Registered Nurse (Inpatient Mental Health)

Veterans Health Administration • Salt Lake City, UT

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Nurse provides and/or supervises direct inpatient mental health care and is accountable for all elements of the nursing process. The nurse assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates care using age-specific components and coordinates care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction across the continuum of care. The role includes administering medications and procedures under established policies and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team to influence care outcomes.

The nurse provides patient-centered, recovery-oriented care to patients with mental health conditions, manages the milieu, and uses therapeutic communication, de-escalation techniques, and recovery-oriented language. The nurse supports shift reports, warm hand-offs, and nurse-led psychoeducational groups; participates in interdisciplinary treatment team activities and environment-of-care rounds; directs responses to psychiatric emergencies; and reports and helps resolve safety concerns. The position also includes documenting assessments, plans of care, safety observations, and environmental rounds, maintaining professional boundaries, contributing to policies and procedures, supporting colleagues’ professional development, and evaluating evidence-based practice changes and mental health outcomes.

The position is in a 24/7, 365-day unit with rotating day, night, weekend, and holiday shifts. Compressed or flexible scheduling is available. Telework and virtual work are not available. Relocation and recruitment incentives are not authorized. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to program eligibility and approval; former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply. Eligible participants must submit an application within four months of appointment. The program office determines the award amount, up to $200,000, and eligibility period of one to five years.

Applicants must meet applicable nursing education, licensure, and English proficiency requirements. Grade placement depends on nursing education, professional nursing experience, and the applicable grade-level criteria. The physical work includes substantial standing, walking, bending, lifting, and patient handling, and may include exposure to infected patients or contaminated materials. Mechanical devices are required for heavy or difficult-to-lift patients.

Requirements

• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduation from an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, or qualifying education under the stated bridge-program or foreign-education provisions.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registered nurse licensure in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia, except where the stated Graduate Nurse Technician exception applies.
• Meet the education and professional nursing experience requirements for the applicable grade and level.
• Meet U.S. citizenship requirements, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Complete required pre-employment screening and onboarding, including urinalysis for selected applicants in testing-designated positions, background/security investigation, and physical evaluation.
• Meet the seasonal influenza vaccination requirement for VA health care personnel.
• Meet the physical demands of the position, including patient handling and the ability to physically control or protect oneself from physically abusive patients.

Nice To Haves

• Mental health healthcare experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide and supervise direct patient care and be accountable for the nursing process.
• Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care using age-specific components.
• Coordinate care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care.
• Administer medications and procedures according to established policies and guidelines.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members to influence care outcomes.
• Provide patient-centered, recovery-oriented care and manage the milieu for patients with mental health conditions.
• Facilitate shift reports and warm hand-offs, and develop and facilitate nurse-led psychoeducational groups.
• Use therapeutic communication and de-escalation techniques and recovery-oriented language.
• Participate in mental health interdisciplinary treatment team activities and Environment of Care rounds.
• Direct team responses to psychiatric emergencies, report safety concerns, and assist in resolving them.
• Document nursing assessments, plans of care, patient safety observations, and environmental safety rounds according to facility policy.
• Maintain professional boundaries and act in the best interest of patients.
• Collaborate in developing, implementing, evaluating, and revising policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• 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 be responsible for documented outcomes at the program or service level.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to eligibility and approval, with awards up to $200,000 and eligibility periods of one to five years.
• Competitive salary, regular salary increases, and potential performance awards.
• 50 days of paid time off per year: 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting.
• 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.
• One full and unrestricted license from any U.S. state or territory is accepted.

What This Job Offers

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