Registered Nurse - Progressive Care Unit

Veterans Health Administration • Lexington, KY

16h • Onsite

About The Position

The Progressive Care Registered Nurse (RN) is accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing or supervising direct patient care, including age-specific assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation. The RN coordinates care throughout the continuum, emphasizing patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction, and administers medications and procedures in accordance with established policies and guidelines. The role collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to influence care outcomes and uses leadership, experience, and innovative approaches to manage complex care for acutely ill patients who are moderately stable but at elevated risk for instability.

The RN contributes to the development, implementation, evaluation, and revision of policies, procedures, and guidelines. The role supports safe, quality nursing care by sharing knowledge and offering constructive feedback to colleagues, while fostering an environment that supports the professional development of healthcare professionals. The RN evaluates outcomes of evidence-based decisions and practice changes for individuals, groups, and populations, and is accountable for documented outcomes at the program or service level. The position calls for extensive nursing knowledge and experience, strong critical thinking, integration of theoretical concepts, and expert technical practice.

This is a non-virtual position with no telework available. The schedule consists of 12-hour day and night shifts, with rotation to other shifts as needed. 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 qualifying equivalent nursing education as specified in the posting.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registered nurse license in a U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; qualifying Graduate Nurse Technician appointments are described as an exception.
• Meet the education, experience, and dimension requirements for the applicable VA nurse grade and level.
• Submit transcripts when relying on education to qualify; foreign education requires the specified equivalency documentation.
• Meet U.S. citizenship requirements, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Pass required pre-employment drug screening, background/security investigation, physical evaluation, and onboarding requirements.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the announcement’s Required Documents section.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
• Previous Medical-Surgical experience.
• Critical care experience.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
• Current Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification.

Responsibilities

• Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate direct patient care using age-specific components of the nursing process.
• Coordinate care across the continuum, emphasizing patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction.
• Administer medications and perform procedures according to established policies and guidelines.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members to improve care outcomes.
• Demonstrate leadership and innovative approaches in managing complex care for acutely ill patients at elevated risk for instability.
• Participate in developing, implementing, evaluating, and revising policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Provide colleagues with constructive feedback and share knowledge to support safe, quality nursing care.
• Foster a safe and supportive environment for healthcare professionals’ development.
• Evaluate outcomes of evidence-based decisions and practice changes, and document outcomes at the program or service level.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, regular salary increases, and potential performance awards.
• 50 days of paid time off per year: 26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, and 11 paid Federal holidays.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting.
• Federal 401(k), with VA contributions up to 5%.
• 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: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree