Registered Nurse (Domiciliary Mental Health)

Veterans Health Administration • Bath, NY

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The VA Finger Lakes Healthcare System is seeking a full-time Registered Nurse to join the Domiciliary Mental Health Team at the Bath VA Medical Center. The Outpatient Mental Health Registered Nurse provides patient-centered, recovery-oriented care to patients living with mental health conditions and/or substance use disorder, while maintaining self-awareness. The RN also helps foster a safe, supportive environment that encourages healthcare professionals’ development and supports safe, high-quality nursing care.

The position includes providing and leading evidence-based nursing care, contributing to nursing education and quality improvement, facilitating shift reports and warm hand-offs, leading psychoeducational groups, and overseeing the patient safe medication management program. The nurse participates in interdisciplinary treatment and safety activities, responds to patient care needs and emergencies as directed, and documents assessments, risk screens, plans of care, and safety rounds in accordance with facility policy.

This is a full-time position with a Monday–Friday schedule, 07:30–16:00 EST. Telework and virtual work are not available. Relocation and recruitment incentives, as well as permanent change of station authorization, are not offered.

Requirements

• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduation from an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, or qualifying education under the stated VA provisions for bridge-program or foreign-educated candidates.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted professional nurse registration in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; a temporary Graduate Nurse Technician appointment may be available to eligible candidates pursuing licensure.
• Meet the education and experience criteria for the applicable VA nurse grade and level. Criteria vary by grade and may include an ADN, diploma, BSN, MSN, or doctoral degree, along with the specified professional or specialized nursing experience.
• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Complete required pre-employment drug testing, background/security investigation, online onboarding, and physical evaluation/examination.
• For males born after December 31, 1959, Selective Service registration is required.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Complete all application requirements in the announcement’s Required Documents section.

Nice To Haves

• Prior mental health or substance abuse addictions treatment experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide and lead competent, evidence-based care for assigned patients.
• Assist in directing nursing education, orientation, and competency activities, and provide quality-improvement and outcomes-utilization consultation.
• Provide patient-centered, recovery-oriented care to patients living with substance use disorder and/or mental health conditions, maintaining self-awareness while doing so.
• Facilitate shift reports and warm hand-offs, and lead nurse-led psychoeducational groups.
• Use therapeutic communication and de-escalation techniques, use recovery-oriented language, and oversee the patient safe medication management program.
• Participate in the mental health interdisciplinary treatment team and in patient safety and environment-of-care rounds.
• Respond to psychiatric and medical care needs and emergencies as directed.
• Report safety concerns and document nursing assessments, risk screens, nursing plans of care, patient safety rounds, and environment-of-care rounds according to facility policy.
• Maintain professional boundaries and act in the best interest of patients.
• Foster a safe, supportive environment conducive to healthcare professionals’ professional development.
• Support colleagues through knowledge sharing to provide safe, quality nursing care.
• Question clinical practices to support evidence-based care.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Benefits

• 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 VA contributions of up to 5%.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Competitive salary, regular salary increases, and potential performance awards.

What This Job Offers

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