Registered Nurse- Mental Health Inpatient

Veterans Health Administration • Phoenix, AZ

7d • Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Nurse provides inpatient mental health nursing care using biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills, and technically competent practice. The nurse provides patient-centered, evidence-based, and recovery-oriented care, manages the therapeutic milieu, and maintains self-awareness while caring for patients with mental health conditions. Care is assessed, planned, implemented, and evaluated using age-specific components, with coordination focused on patient education, self-management, and satisfaction across the continuum of care. The nurse administers medications and procedures in accordance with established policies and guidelines and collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to influence care outcomes.

The role includes facilitating shift reports, warm hand-offs, and nurse-led psychoeducational groups; using therapeutic communication and de-escalation techniques; and using recovery-oriented language. The nurse participates in interdisciplinary treatment-team activities, Environment of Care rounds, and psychiatric emergencies; reports safety concerns; and documents assessments, plans of care, patient safety observations, and environmental safety rounds according to facility policy. The nurse maintains professional boundaries and may assist with nursing education, orientation, competencies, quality improvement, and outcomes utilization. This position requires fundamental mental health experience and the ability to integrate theoretical concepts, basic critical thinking, and technically skilled practice.

The position is full-time, with a stated schedule of 1830–0700 that may vary to meet department or facility needs. Weekends and holidays are required. Telework and virtual work are not available. Relocation and recruitment incentives are not authorized. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to program eligibility and approval; awards may be up to $200,000, with eligibility periods of one to five years. The job also describes federal paid leave, retirement, insurance, and licensure provisions.

Requirements

• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduation from an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, or qualifying nursing education under the stated exceptions.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registered nurse licensure in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; a Graduate Nurse Technician exception is described for eligible candidates pursuing licensure.
• Meet the education and experience criteria for the applicable VA Nurse grade and level.
• Pass a pre-employment physical evaluation and be able to complete all levels of Prevention and Management of Disruptive Behavior (PMDB).
• Meet the stated U.S. citizenship requirement, subject to the policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Comply with pre-employment drug testing, background/security investigation, onboarding, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Physical capacity for nursing duties that may include walking, bending, stooping, squatting, sitting, standing, and walking for extended periods; transferring patients or objects up to 35 pounds; and using provided mechanical lifts and safe patient handling protocols.
• Complete application requirements detailed in the announcement's Required Documents section.

Nice To Haves

• Mental health experience is strongly preferred.
• One to two years of acute care or long-term care nursing experience.
• One to two years of clinical experience in behavioral health, psychiatric care, addiction treatment, crisis care, or residential settings.
• Background in psychiatric nursing, acute care, substance abuse or detoxification, and/or emergency room nursing.
• Crisis management certifications.
• Experience and ability to manage acute psychiatric distress, assess behavioral triggers, and safely de-escalate volatile situations.

Responsibilities

• Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate patient care using age-specific components.
• Coordinate care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care.
• Administer medications and procedures in accordance with established policies and guidelines.
• Collaborate with members of the interdisciplinary team to influence care outcomes.
• Provide patient-centered, evidence-based, recovery-oriented inpatient mental health care and manage the therapeutic milieu.
• Facilitate shift reports, warm hand-offs, and nurse-led psychoeducational groups.
• Use therapeutic communication, de-escalation techniques, and recovery-oriented language.
• Participate in mental health interdisciplinary treatment-team activities, Environment of Care rounds, and psychiatric emergencies.
• Report safety concerns and document nursing assessments, plans of care, patient safety observations, and environmental safety rounds according to facility policy.
• Maintain professional boundaries and act in the best interest of patients.
• Assist in directing nursing education, orientation, and competencies, and provide quality improvement and outcomes utilization.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program eligibility, subject to requirements and approval, with awards up to $200,000 and eligibility periods of one to five years.
• 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.
• 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