Registered Nurse- Operating Room
Manchester, CT - USA
Job 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 $200000) & 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.
This Registered Nurse- Operating Room is located in the Nursing Perioperative Service at the Manchester VA location. This position is full-time at 40 hours per week.
Duties are Included but are not limited to:
- Independently circulate a wide range of surgical procedures ensuring adherence to sterile technique patient safety standards surgical time-outs accurate documentation and effective coordination among the interdisciplinary perioperative team throughout all phases of care according to National and local VA directives.
- Perform scrub nurse responsibilities for diverse surgical specialties by maintaining sterile fields preparing and handling surgical instruments and supplies anticipating surgeon needs and supporting safe efficient intraoperative patient care. Manage OR equipment as it applies to the surgical procedure.
- Interview the patient and review the preoperative assessment check chart for required documentation: history and physical examination consents day of surgery note correct surgical site laboratory tests results lab values allergies and NPO status.
- Assist anesthesia provider with induction within Nursing Scope of Practice.
- Review surgeons preference card and prepare the OR for the surgery. Ensure availability of instruments equipment sterile supplies and implants.
- Ensure proper patient positioning for various surgical procedures.
- Complete documentation on OR record using the electronic health record (Vista/CPRS).
- Perform surgical counts of instruments sharps sponges and miscellaneous items with the scrub person per policy.
- Work collaboratively with all levels of health care professional and support staff to facilitate positive patient care outcomes.
- Compliance with PPE precautions and Infection Control Guidelines
- Skills in time management priority setting assessment and urgent intervention are essential to develop.
- Demonstrate leadership by active participation in charge nurse duties and unit/hospital committees.
- Offer staffing support to PACU and surgical clinics.
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.
Notifications:
- This is not a Bargaining Unit Position
- This position is in the Excepted Service
- This position is covered by a special rate.
- 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.
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.
- 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/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.
- May be subject to satisfactory completion of our credentialing process.
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.)
Preferred Experience:
- A minimum of three to five (3-5) years of successful surgery (scrub and circulate) clinical practice required with at least one (1) year of recent nursing charge / leadership / education experience in an Operating Room.
- Certified Nurse Operating Room (CNOR) certification highly preferred.
- Experience in quality improvement or quality management within the perioperative setting including monitoring outcomes ensuring compliance with standards and driving initiatives to enhance patient safety and care effectiveness.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit Requirements: All applicants must be physically able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position. A pre placement examination shall be completed prior to appointment.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges universities schools or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information visit: Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSN) or Master of Science degree in Nursing (MSN) must be fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission On Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Verification of accreditation may be obtained from or your school has changed names or is no longer in existence you must provide this information in your application.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38 and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicants criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations Security and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required Experience:
IC