered Nurse Mental Health (BHIP)

The Nurse II Outpatient Mental Health (MH) Registered Nurse (RN) is responsible for providing competent evidence-based care to assigned patients. The MH RN will assist in directing the provision of nursing education orientation competencies and providing quality improvement and outcomes utilization consultation. The psychiatric MH RN independently provides patient centered and recovery-oriented care and maintains self-awareness while caring for patients living with MH conditions. They facilitate warm hand-offs telemental health care and nurse-led psychoeducational groups; use therapeutic communication techniques practice de-escalation techniques utilize recovery-oriented language and provide Veterans their family members and/or significant others with education regarding their illness medications and treatment plan.

The MH RN actively participates in care coordination liaising with Inpatient MH Units to facilitate continuity of care MH interdisciplinary treatment team huddles and meetings and responds to psychiatric and medical emergencies as directed. The MH RN reports and addresses safety concerns document nursing triage assessments risk screens clinical reminders and patient plan of care according to facility policy.

The MH RN maintains professional boundaries to protect patient vulnerabilities and act in the best interest of the patient. Fosters a safe and supportive environment conducive to the professional development of healthcare professionals. Supports colleagues through knowledge sharing to provide safe quality nursing care. Questions clinical practices for the purpose of providing evidence-based care. Promotes patient scheduling activities to maximize availability and workload capture. Provides accurate and timely documentation.

Duties Include But Not Limited To:
1. Leads the provision of nursing care to patients with complex care needs utilizing the nursing process in alignment with the ANA Standards of Nursing Practice.
2. Applies clinical knowledge/judgment to lead staff involvement in planning decisionmaking and evaluating outcomes within the immediate practice setting.
3. Effectively functions as a leader with demonstrated outcomes for the immediate practice setting.
4. Manages high risk flag Veterans scheduling requirements in collaboration with MSAs.
5. Manages Veteran care by daily voice mail checks and returns all Veteran/family telephone calls timely the same or next day.
6. Manages all documentation timely using VA required notes and templates.
7. Completes the Columbia Suicide Severity Raring Scale (CSSRS) as required.
8. Provides a warm handoff for a positive CSSRS to a licensed independent provider for the completion of the Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluation (CSRE) same day and documents same.
9. Collaborates with a licensed independent provider regarding welfare checks on high risk Veterans as indicated same day and documents the check or the rationale why not to check by close of business.
10. Provides Veterans long acting injectable behavioral health medications.
11. Provides Veterans 12 lead EKGs Vital Signs nasal swabs for infection control as needed.
12. Manages coverage for absences and notifies all of the Mental Health Services and Supports.
13. Manages surrogacy for CPRS and Secure Messaging for absences 2 days or greater.


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:
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

• 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 evaluation.
• 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.

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.)