Registered Nurse- Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)

Customer Value Partners•Cleveland, OH

7h•Onsite

About The Position

CVP seeks Registered Nurses to join our team in providing our Nation's Veterans with specialized spinal cord injury care at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center (LSCVAMC) in Cleveland, OH. SCI RNs will deliver comprehensive, interdisciplinary inpatient nursing care across two specialized units: the Acute SCI Unit (6B), a 32-bed unit focused on medical stabilization and early rehabilitation for Veterans with recent spinal cord injuries or acute SCI complications, and the Long-Term Inpatient SCI Unit (LTC SCI CTB), a 26-bed unit providing ongoing specialized care for Veterans with chronic spinal cord injuries requiring extended inpatient management. This is a deeply rewarding and highly specialized nursing role requiring expertise in the complex medical, functional, and psychosocial needs of the spinal cord injury population. Shifts are primarily 12 hours. Day, evening, night, weekend, and holiday availability is required.

Requirements

Must be eligible to obtain a Public Trust government security clearance; U.S. Citizenship is required.
Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate State agency and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Current, full, active, and unrestricted Registered Nurse license from the Ohio Board of Nursing or a current multi-state license from a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state.
Minimum of two (2) years of direct patient care experience within the last three (3) years; experience in spinal cord injury nursing, rehabilitation nursing, or neurological nursing is strongly preferred.
Knowledge of complications specific to SCI patients and appropriate nursing interventions is strongly preferred.
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association or equivalent accredited certifying body.
Current CPR certification from an American Heart Association vendor.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Nice To Haves

VA experience is desirable; prior SCI unit experience within the VA system is highly preferred.
Specialty certification in rehabilitation nursing (CRRN) from the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) is preferred.
Specialty certification in spinal cord injury nursing (CSCN) from the American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Nurses (AASCIN) is preferred.
Familiarity with autonomic dysreflexia recognition and management, bowel and bladder programs, and pressure injury prevention protocols specific to the SCI population is strongly preferred.
Proficiency in Electronic Health Record (EHR) documentation; experience with VA VISTA/CPRS systems is a plus.

Responsibilities

Perform comprehensive patient assessments, establish nursing priorities, and develop and maintain individualized care plans in close collaboration with the interdisciplinary SCI care team including physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, and psychologists.
Administer medications, including IV therapy, and manage acute medical interventions for respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurogenic complications associated with spinal cord injury.
Perform bowel care programs, bladder management including Foley catheter care and intermittent catheterization, and assist patients with activities of daily living (ADLs) in accordance with their functional level and rehabilitation goals.
Perform and document dressing changes and wound care, with particular attention to prevention and management of pressure injuries — a primary secondary complication in the SCI population.
Provide early rehabilitation nursing support, working in coordination with therapy teams to support functional independence and preparation for transition to home or community settings (Acute SCI).
Provide health maintenance nursing care focused on prevention of long-term SCI complications, including pressure injuries, urinary tract infections, and conditions associated with chronic SCI (Long-Term SCI).
Monitor and manage complex medical conditions associated with chronic SCI, including autonomic dysreflexia, spasticity, respiratory compromise, and cardiovascular instability.
Provide patient and family education on SCI care, recovery, self-management strategies, adaptive techniques, and community reintegration planning.
Provide psychological and social support, recognizing the significant psychosocial adjustment challenges facing Veterans with new or chronic spinal cord injuries.
Coordinate admissions, discharges, internal and external transfers, and discharge planning in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team and outpatient services.
Delegate appropriately to assistive personnel while maintaining accountability for overall patient care.
Document all patient care accurately and completely in the EHR prior to end of each shift.
Communicate pertinent patient data to the charge nurse and/or physician as appropriate, and respond promptly to changes in patient condition.
Conduct Fall Risk Assessments and Braden Scale assessments, implementing evidence-based interventions to reduce risk.
Float between Acute and Long-Term SCI inpatient units as directed by the VA Nurse Manager or designee based on staffing needs.
Participate in continuous quality improvement activities, Unit Practice Council (UPC) meetings, Nursing Quality Council, Professional Practice Council, unit staff meetings, safety huddles, and bedside reporting as required.
Report all patient safety incidents to the COR within 24 hours in accordance with VA patient safety policy.
Maintain compliance with all VA, Joint Commission, and SCI-specific facility policies, procedures, and standards of conduct.