Registered Nurse (Acute Care)

Veterans Health Administration • Durham, NC

9h • Onsite

About The Position

The Durham VA Healthcare System is seeking highly skilled/experienced Registered Nurses to serve within Acute Care. This role demonstrates leadership and experience in managing complex patient care. The Registered Nurse is accountable for the management of patient care, human, fiscal, and material resources, and the total environment of the unit. The primary goal is to ensure the highest possible quality of care is achieved and a safe therapeutic environment is maintained. The Acute Care Service includes four inpatient units: two telemetry-capable medical-surgical units, a dedicated dementia/cognitive support unit, and a unit with a dedicated oncology/chemotherapy focus. Registered Nurses collaborate with LPN's and Nursing Assistants to provide patient and family-centered care in conjunction with an interdisciplinary team of clinicians. Patient and family needs are met through collaboration with ancillary services such as Pharmacy, Laboratory, Dietary, Social Work, Chaplain, and Radiology. Specialty care is available through consultation to ensure continuity and progression of care. Discharge planning and patient/family education begin upon admission and continue throughout hospitalization, with interdisciplinary treatment and discharge planning conferences held bi-weekly.

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 evaluation/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.
• English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f), 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 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.)
• Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification.

Nice To Haves

• A minimum of two years successful nursing practice.
• Current or within the last 3 years Medical-surgical nursing experience.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with patients, families and other members of the interdisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated skills in decision-making, sound clinical judgment and critical-thinking abilities.
• Demonstrated ability to use computer systems in support of patient care delivery.
• BSN Preferred
• ANCC Certification in Medical Surgical Nursing

Responsibilities

• Provide direct, patient-centered nursing care within an assigned acute care unit, including assessment, care planning, implementation, and evaluation.
• Monitor and interpret telemetry/cardiac rhythms and respond appropriately to changes in patient status (telemetry units).
• Apply dementia-informed care techniques, de-escalation strategies, and behavioral safety protocols to support Veterans with cognitive impairment (dementia unit).
• Administer chemotherapy and other antineoplastic agents per competency and monitor for treatment-related complications (oncology unit).
• Administer medications and treatments, monitor patient response, and adjust the care plan in coordination with the interdisciplinary team.
• Educate Veterans and family members/caregivers on diagnosis, treatment plans, and post-discharge needs.
• Document care accurately and timely in the electronic health record in accordance with VA and Joint Commission standards.
• Participate in unit-based quality improvement initiatives, falls prevention, and purposeful rounding.

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: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree