Registered Nurse (Operating Room)

Veterans Health Administration • Manchester, NH

19d • Onsite

About The Position

This full-time Registered Nurse position is in the Nursing, Perioperative Service at the Manchester VA location. The role provides operating room nursing care for a wide range of surgical procedures, including circulating and scrub responsibilities, and supports safe, effective intraoperative care in coordination with the perioperative team. The position is scheduled for 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Telework and virtual work are not available.

The nurse prepares patients and the operating room for surgery, assists with anesthesia induction within nursing scope of practice, manages procedure-related equipment, and documents care in the Vista/CPRS electronic health record. The position also includes participation in charge nurse duties and unit or hospital committees, as well as providing staffing support to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and surgical clinics.

The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to eligibility and approval. The program may reimburse up to $200,000; the approved award amount and eligibility period of one to five years are determined after review of an application submitted within four months of appointment. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply.

The position requires a current, full, active, and unrestricted nursing registration in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia, and graduation from an appropriately accredited professional nursing program, subject to the stated exceptions. Applicants must be proficient in written and spoken English and able to satisfactorily perform the job's duties. A pre-placement examination is required. The position is in the Excepted Service and is covered by a special rate.

Requirements

• Graduate from a professional nursing school accredited by ACEN or CCNE, or meet a stated education exception for bridge-program or foreign-school graduates.
• Hold current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; a stated Graduate Nurse Technician exception may apply to eligible candidates pursuing licensure.
• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Be physically able to satisfactorily perform the duties and complete a pre-placement examination.
• Meet federal employment conditions, including U.S. citizenship subject to the stated exception, applicable Selective Service registration, background/security investigation, and required pre-employment screening and onboarding.
• Submit all application requirements specified in the announcement.

Nice To Haves

• Three to five years of successful operating room clinical practice in both scrub and circulating roles.
• At least one year of recent operating room charge, leadership, or education experience.
• Certified Nurse Operating Room (CNOR) certification.
• Perioperative quality improvement or quality management experience, including monitoring outcomes, ensuring compliance with standards, and advancing patient safety and care effectiveness.

Responsibilities

• Independently circulate a wide range of surgical procedures while maintaining sterile technique, patient safety standards, surgical time-outs, accurate documentation, and coordination with the interdisciplinary perioperative team throughout care.
• Perform scrub nurse duties for diverse surgical specialties, including maintaining sterile fields, preparing and handling instruments and supplies, anticipating surgeon needs, and supporting safe and efficient intraoperative care.
• Manage operating room equipment as required by the surgical procedure.
• Interview patients and review preoperative assessments and charts for required documentation, including history and physical examination, consents, day-of-surgery note, correct surgical site, laboratory results and values, allergies, and NPO status.
• Assist the anesthesia provider with induction within the scope of nursing practice.
• Review the surgeon's preference card and prepare the operating room for surgery.
• Ensure instruments, equipment, sterile supplies, and implants are available.
• Ensure proper patient positioning for surgical procedures.
• Document the operating room record in the Vista/CPRS electronic health record.
• Perform surgical counts of instruments, sharps, sponges, and miscellaneous items with the scrub person according to policy.
• Collaborate with healthcare professionals and support staff to facilitate positive patient care outcomes.
• Comply with personal protective equipment requirements, precautions, and infection-control guidelines.
• Develop and use time management, priority setting, assessment, and urgent-intervention skills.
• Participate in charge nurse duties and unit or hospital committees.
• Provide staffing support to PACU and surgical clinics.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program reimbursement, subject to eligibility and approval, of up to $200,000.
• 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 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: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree