Registered Nurse-Outpatient Surgery Clinic-Float

Veterans Health Administration • San Antonio, TX

1d

About The Position

The Outpatient Surgery Clinic Registered Nurse (Float) is accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing or supervising direct patient care. The nurse assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates care based on age-specific needs and coordinates care focused on patient education, self-management, transitions across the continuum of care, and customer satisfaction.

The role requires leadership and creative approaches to complex outpatient care. The nurse works in an academic setting and floats among surgical specialty clinics, including neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery, vascular surgery, wound-ostomy, urology, gynecology, general surgery, plastic surgery, podiatry, ENT, orthopedics, and ophthalmology. The nurse triages unscheduled patients, handles and documents telephone encounters, uses computer programs and the electronic medical record, follows clinic protocols, and assists providers with clinics and procedures. The nurse also performs surgical postings and manages surgical schedules in assigned clinics.

The nurse provides care to patients with pre- and post-surgical medical conditions, supports patient-driven health goals, provides patient education and pre-surgical assessments, and coordinates activities as directed by a physician or licensed provider. The position includes cross-training across surgical clinics and requires competency in the float nurse duties at each clinic.

Requirements

• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduation from an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, subject to the stated education pathways and exceptions.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registered nurse licensure in a U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; a Graduate Nurse Technician temporary appointment exception is described for eligible candidates pursuing licensure.
• Meet the education, experience, and grade-specific qualification criteria for the applicable Nurse grade and level.
• Complete application requirements and required pre-employment processes, including background/security investigation and, for selected applicants in testing-designated positions, urinalysis screening.
• U.S. citizenship is required unless appointment of a non-citizen is permitted under VA policy.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA Health Care Personnel.

Nice To Haves

• Two to three years of inpatient clinical nursing experience in Medical-Surgical, OR, ICU, or ER.
• One to two years of surgery clinic experience.

Responsibilities

• Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate direct patient care using age-specific components of the nursing process.
• Coordinate care through patient transitions, education, self-management after discharge, and support for customer satisfaction.
• Demonstrate leadership and creative approaches to managing complex outpatient care.
• Collaborate in developing, implementing, evaluating, and revising policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Provide peers with constructive feedback and support colleagues through knowledge sharing.
• Foster a safe and supportive environment for the professional development of health care professionals.
• Evaluate outcomes of evidence-based decisions and practice changes, and document program- or service-level outcomes.
• Float among surgical specialty clinics and cross-train to ensure continuity and safe delivery of patient care.
• Triage unscheduled patients and answer and document telephone encounters.
• Use computer programs and document care in the electronic medical record.
• Follow clinic protocols and assist providers with clinics and procedures.
• Perform surgical postings and manage surgical schedules in assigned clinics.
• Provide care for patients with pre- and post-surgical medical conditions and promote participation in patient-driven health goals.
• Provide patient education and pre-surgical assessments, and coordinate activities as directed by a physician or licensed provider.
• Address patient concerns and participate in process-improvement and safety initiatives.
• Promote a positive customer environment of care.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive salary with regular salary increases and potential performance awards.
• 50 days of paid time off per year, comprising 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.

What This Job Offers

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