Registered Nurse (Outpatient - Primary Care Mental Health Integration)

Veterans Health Administration • San Antonio, TX

11d • Onsite

About The Position

VA South Texas Health Care System’s Office of Nursing/Mental Health Service is hiring an Outpatient Registered Nurse for Primary Care Mental Health Integration at Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans’ Hospital. The nurse is responsible and accountable for the nursing process in direct patient care, including assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation using age-specific care components. The role coordinates care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the care continuum, and collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to influence outcomes. It also calls for leadership, experience, and creative approaches to managing complex client care.

The nurse may serve as a Collaborative Care Manager; provide patient-centered, recovery-oriented care; coordinate with inpatient mental health units; participate in interdisciplinary huddles and meetings; facilitate warm hand-offs and nurse-led psychoeducational groups; and educate Veterans and their support networks about illness, medications, and treatment plans. The nurse documents triage assessments, risk screens, measurement-based care tools, clinical reminders, and plans of care according to facility policy, while maintaining professional boundaries and contributing to peer development and program improvement.

The work may involve infectious patients or contaminated materials, personal protective equipment, patients who may be combative, loud or chaotic environments, isolation precautions, modified work environments, and participation in labor pools. The position is based at Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans’ Hospital. Telework is available on an ad-hoc basis; this is not a virtual position. The schedule is to be determined, typically 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Central Time, with possible night, holiday, or weekend work.

Requirements

• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduation from a professional nursing program approved by an appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by ACEN or CCNE, subject to the stated provisions for bridge-program and foreign-educated candidates.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia. A Graduate Nurse Technician exception may apply to eligible candidates pursuing licensure.
• Meet the education and professional nursing experience criteria for the applicable Nurse grade and level.
• Provide documentation of nursing program accreditation when required; foreign education used to meet requirements requires foreign equivalency documentation.
• U.S. citizenship is required unless qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Selected applicants are subject to pre-employment drug screening, background/security investigation, onboarding, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• May be required to pass a pre-employment physical evaluation or examination, depending on organizational needs.
• May be required to serve a probationary period.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Complete the application requirements detailed in the announcement’s Required Documents section.

Responsibilities

• Provide and remain accountable for all elements of the nursing process in direct patient care, including assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
• Coordinate care focused on patient education, self-management, customer satisfaction, and continuity throughout the care continuum.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members to influence patient care outcomes.
• Serve as a Collaborative Care Manager.
• Provide patient-centered, recovery-oriented care to patients living with mental health conditions.
• Coordinate care with inpatient mental health units to facilitate continuity of care.
• Participate in mental health interdisciplinary treatment team huddles and meetings, and facilitate warm hand-offs.
• Develop content for and facilitate nurse-led psychoeducational groups.
• Use therapeutic communication and de-escalation techniques and recovery-oriented language.
• Educate Veterans, family members, and significant others about illness, medications, and treatment plans.
• Report, assist with, and/or direct resolution of safety concerns; collaborate with program leadership to improve patient and program outcomes.
• Direct team responses to psychiatric and medical emergencies.
• Document nursing triage assessments, risk screens, measurement-based care tools, clinical reminders, and patient plans of care according to facility policy.
• Maintain professional boundaries and act in the patient’s best interest.
• Provide peers with constructive feedback and support colleagues and nurses through knowledge sharing.
• Foster a safe, supportive environment conducive to the professional development of health care professionals.
• Work in various environments based on patient care, organizational needs, and safety requirements, including modified environments and isolation precautions.
• Screen potentially infectious patients and participate in labor pools as needed.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, regular salary increases, and potential performance awards.
• 50 days of paid time off per year, including 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 VA contributions.
• 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