Registered Nurse- Inpatient Mental Health- Charge Nurse

Department of Veterans Affairs • Iowa City, IA

45d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. The Registered Nurse (RN) Inpatient Mental Health (MH) provides competent, evidence-based care, the psychiatric MH nurse provides patient-centered and recovery-oriented care, milieu management, and maintains self-awareness while caring for patients living with MH conditions. They facilitate shift reports, warm hand-offs, and nurse-led psychoeducational groups; use therapeutic communication techniques, practice de-escalation techniques, and utilize recovery-oriented language. The Charge Nurse will direct and delegate patient flow and patient care assignments to nursing staff working on the unit, basing assignment decisions on acuity, care needs, staff availability, and their scope of practice, as well as:

Responsibilities

• Work with clinical manager to evaluate appropriate staffing ratios and overtime.
• Perform direct patient care, as applicable.
• Keep abreast of changes in VA care standards, policies, procedures, and national directives.
• Remain cognizant of improvements and/or declines in QI data and identify contributing factors.
• Follow established VA patient care objectives, quality improvement (QM) measures, meeting safety, environmental, and infection control standards.
• Serve as a role model and mentor to new staff members and students.
• Place supply orders and consults per protocol.
• Enhance professional growth and development through participation in educational programs, current literature, in-services, and workshops.
• Participate in performance improvement measures, nursing committees, and data collection.
• Receive and provide accurate reports regarding activities of the unit and patient's condition.
• Consults with the clinical manager for planning, directing, and evaluating nursing activities, as well as coordinating potential admissions and discharges.

Benefits

• 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

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Industry: Administration of Human Resource Programs
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees