Emergency Registered Nurse

Veterans Health Administration • San Diego, CA

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS) is a Level 1a major interdisciplinary teaching healthcare system, offering a variety of Inpatient and Outpatient services to Veterans at the medical center in La Jolla and at the six Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) located in Chula Vista, Escondido, Imperial Valley, Kearny Mesa, Oceanside, Sorrento Valley, and Rio Clinic. The VASDHS provides high quality care with advanced technologies and a compassionate service to Veterans.

Requirements

• 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.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
• English Language Proficiency.
• Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate 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 ); OR Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor's level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program. Upon achievement of a State license, the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program. (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 to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program. Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware ( ICD ).
• 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.
• Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements, but do not possess the required licensure, may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.)
• Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees.

Nice To Haves

• BSN
• 2 years of recent ED RN experience.
• BLS & ACLS required.
• CEN certification or considered to obtain within 1 yr of hire.

Responsibilities

• Leads and organizes delivery of care to assure continuity of care and peer accountability for practice, including access to care and discharge planning.
• Uses advance clinical knowledge/judgment to promote staff involvement in planning, decision making, and evaluating outcomes.
• Functions as an expert in clinical practice and/or areas related to the assignment of roles and responsibilities.
• Systematically evaluates current practice and formulates outcomes for groups of patients and/or organizational processes within an area of expertise.
• Guides, develops, and supports staff from a leadership perspective.
• Uses professional standards of care, scientific evidence, and practice to evaluate programs and/or service activities.
• Participates in orientation, unit-based in-services, and mandatory education activities in a self-directed manner.
• Evaluates unit performance as measured against The Joint Commission standards and takes action to correct deficits to ensure compliance as part of continued readiness.
• Supports and encourages others to read and correctly interpret medical center and service-level policies and procedures.
• Assumes leadership role in identifying policies, procedures, standards, guidelines, and protocols requiring review or revision.
• Applies and directs others to apply infection control measures appropriately in delivering care.
• Identifies and analyzes systems problems which effect/impede patient care and initiates their resolution.
• Provides leadership in coordinating patient care and collaborating with other disciplines/departments to achieve patient care outcome.
• Performs procedures or seeks help when needed, such as phlebotomy, IV insertion, 12 lead ECG, blood transfusions, urinary catheter insertion and care.
• Administers medications as ordered by physicians.
• Performs Point of Care laboratory testing, including glucometer, ISTAT, and urine hCG.
• Safely and effectively uses equipment required for patient care.
• Reports equipment in need of repair.
• Takes and records vital signs.
• Recognizes subtle abnormal signs and symptoms and/or changes in patients' condition and responds appropriately.
• Makes assignments and directs activities of other unit staff, (RNs, LVNs/LPNs, students, MSAs, other team members).
• Formulates a plan of care based on nursing assessments based on the ANA Standards of Nursing Practice and seeks assistance as needed.
• Completes initial assessment of patient condition, screenings and response to treatment and initiates follow-up as needed.
• Triages patients using the Emergency Severity Index (ESI) and initiates established protocols.
• Provides leadership in establishing goals, evaluating the plan of care, and in discharge planning.
• Initiates referrals to other disciplines and/or services as appropriate
• Updates plan of care with assistance as needed.
• Assesses patient's learning needs, learning preference, and readiness to learn.
• Develops and implements a plan to meet learning needs, instructing patients and families in basic health teaching and discharge planning.
• Documents the nursing process.
• Evaluates and documents patient response to interventions and progress towards attainment of goals and expected outcomes.
• Revises plan of care according to evaluations of patient responses.
• Uses the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) or currently used electronic medical record, Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA), Bed Management System (BMS), and the Emergency Department Integrated Software (EDIS) per policy.
• Assigns patient care responsibilities based upon triage level, patient care needs, and competencies of staff.
• Functions as charge nurse/team leader in providing direction to staff in meeting patient care needs.
• Follows-up to ensure that assigned delegated tasks are completed by team members
• Responds to emergencies as a member of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) and Code Blue Team.
• Utilizes all available safe patient handling equipment.
• Transports patients via wheelchair, gurney, and electric emergency vehicle.
• Performs other Duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards
• 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
• 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory

What This Job Offers

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