Registered Nurse-Inpatient Mental Health Nurse

Veterans Health Administration • Jackson, MS

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Inpatient Mental Health Registered Nurse provides competent, evidence-based, patient-centered and recovery-oriented care to patients with mental health conditions. The nurse manages the therapeutic milieu, uses self-awareness in patient care, and coordinates care focused on patient education, self-management, and patient satisfaction across the continuum of care. The role includes administering medications and procedures in accordance with established policies and guidelines and collaborating with interdisciplinary team members to influence care outcomes.

The nurse leads and supports quality nursing practice through collaboration, ongoing evaluation of practice against current evidence, constructive feedback, knowledge sharing, and participation in evidence-based practice activities. The position includes oversight of licensed vocational nurses and nursing assistants as appropriate, and assisting with nursing education, orientation, competencies, quality improvement, and outcomes-utilization consultation.

In the inpatient mental health setting, the nurse facilitates shift reports, warm hand-offs, and nurse-led psychoeducational groups; uses therapeutic communication and de-escalation techniques; and applies recovery-oriented language. The nurse participates in interdisciplinary treatment team activities and Environment of Care rounds, leads psychiatric emergencies, reports and helps resolve safety concerns, and documents nursing assessments, plans of care, patient safety observations, and environmental safety rounds according to facility policy. The nurse maintains professional boundaries and may respond to behavioral emergencies, physically assisting with safe patient containment using approved techniques when clinically indicated.

The stated work schedules are 11:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m. or 3:30 p.m.–midnight, with rotating weekends and holidays. Schedules may change based on facility needs. Telework and virtual work are not available. The work is performed in an office/clinic setting and may involve stressful situations and handling several tasks at once.

Requirements

• Basic written and spoken English proficiency.
• Graduation from an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, or an eligible equivalent pathway described in the announcement.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registered nurse licensure in a U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; an exception may allow appointment as a Graduate Nurse Technician while pursuing licensure.
• Meet the education and experience requirements for the applicable Nurse grade and level. Requirements vary by grade and include nursing degrees and, for some levels, specified professional or specialized nursing experience.
• Preferred: 3–5 years of mental health experience, including inpatient mental health experience.
• Physical ability to perform duties that may require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing.
• May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual tuberculosis screening or testing.
• Meet applicable employment conditions, including U.S. citizenship or an eligible exception, required background/security checks, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Three to five years of mental health experience, preferably in inpatient mental health.
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide competent, evidence-based care to assigned inpatients and oversee licensed vocational nurses and nursing assistants as appropriate.
• Coordinate care focused on patient education, self-management, and patient satisfaction throughout the continuum of care.
• Administer medications and procedures according to established policies and guidelines.
• Lead and improve holistic care using collaborative strategies, and evaluate practice on an ongoing basis using the best evidence.
• Provide peers with constructive feedback and share knowledge, education findings, experiences, and ideas to support safe, quality care.
• Support an evidence-based-practice culture and question clinical practices to promote evidence-based care.
• Assist with nursing education, orientation, competency activities, quality improvement, and outcomes-utilization consultation.
• Provide patient-centered, recovery-oriented 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 the mental health interdisciplinary treatment team and Environment of Care rounds.
• Assume team lead responsibilities during psychiatric emergencies and respond to behavioral emergencies.
• Report and assist in resolving safety concerns; document nursing assessments, plans of care, patient safety observations, and environmental safety rounds according to facility policy.
• Maintain professional boundaries to protect patient vulnerabilities and act in patients’ best interests.
• When clinically indicated, assist with safe patient containment using approved techniques.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, regular salary increases, and potential performance awards.
• 50 days of paid time off per year, comprising 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k), with VA contributions of up to 5%.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs may be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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