Duties

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The VA Medical Center of Salem, Virginia is located adjacent to Roanoke, both of which are nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwest Virginia. The Salem & Metropolitan area provides its residents with a reasonable cost of living, affordable housing, low taxes, some of the finest public and private schools in Virginia, and many urban amenities traditionally expected of larger areas, including art and entertainment venues, museums and galleries, symphony, ballet, and competitive youth sports for the family. In addition to the rich diversity of metropolitan experiences available to our residents, the Roanoke Valley also offers numerous opportunities for the outdoor enthusiast, including the Roanoke Star and its overlook of the Roanoke Valley, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Appalachian Trail, Smith Mountain Lake, beautiful mountainside wineries and golf courses, and a variety of National parks and wildlife areas.

Duties include, but not limited to: The Registered Nurse is directly responsible to the designated manager in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU) area. The incumbent works closely with physicians and other staff to provide medical treatment and personal care services to all Veterans.

• Assesses, plans, implements and evaluates care based on age-specific components
• Identifies changes in patient's condition and documents observations
• Collaborates with health team members to facilitate positive care outcomes
• Provides a full range of nursing care to patients with a variety of physical and/or behavioral problems; and accountable for meeting and maintaining the qualification standard and functional statements of the assigned grade.
• Demonstrates the ability to make critical decisions and trouble shoot patient care equipment.
• Responds to life threatening arrhythmias and emergency events effectively and administer appropriate drugs and operate and monitor specialized equipment.
• Serves as a responsible member of the nursing team and interacts with patients, family members, professional and other supportive personnel. Relates effectively, cooperatively, and professionally with all co-workers.
• Administers medications and treatment procedures per established policies and guidelines
• Initiates treatments, administers critical medications and monitors effects and patient progress.
• Assists the critical care physician with procedures
• Maintains complete and accurate computerized patient records.
• Orders emergent diagnostic tests
• Initiates referrals to other members of the interdisciplinary health care team
• Acts as patient advocate
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases
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: Schedule TBD on interview
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Recruitment Authorized (see info below:)
EDRP Authorized: Contact Christopher Culler @ christopher.cullen@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

*Recruitment Incentive: UP to $20k for 3 year service period to highly qualified candidates (Internal candidates do not qualify)

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• 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.
• 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 Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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:

• A minimum of two (2) years of recent, full time clinical experience as a RN in an progressive care unit setting preferred.
• ACLS/BLS Required

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 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 years 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 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 years 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 physical requirement of this position may include long periods of walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing, reaching, and repetitive motion. The mental/sensory requirement include recall, reasoning, problem solving, logical thinking, hearing, visual acuity, reading, writing, keyboarding, and manual dexterity. Transferring patients and objects may be required up to 45 pounds. The RN may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to wear personal protective equipment. The environment's pace may vary from steady to fast paced, requiring handling of multiple priorities, frequent, sometimes intense customer interactions, and the ability to adapt to frequent changes and shift priorities based on patient needs.

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

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.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. 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 accommodation 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 .