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Registered Nurse - Acute Care Services

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Acute Care
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Acute Medicine nurse manages the care of the acutely ill patient with problems in medical, oncology, and rehab needs through collaboration with nursing staff, physicians and other health care providers. The nurse coordinates and facilitates care to restore stability, minimizing complications, and achieve optimal patient outcomes within a dynamic, acute care environment.

This announcement was modified on January 13th, 2022 - Recruitment/Relocation Incentive added into announcement

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
12/01/2021 to 07/08/2022
Salary
$54,619 to - $105,987 per year
Pay scale & grade
VN 00
Location
5 vacancies in the following location:
Salt Lake City, UT
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
00
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBSU-11309984-22-AM
Control number
624711300

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This is an open continuous announcement. We accept applications for this occupation on an ongoing basis; qualified applicants will be considered as vacancies become available. Applications will remain on file for one year from the date the application was signed.

Duties

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Work Schedule: Rotating Shifts to include nights, weekends, and holidays
Compressed/Flexible: Yes
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: Authorized to highly qualified candidates

DOCUMENTATION -

  • Complete admission assessment on assigned patients within 24 hours of admission
  • Reassess patient condition every 12 hours or as needed
  • Transcribe physicians' orders using CPRS
  • Document vital signs and assessments using CPRS and Essentris
  • Take verbal and telephone orders per policy
  • Complete patient care plans according to policy
  • Plan for discharge/transfer of patients including completing discharge/transfer note in CPRS/Essentris
  • Document medications using BCMA (Bar Code Medication Administration)
CLINICAL PRACTICE -
  • Provide individualized patient care consistent with identified knowledge of patient's strengths and limitations
  • Is proactive in identifying potential crisis situations and responds appropriately in emergency/code situations
  • Initiate referrals and/or consultations as appropriate to achieve the multidisciplinary plan of care
  • Function independently in performing more complex treatments, procedures and advanced technology specific to the scope of care on Acute Medicine according to the Procedure Manual (ie chemotherapy administration, pain managements/comfort care and rehab)
  • Recover post procedure patients (ie heart caths, vascular, G.I., Renal, angios)
  • Perform blood draws and venipuncture for IV therapies, IV push medication, TPN and blood products and Chemotherapy according to policy using a variety of access devices
  • Set up and monitor a variety of pumps, including PCA
  • Promote and provide health care teaching to patient and significant others
  • May float to other areas if needed
MODULE LEADER/CHARGE NURSE -
  • Function competently as modular leader (Nurse 1, Level 1) and/or charge nurse (Nurse 1, Level 3) must be able to function in charge nurse role
MODULAR LEADER:
  • Listen to report for entire module
  • Adjust assignments based on patient acuities and new admissions
  • Coordinate coverage for SNT/LPN/CNA
  • Collaborate with team members, other disciplines and patient/significant others
  • Recognize and use the knowledge and expertise of colleagues and other health care providers in meeting patient care needs
CHARGE NURSE:
  • Make patient assignments, coordinates all patient movements and completes 24 hour report and communicates shift report
  • Demonstrate ability to manage the daily routine operations related to patient care and complexity of patients taking into considerations skill level of staff
  • Obtain supplemental staff as needed considering patient acuities, unit census, staffing mix, etc.
  • Participate in clinical supervision of nursing staff, nursing students and new hires through role modeling and communicating objectives and expected competencies or orientees and students
  • Assure adequate staffing to meet patient needs for current shift and next two shifts
  • Follow guidelines for charge nurse role outlined in the unit manual.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • 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 a background/security investigation
  • Must be proficient in written and spoken English
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
  • Must pass pre-employment physical examination

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

  • United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
  • English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), 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 State-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). In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. OR The completion of coursework equivalent to a nursing degree in a MSN Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration constitutes the completion of an approved course of study of professional nursing. Students should submit the certificate of professional nursing to sit for the NCLEX to the VA along with a copy of the MSN transcript. (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.
  • 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.
Preferred Experience: Two year RN experience

Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade:
  • Nurse I Level I - An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional nursing practice/experience required.
  • Nurse I Level II - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 1 year of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a bachelor's degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience; OR a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional nursing practice/experience.
  • Nurse I Level III - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a BSN with approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) or related field with a BSN and no additional nursing practice/experience.
  • Nurse II - A BSN with approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing or meets basic requirements for appointment and has doctoral degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience required.
  • Nurse III - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience.
Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-6 Nurse Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

Physical Requirements: The position involves considerable standing, walking, stooping, bending, reaching, lifting, and turning. It requires restraining confused patients, repositioning patients, assisting with transferring patients to
Wheelchairs/stretchers/cars, and transporting them to other departments or facilities. Mechanical devices available
and are required to be used for heavy or difficult to lift patients. The work may involve pushing or lifting weight in
excess of 50 pounds and going up and down flights of stairs. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients
and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/
invasive procedures. This position requires visual acuity, good hearing, distinctive speech and manual dexterity. The
position requires the nurse to work for periods of time with arms above shoulder level with neck in a fully
flexed or extended position and the ability to physically control or protect his/herself from physically abusive patients.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law by November 22, 2021. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. Per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you are fully vaccinated for COVID-19, 2 weeks after receiving the requisite number of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine approved or authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or that has been listed for emergency use by the World Health Organization. For Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or AstraZeneca/Oxford, full vaccination is 2 weeks after receiving the second dose in a 2-dose series.

For Johnson and Johnson (J&J)/Janssen, full vaccination is 2 weeks after an employee has received a single dose.HR Office staff must verify your vaccination status prior to issuing a final offer of employment and before you report for New Employee Orientation. In addition, new hires must show vaccination documentation and submit their completed VA FORM 10230, COVID-19 Vaccination Form, to VA HR staff when reporting for New Employee Orientation. If you are unable to obtain the COVID-19 vaccination due to a legally covered exception (i.e., medical or religious reasons), VA will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation is needed and how you can request an legally required exception. If you request a legally required exception, you must first complete the VA FORM 10230, COVID-19 Vaccination Form, and return the form to the servicing HR Office staff within 2 business days. The HR Office staff will submit the form to your new supervisor of record for adjudication of the exception request. You may receive a final offer or be appointed while your request for medical or religious exception is being adjudicated. Some positions must be adjudicated favorably prior to receiving a final offer. Please contact the HR Point of Contact listed in the JOA for more information.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

NOTE: Candidate's education, scope, and length of nursing practice (experience) will be considered by a Nurse Professional Standards Board in determining the grade and salary of the applicant selected. The recommended salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.

Experience as an RN will be evaluated to determine if the experience is of an acceptable level of quality with regard to the following four dimensions of nursing: Practice, Professional Development, Collaboration and Scientific Inquiry. Each dimension of practice has criteria that demonstrate essential core competencies for VHA Nursing Personnel.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

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