Registered Nurse (Community Living Center)

Veterans Health Administration • Salisbury, NC

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Nurse (Community Living Center) is responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing or supervising direct patient care in the assigned specialty area within the Community Living Center (CLC). The nurse provides competent, evidence-based care to assigned residents and oversees licensed vocational nurses and nursing assistants as appropriate to the setting. The role includes administering medications and procedures in accordance with established policies and guidelines, and leading nursing care for patients with complex needs in alignment with the ANA Standards of Nursing Practice.

The nurse coordinates care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care. The role also contributes to nursing education, orientation, competencies, quality improvement, and outcomes-utilization consultation; collaborates with the CLC interdisciplinary team and Minimum Data Set (MDS) coordinator; and participates in evidence-based practice and unit- or program-level improvement initiatives. The nurse provides age-appropriate care and uses assessment and interpretation of patient information to identify individual needs, including needs related to aging and cognitive, emotional, and chronological maturation. The nurse leads professional practice through the nursing process and monitors, analyzes, and evaluates care outcomes to improve evidence-based and data-driven results for the patient population or specialty area.

This is a full-time, non-virtual position with various shifts and rotating weekends and holidays. The position may require flexibility in schedule and assignments. Physical duties may include direct patient care, prolonged periods of walking, standing or sitting, moderate lifting, repeated bending or kneeling, and use of safe patient handling and mobility protocols. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized.

Requirements

• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduation from an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, or qualifying nursing education under the stated VA provisions for bridge-program candidates or graduates of foreign nursing schools.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a U.S. State, Territory, or Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; the announcement provides a Graduate Nurse Technician exception for eligible candidates pursuing licensure.
• Meet the education, experience, and dimension criteria for the assigned nurse grade and level. Grade criteria vary and include qualifying ADN, diploma, BSN, MSN, or doctoral education and, for some grades, specified professional or specialized nursing experience.
• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed only when qualified U.S. citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Pass required pre-employment screening, including a physical evaluation or examination; applicants tentatively selected for testing-designated positions are subject to urinalysis for illegal drug use.
• Register for Selective Service if applicable to males born after December 31, 1959.
• Complete the required background/security investigation and online onboarding process, and provide acceptable identification for employment verification.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Meet the physical demands associated with nursing duties, including direct patient care and potentially prolonged walking, standing, or sitting; moderate lifting; repeated bending or kneeling; and safe patient-handling and mobility protocols.
• Be able to accommodate potential flexibility in schedule and assignments.

Nice To Haves

• Two to three years of nursing experience in Long-Term Care or Community Living Center specialty areas.

Responsibilities

• Provide and supervise direct patient care in the assigned Community Living Center specialty area, using all elements of the nursing process.
• Provide competent, evidence-based care to assigned residents and oversee licensed vocational nurses and nursing assistants as appropriate.
• Administer medications and perform procedures in accordance with established policies and guidelines.
• Lead nursing care for patients with complex needs in alignment with the ANA Standards of Nursing Practice.
• Coordinate care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care.
• Assist with directing nursing education, orientation, and competencies, and provide quality-improvement and outcomes-utilization consultation.
• Collaborate with members of the CLC interdisciplinary team to influence care outcomes.
• Participate in unit- or program-level quality-improvement processes and initiatives, customer-service programs, and strategies to sustain evidence-based practice.
• Collaborate with the MDS coordinator to ensure documentation is accurate and reflective of the RUG score.
• Provide care and services appropriate to patients’ ages, cognitive and emotional needs, and chronological maturation; assess and interpret patient data to identify age-specific requirements.
• Demonstrate knowledge of changes associated with aging and provide care and support based on age-related factors.
• Lead professional practice through assessment, diagnosis, outcome identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation to improve evidence-based or data-driven outcomes.
• Monitor, analyze, and evaluate care outcomes in the immediate practice setting to improve patient care.
• Perform other related duties as listed in the functional statement.

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: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree