Registered Nurse- Outpatient Comprehensive Social Services

Veterans Health Administration • Aspinwall, PA

19d

About The Position

The Registered Nurse works in the Outpatient Comprehensive Social Services department, providing evidence-based outpatient specialty care. The role coordinates care, provides health education, supports chronic disease management, and oversees support staff. The nurse contributes to staff orientation, competency development, quality improvement, and outcomes utilization while demonstrating leadership in holistic specialty care and evidence-based practice.

The nurse leads nursing care for patients with complex needs using the nursing process and ANA Standards of Nursing Practice. The position collaborates with patients, families, caregivers, staff, and interdisciplinary teams to plan care, address ethical concerns, improve patient experience, and achieve safe, effective outcomes. The nurse also supports professional development and promotes high-reliability principles and I CARE values.

This is a full-time position with a traditional eight-hour day shift, typically 6:00 AM to 2:30 PM, with rotation to evenings as needed to cover colleagues’ vacations and mandatory training. The traditional evening shift is 2:00 PM to 10:30 PM. Compressed schedules are available, consisting of two 12-hour shifts and two 8-hour shifts each week. Compressed scheduling is authorized; telework is not authorized, and the position is not virtual.

Requirements

• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduation from an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, or qualifying equivalent education as specified in the announcement.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registered nurse licensure in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; a temporary Graduate Nurse Technician exception is described for eligible candidates pursuing licensure.
• Meet the education and professional nursing experience requirements for the applicable VA nurse grade and level.
• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Pass pre-employment screening requirements, including a drug test for selected applicants in testing-designated positions, a background/security investigation, and a pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Register for Selective Service if applicable to males born after December 31, 1959.
• Participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Complete the online onboarding process and application requirements in the announcement.

Nice To Haves

• One year of mental health or residential treatment experience.
• Direct patient care experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead nursing care for patients with complex care needs using the nursing process and ANA Standards of Nursing Practice.
• Apply clinical knowledge and judgment to lead staff participation in planning, decision-making, and evaluation of outcomes in the immediate practice setting.
• Demonstrate leadership in the practice setting and improve patient-driven care by addressing coordination, timeliness, process, dissatisfaction, and environment-of-care concerns.
• Incorporate patients’ and families’ knowledge, values, and beliefs into care without judgment or discrimination, and advocate for patients, families, and caregivers.
• Serve as a resource to patients, caregivers, and staff in addressing and resolving ethical issues.
• Lead implementation of high-reliability principles and I CARE values to improve consistency of care and patient outcomes.
• Improve communication and interactions with others to support cooperation and safe, effective outcomes.
• Lead teams, contribute to team conferences, and collaborate across all phases of patient care planning.
• Assist in directing nursing education, orientation, competency development, quality improvement, and outcomes utilization.
• Evaluate practice on an ongoing basis using the best available evidence; question clinical practices to support evidence-based care.
• Provide peers with constructive feedback, share knowledge and educational findings, and support colleagues in delivering safe, quality specialty nursing care.
• Foster a safe and supportive environment for the professional development of healthcare professionals.
• Participate in activities and strategies that sustain an evidence-based-practice culture.
• Set group goals, keep the team informed of current trends and developments, and encourage individual growth and development.
• Coordinate care, provide health education, support chronic disease management, and oversee support staff.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• 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 programs can be carried into retirement

What This Job Offers

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