Duties

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The Washington DC VA Medical Center is seeking highly qualified Registered Nurses to support the VA's mission in Mental Health and Depression Care Management.

Duties include but are not limited to:

Mental Health:

• Focuses on problems, initiates referrals to other disciplines and/or services as appropriate
• Accurately documents in the medical record patient findings, assessments, and care provided
• Assigns staff to provide care based on staff competencies and identifies priorities to ensure safe and effective patients care. He/she demonstrates and/or verbalizes correct responses to emergencies as well as initiates effective action in emergencies
• Demonstrates understanding of infection control precautions appropriate for the patient population. He/she participates/ leads unit-based shared performance improvement and safety initiatives
• Pursues an education plan to maintain/improve knowledge in his/her clinical specialty in nursing
• Participates in educational activities to improve and maintain clinical knowledge and skills and enhance role
• Leads others in the application of knowledge/skills in caring for patients
• Assumes responsibility/accountability for evaluation of all delegated tasks and is self-directed in the identification of learning needs and development of individual performance plans
• Initiates and utilizes positive, effective communication skills and professional behaviors that promote cooperation, teamwork, and effective interaction with internal and external customers

Depression Care Manager:

• Functions as a case manager, consultant, and educator while providing care the outpatients in the Primary Care Clinics, the assessment and collaborative care provided by the Depression Care Manager RN is performed by telephone contact with referred patients via a request from the primary care provider
• Uses the nursing process or the analytical framework of nursing theory for the delivery of patient care
• Forecasts new knowledge needs for providers, patients, and staff in the promotion and advancement of depression care
• Provides patient education in area of depression management, understanding of the disease processes surrounding depression, and a focusing on health promotion and functional restoration
• Provides follow-up of patient progress and treatment compliance with reassessments and communication with their mental health primary care providers
• Assists win the development and implementation of patient treatment plans
• Obtains a health history of referred patients, conducts data collection including lifestyle patterns, assess patient's pain, sleep and activity levels, support systems, cultural, social and ethnic influences, and patient's treatment preferences and goals
• Conducts and assessment of depression symptoms using a validated assessment tool

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm, may be subject to weekends
Pay Schedule: The salary range listed in this announcement is a Base-Line Salary for a full-time work schedule. Starting salary will be set based on locality (which may include a special pay rate depending upon location), as well as Full Time, Part Time or Intermittent employment
Permanent Change of Station (PCS) expenses: Not Available
Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: May be authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases
Paid Time Off: Receive 13 to 26 days paid time off per year, including 10 paid federal holidays; 13 sick days annual with no limitation on accumulation
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)
For More Information on Benefits: https://www.vacareers.va.gov/Benefits/ EmploymentBenefits
Education Debt Reduction Program Authorized: Contact Rudy Pearson, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance at Rudy.Pearson@va.gov
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• 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).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Personnel.

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. NOTE: This only applies to the past, current, and upcoming VA Health Professional Trainees (HPT). HPT is an individual appointed to temporary positions in one or more VHA medical facilities performing clinical or research training experiences to satisfy program or degree requirements or receiving VA Health Professional Scholarship Program. HPTs can be either VA-paid or Without Compensation (WOC).

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.
• Education. 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.
• Licensure/Registration. 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.

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.

Preferred Experience: BSN with three years of acute/critical care experience preferred. Prior two years of PACT experience a plus. ANCC or equivalent certification in area of expertise.

Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations, operative/invasive procedures, or home settings. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment. The incumbent who provides care in home settings or other off-site locations may be required to drive and/or ride in GSA-vehicles.

Education

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

VA Health Professional Trainees (HPT) 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.

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

Annual leave shall accrue for full-time Nurses, and Nurse Anesthetists at the rate of 8 hours for each full biweekly pay period.

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.

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. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required exception from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .