Registered Nurse - Intensive Care Unit

Veterans Health Administration • Northport, NY

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Northport VA Medical Center is seeking a full-time Registered Nurse to work nights in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The nurse provides competent, evidence-based care to assigned patients and delegates and supervises basic nursing care provided by licensed practical nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel. The role includes supporting nursing education, orientation, competencies, quality improvement, and outcomes utilization. The nurse provides direct, high-intensity care to acutely and critically ill patients at high risk for actual or potential life-threatening health problems, using assessment skills and information from invasive and noninvasive monitoring technology. Care practices are evaluated on an ongoing basis against best evidence, and peers receive constructive feedback to support improvement.

The position requires integrating theoretical concepts with strong critical-thinking skills and technically skilled practice. The nurse collaborates with the interdisciplinary team, supports colleagues through knowledge sharing, contributes to an evidence-based-practice culture, and helps foster a safe and supportive environment for healthcare professionals. The position is not eligible for telework and is not virtual. Compressed/flexible scheduling is authorized. Relocation and recruitment incentives are not authorized. This is an Excepted Service position and does not confer competitive status.

The role requires a current, full, active, 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 alternatives for bridge-program candidates and foreign nursing graduates. Applicants must meet applicable VA grade and level requirements. The position requires English proficiency and includes physical demands and potential workplace exposures described in the announcement.

The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to program eligibility and approval. The application must be submitted within four months of appointment. The VHA program office determines approval, award amount (up to $200,000), and eligibility period (one to five years); former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply.

Requirements

• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduation from a professional nursing school approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by ACEN or CCNE when the program was completed, subject to the stated provisions for bridge-program candidates and foreign nursing graduates.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; the announcement describes a temporary Graduate Nurse Technician exception for eligible candidates pursuing licensure.
• Meet the education, experience, scope, and dimension criteria for the applicable VA Nurse grade and level.
• Be a U.S. citizen, except that non-citizens may be appointed when recruiting qualified citizens is not possible under VA policy.
• Pass pre-employment physical evaluation and applicable background/security investigation; selected applicants must complete onboarding requirements.
• Participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program and complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as TB screening or testing.
• Be able to meet the position’s physical requirements, including visual acuity, keen hearing, clear speech, manual dexterity, and potentially long periods of walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing; patient and object transfers may be required.
• Be able to work effectively in stressful situations, shift priorities based on patient needs, and work with potential exposure to infected patients, contaminated materials, and occasionally combative patients.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) preferred.
• Two years of adult ICU experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide competent, evidence-based nursing care to assigned patients.
• Delegate and supervise basic nursing care performed by licensed practical nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel.
• Assist in directing nursing education, orientation, and competency activities, and contribute to quality improvement and outcomes utilization.
• Provide direct, high-intensity care and vigilance for acutely or critically ill patients at high risk for life-threatening health problems.
• Use assessment skills and data from invasive and noninvasive monitoring technology to inform care.
• Continuously evaluate care practices based on best evidence and provide peers with constructive feedback for improvement.
• Administer medications and perform procedures in accordance with established policies and guidelines.
• Foster a safe and supportive environment conducive to healthcare professionals’ development.
• Contribute the professional nursing perspective in interdisciplinary team discussions.
• Collaborate with others to effect change, achieve optimal outcomes, and support colleagues through knowledge sharing for safe, quality nursing care.
• Share educational findings, experiences, and ideas with peers.
• Question clinical practices to support evidence-based care and participate in strategies to sustain an evidence-based-practice culture.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), with an award of up to $200,000 and an eligibility period of one to five years, subject to approval and eligibility.
• 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