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 helps foster a safe and supportive environment for patients and for the professional development of healthcare professionals. The role includes clinical care, coordination, education, quality improvement, patient safety, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Requirements

• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduation from an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, or a qualifying nursing education pathway described in the announcement.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted RN registration in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; a temporary Graduate Nurse Technician appointment may be available to qualifying candidates pursuing licensure.
• Meet the education and experience criteria for the assigned VA nurse grade and level.
• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed only when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Pass required pre-employment screening, including urinalysis for applicants selected for testing-designated positions, background/security investigation, and physical evaluation/examination.
• Register with Selective Service if male and born after December 31, 1959.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Complete the online onboarding process and all application requirements in the 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 consultation on quality improvement and outcomes utilization.
• Provide patient-centered, recovery-oriented care to patients living with substance use disorder and/or mental health conditions while maintaining self-awareness.
• Facilitate shift reports, warm hand-offs, and nurse-led psychoeducational groups.
• Use therapeutic communication and de-escalation techniques and recovery-oriented language.
• Oversee the patient safe medication management program.
• Participate actively 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, plans of care, patient safety rounds, and environment-of-care rounds according to facility policy.
• Maintain professional boundaries to protect patient vulnerabilities and act in patients’ best interests.
• Foster a safe and 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

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