Registered Nurse - Surgical and Medicine Specialty Clinic

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

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 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). The approving official may authorize a waiver of the requirement for ACEN or CCNE accreditation of any degree in nursing provided the college or university has regional accreditation from an accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education at the time of the candidate's graduation and the composite qualifications of the applicant warrant such consideration. 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:

• 2 years Adult Acute Care/Med-Surg Nursing Experience
• Specialty Certifications/Training
• Recent (2-3 years) in ambulatory/primary care Clinical 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 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.

Note regarding MSN degrees: If your MSN was obtained via a Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration, a BSN is not required.

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 population of male and female veterans served ranges from the adult, age 18, to the elderly adult, age 65 and over. The Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center is a major interdisciplinary teaching facility, serving medical, surgical, and neurological inpatients and outpatients. There is a large outpatient psychiatric population, with admissions for medical co-morbidities. 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. The incumbent may 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 and able to shift priorities based on patient needs.

Responsibilities:

Duties included but are not limited to: Please keep in mind the location is in Charleston, South Carolina (Downtown Location)

The practice of the RN in this position is based on knowledge, experience, and research and has a direct impact on patient care and patient safety for patients while in the Specialty clinics. The Registered Nurse will be familiar with common medications prescribed, in-clinic and surgical procedures for the various specialties and ensure that care provided is in accordance with established national standards for nursing practice. The nurse will follow VA policies and procedures and the standards set forth by regulatory agencies such as JCAHO and OSHA. The Specialty Clinic Staff Nurse is expected to manage patient care compassionately and astutely, ensuring patient safety and promoting positive patient outcomes. He/she provides guidance and education to patients and caregivers and collaborates with other professionals at all levels including but not limited to the other nurses and physicians and the Nurse Manager, Specialty Clinics. He/she reports the status of service needs and contributes to problem resolution and modification of processes as necessary.

The RN will be a resource for patients and providers by electronic, telephone, and in person. The role of the Registered Nurse in the Specialty clinic expands beyond the module assigned. A review of patient charts to identify potential problems prior to and after clinic visits or procedures is also conducted by an RN with the implementation of PACT principles; therefore, the RN must be flexible in assignments and may be assigned additional duties that reflect the educational, experiential, and competency requirements outlined in the nurse qualification standards. When assigned as module charge nurse, he/she will coordinate and expedite patients through the clinics, being a role model for the LPNs in the clinics, maintaining fluent communication with the providers on the team, and being seen as a positive force on the team. He/she will ensure that the necessary assignments to ensure optimal patient care are made and that staffing allows time for staff to provide the necessary care and documentation.

The role of the RN in the Specialty clinic expands beyond the module assigned. A review of patient charts to identify potential problems prior to and after clinic visits or procedures is also conducted by an RN with the implementation of PACT principles; therefore, the RN must be flexible in assignments and may be assigned additional duties that reflect the educational, experiential, and competency requirements outlined in the nurse qualification standards. When assigned as module charge nurse, he/she will coordinate and expedite patients through the clinics, act as a role model for the LPNs in the clinics, maintain fluent communication with providers, and be seen as a positive force on the team. He/she will ensure that patient assignments are appropriate, optimal patient care is provided, and staffing allows time for clinic staff to provide the necessary care and enter required documentation.

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: 0730 - 1600 or 0800 - 1630
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact VISN7EDRPFacilityCoordinators2@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Salary : $200,000