Registered Nurse (Assistant Manager) - Behavioral Health

Veterans Health Administration • Harlingen, TX

5d

About The Position

The Registered Nurse (Assistant Manager) in Behavioral Health coordinates care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care. The nurse administers medications and procedures according to established policies and guidelines, provides evidence-based care, and collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to influence care outcomes.

The position supports the Nurse Manager with supervisory responsibilities and accountability for the daily operations of designated units. It provides leadership in staff orientation, training, development, performance evaluation, nursing education, competencies, quality improvement, and outcomes utilization. The nurse serves as a role model, educator, practitioner, and supervisor; promotes culturally competent, equitable, high-quality and cost-effective care; and helps remove barriers and implement evidence-based programs and process improvements.

The role requires compliance with accreditation and regulatory standards, VA directives, policies, and standard operating procedures. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework is ad hoc eligible; this is not a virtual position. 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, subject to the education pathways and exceptions described in the posting.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registered professional nurse license 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 applicable education, experience, and dimension requirements for the assigned Nurse grade and level.
• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Complete required pre-employment screening and onboarding, including background/security investigation and physical examination; selected applicants in testing-designated positions are subject to urinalysis.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Meet physical requirements for safe operation of a government vehicle, including specified vision, field-of-vision, color discrimination, and hearing standards.
• Submit transcripts when education is used to meet qualification requirements; foreign education requires applicable equivalency documentation.

Nice To Haves

• Three years of mental health experience.
• One to two years of leadership experience.
• One to two years of inpatient mental health experience.
• One to two years of outpatient mental health experience.
• One year of experience with electronic medical records.

Responsibilities

• Provide competent, evidence-based care to assigned patients and oversee licensed vocational nurses and nursing assistants as appropriate.
• Assist in directing nursing education, orientation, competencies, quality improvement, and outcomes utilization consultation.
• Provide or supervise direct patient care across all elements of 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.
• Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team and lead process-improvement initiatives to influence care outcomes.
• Support the Nurse Manager with supervisory duties and accountability for daily operations of designated units.
• Direct staff orientation, training, development, and evaluation of individual staff performance.
• Provide leadership as a role model, educator, practitioner, and supervisor.
• Collaborate to remove barriers and implement evidence-based programs and processes.
• Engage in professional organizations to support leadership and career growth.
• Apply ethical decision-making and promote accountability at personal, organizational, and staff levels.
• Equip staff to provide culturally competent care and promote high-quality, cost-effective outcomes.
• Build alliances across the care continuum through active listening, engagement, and emotional intelligence.
• Contribute to care-delivery models and environmental design that support evidence-based, accessible, affordable, and equitable care.
• Ensure compliance with accreditation and regulatory standards, directives, policies, and standard operating procedures.
• Align nursing and clinical objectives with organizational strategic outcomes and participate in strategy planning and execution.
• Promote an inclusive workplace that values diversity.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, regular salary increases, and potential performance awards.
• 50 days of paid time off per year: 26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and 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: Manager
• Education Level: Associate degree