Registered Nurse (Emergency Department)

Veterans Health Administration • Fayetteville, NC

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Nurse (RN) in the Emergency Department (ED) is responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process while providing or supervising direct patient care. The nurse assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates age-specific care; coordinates care with a focus on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction; and administers medications and procedures in accordance with established policies and guidelines.

The ED RN provides urgent and emergent care for patients with acute or chronic medical, surgical, and psychiatric conditions. Care may range from basic nursing care to stabilization, resuscitation, and life-support measures. Practice is both independent and collaborative and includes direct care, education, administration, research, consultation, leadership, and advocacy. The nurse contributes to policies, procedures, and guidelines; supports and develops colleagues; and evaluates evidence-based practice decisions and outcomes at the program or service level.

The RN conducts ongoing physical and psychosocial assessments, including triage using a five-level system and acuity-based classification. The nurse analyzes assessment data, identifies nursing diagnoses and collaborative problems, establishes individualized expected outcomes and plans of care, implements care coordination and health teaching, evaluates progress, and modifies plans as needed. The ED provides acute medical care for people without scheduled appointments who need immediate attention for acute medical or mental-health conditions or minor injuries, in collaboration with ancillary services.

The position requires the physical ability to participate actively in Prevention and Management of Disruptive Behavior (PMDB) training and the capability to apply PMDB skills in a high-risk ED environment to help ensure the safety of patients, staff, and visitors. The RN reports directly to the Nurse Manager or the designee of the Emergency Department.

The schedule is 12-hour shifts, alternating weekends, and 80 hours biweekly. Telework and virtual work are not authorized. Relocation, 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 an applicable qualifying nursing education pathway described in the announcement.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registered nurse licensure in a U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia, except where the stated Graduate Nurse Technician exception applies.
• Meet the education, specialized experience, and grade-level criteria applicable to the assigned Nurse grade and level.
• Ability to participate actively in Prevention and Management of Disruptive Behavior training and effectively use PMDB skills in a high-risk ED environment.
• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Pass the pre-employment physical evaluation or examination.
• Complete required pre-employment screening, including urinalysis for applicants tentatively selected for testing-designated positions, background/security investigation, and onboarding requirements.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Meet Selective Service registration requirements if applicable.
• Provide a transcript when relying on education to qualify; foreign education requires the stated equivalency documentation.

Responsibilities

• Provide and supervise direct patient care, taking responsibility for all elements of the nursing process.
• Assess patients using age-specific components and collect ongoing physical and psychosocial information.
• Triage patients using the five-level system and classify them according to acuity and the resources needed for emergent care.
• Analyze assessment data to identify nursing diagnoses, collaborative problems, and other concerns for patients and families.
• Identify individualized expected outcomes and develop collaborative plans of care.
• Implement care plans, including care coordination, health teaching, and health promotion.
• Evaluate patient responses and progress toward outcomes, and adjust plans as needed.
• Provide urgent and emergent care for acute or chronic medical, surgical, and psychiatric conditions, including stabilization, resuscitation, and life-support measures as appropriate.
• Administer medications and perform procedures in accordance with established policies and guidelines.
• Expedite patient flow within the unit and collaborate with ancillary services to deliver efficient patient care.
• Collaborate in the development, implementation, evaluation, and revision of policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Provide constructive feedback, share knowledge with colleagues, and foster a safe environment that supports professional development.
• Evaluate outcomes of evidence-based decisions and practice changes, including documented program- or service-level outcomes.
• Participate in PMDB training and apply PMDB skills in the high-risk ED environment to support the safety of patients, staff, and visitors.

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

What This Job Offers

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