Critical Care Registered Nurse

Veterans Health Administration • Albany, NY

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Critical Care Registered Nurse coordinates care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction across the continuum of care. The nurse provides direct care to acutely or critically ill patients at high risk for actual or potential life-threatening health problems, assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating care using age-specific components. The role administers medications and procedures in accordance with established policies and guidelines, delegates care based on patient needs, condition, and safety, and oversees licensed vocational nurses and nursing assistants. The nurse contributes a professional nursing perspective to interdisciplinary discussions, partners with clinical and medical staff to support optimal outcomes and colleagues through knowledge sharing, and demonstrates leadership, experience, and creative approaches to managing complex patient care.

This is a full-time, night-shift position with six 12-hour shifts (1930–0800) and one 8-hour shift (2330–0800), including rotating weekends and holidays. Telework and virtual work are not available. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to VHA eligibility requirements and application review. The program may award up to $200,000 for an eligibility period of one to five years; former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply.

The position requires a current, full, active, unrestricted nursing registration in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia, and graduation from an appropriately accredited professional nursing program, subject to the stated exceptions. Applicants must meet the applicable VA Nurse grade and level qualifications. A physical evaluation is required. The position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

Requirements

• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduation from a professional nursing program approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by ACEN or CCNE when the program was completed, subject to the stated alternative pathways and exceptions.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia, subject to the Graduate Nurse Technician exception.
• Meet the applicable education, experience, and dimension criteria for the VA Nurse grade and level sought.
• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed when recruiting qualified citizens is not possible under VA policy.
• Pass a pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Meet applicable pre-employment screening, identification, onboarding, background/security investigation, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Submit an EDRP application within four months of appointment if seeking EDRP participation; eligibility and award are subject to program review.

Nice To Haves

• Basic Life Support (BLS).
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).
• 1.5 to 2 years of experience in Critical Care Nursing.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care.
• Provide direct care to acutely or critically ill patients at high risk for actual or potential life-threatening health problems.
• Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care based on age-specific components.
• Administer medications and procedures according to established policies and guidelines.
• Delegate elements of care to appropriate individuals based on assessed patient needs, condition, and safety.
• Provide oversight of licensed vocational nurses and nursing assistants.
• Contribute a professional nursing perspective to discussions with the interdisciplinary team.
• Partner with clinical and medical staff to produce optimal outcomes and support colleagues through knowledge sharing.
• Demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches to the management of complex patient care.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to eligibility and approval, with a possible award of up to $200,000 over one to five years.
• Competitive salary, regular salary increases, and potential performance awards.
• 50 days of paid time off per year: 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid Federal holidays.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting.
• Federal 401(k) with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Associate degree