Registered Nurse - Mental Health (1 West)

Veterans Health Administration • Tucson, AZ

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Mental Health Registered Nurse provides patient-centered, recovery-oriented care to patients living with mental health conditions and helps manage the care environment. The nurse facilitates shift reports and warm hand-offs, develops and leads nurse-led psychoeducational groups, and uses therapeutic communication, de-escalation techniques, and recovery-oriented language. The role calls for thorough knowledge of psychiatric and suicidal patients, restraints, substance use disorder, and PTSD.

The nurse participates in the mental health interdisciplinary treatment team and Environment of Care rounds, directs team responses to psychiatric emergencies, reports safety concerns, and helps resolve them. Responsibilities also include documenting nursing assessments, plans of care, patient safety observations, medication administration, and environmental safety rounds in accordance with facility policy, while maintaining professional boundaries that protect patients.

The nurse contributes to policies, procedures, and guidelines; assists with nursing education, orientation, and competency activities; and supports quality improvement and better outcomes. The position requires sound mental health clinical judgment, deliberate planning, critical thinking, self-direction, and the ability to manage competing priorities and complex situations. The nurse provides constructive feedback and fosters a safe, supportive environment for health care professionals’ development. The nurse evaluates outcomes of evidence-based decisions and practice changes and is accountable for documented, broad and complex mental health outcomes at the program or service level.

This is a night-shift, non-telework position. The role is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to individual eligibility and timely application. The announced award may be up to $200,000, with an eligibility period of one to five years, as determined by the program office. VA also describes a total rewards package including paid time off, retirement, insurance, salary increases, and potential performance awards.

Requirements

• Current, full, active, and unrestricted RN registration in a U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; eligible graduate nurses may qualify for the stated temporary GNT exception while pursuing licensure.
• Graduation from an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, or qualifying foreign nursing education and degree equivalency as applicable.
• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Meet the education and experience criteria for the assigned Nurse grade and level. Requirements vary by grade and may include an ADN, BSN, MSN, or doctoral degree and specialized nursing experience.
• At least 1 year of mental health experience is listed as preferred experience, not a basic requirement.
• Meet VA employment conditions, including U.S. citizenship except where an exception applies, required background/security checks, pre-employment physical evaluation, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Ability to perform nursing duties that may involve walking, bending, stooping, lifting, extended sitting or standing, and transferring patients or objects, using provided mechanical lifts and safe patient handling protocols.

Nice To Haves

• At least 1 year of experience in a mental health setting.

Responsibilities

• Provide patient-centered, recovery-oriented mental health nursing care and manage the milieu.
• Facilitate shift reports and warm hand-offs; develop and facilitate nurse-led psychoeducational groups.
• Use therapeutic communication, de-escalation techniques, and recovery-oriented language.
• Participate in the mental health interdisciplinary treatment team and Environment of Care rounds.
• Direct team responses to psychiatric emergencies, report safety concerns, and assist with resolving them.
• Document nursing assessments, plans of care, safety observations, medication administration, and environmental safety rounds according to facility policy.
• Maintain professional boundaries and act in the patient’s best interest.
• Collaborate in developing, implementing, evaluating, and revising policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Assist with nursing education, orientation, competencies, quality improvement, and improved outcomes utilization.
• Use mental health knowledge, judgment, critical thinking, and deliberate planning to manage complex situations and competing priorities.
• Provide peers with constructive feedback and foster a safe, supportive environment for professional development.
• Evaluate mental health outcomes of evidence-based decisions and practice changes, and take responsibility for documented program- or service-level outcomes.

Benefits

• EDRP student loan payment reimbursement program, with a possible award up to $200,000 and eligibility period of 1 to 5 years, subject to individual eligibility and program approval.
• Competitive salary, regular salary increases, and potential performance awards.
• 50 days of paid time off per year: 26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, and 11 paid Federal holidays.
• Traditional federal pension with 5-year vesting and 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
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree