The Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC) is seeking a Mental Health (MH), Inpatient Registered Nurse (RN) for Nursing Services. This position is assigned to the Office of Chief Nurse Executive at the FHCC in North Chicago, Illinois.

Duties

VISN 12 is committed to fostering and sustaining an environment which celebrates diversity, provides equitable opportunities for employment and promotion, and supports inclusiveness in our culture. Together, we strive to create and maintain working and learning environments that promote professional growth and teamwork, and are inclusive, equitable and welcoming. We embrace our differences as individuals and unite as a team toward a common goal: to serve our nation's Veterans. The Mental Health, Inpatient nurse is a professional registered nurse qualified by education and experience to provide professional psychiatric nursing care to acutely and chronically ill Veterans and Active Duty military and their families. The incumbent has vast skills and knowledge of a wide variety of Psychiatry/Behavioral Health theories, modalities, assessments, planning and intervention. The Mental Health, Inpatient RN is actively involved in the admission, treatment planning, and discharge process and is key participant in the maintenance of a safe, stable and therapeutic environment. The Mental Health, Inpatient RN is expected to apply the nursing process to individuals and groups of patients with variety of mental health and co-existing medical/surgical conditions, using assessments and established tools. The Mental Health, Inpatient RN is actively involved in group programming, integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills, and technically competent practices that fosters mental health rehabilitations and recovery. The Mental Health, Inpatient RN is committed to providing excellent nursing care to patients with psychiatric diagnosis ranging from transient Adjustment Disorders to chronic severe, mood, psychotic, anxiety and substance abuse disorders. The Mental Health, Inpatient RN works collaboratively with other members of the mental health team, and the patient/family to achieve optimal patient outcomes. Major Duties and Responsibilites: Recognizes escalating crisis behaviors and intervenes using PMDB techniques. Counsel patients in crisis and intervenes. Administers medication and monitors for medication side effects. Leads or assists in implementing formal structured intervention programs in groups and one to one. Such programs may include structured behavior management, self-help and daily living skills, re-motivation, reality orientation, socialization, skill building, esteem building and structured recreation/leisure activities. Serves as a resource to other staff in meeting patient care needs (learning, discharge needs, referrals). Manage patients' care/calls to include those related to medical emergencies such as suicidal calls. Coordinate Veteran admissions from Primary Care to inpatient areas and/or external facilities in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team, facilitating a smooth transition internally and externally. Provides leadership in developing and maintaining standards of care which contribute to safe, comprehensive, and quality services to patients receiving services. Other duties as assigned. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory Work Schedule: 8 hours nights 11:45pm - 7:45am, with rotating weekends and holidays Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The approving official may authorize a waiver of the requirement for ACEN or CCNE accreditation of any degree in nursing provided the college or university has regional accreditation from an accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education at the time of the candidate's graduation and the composite qualifications of the applicant warrant such consideration. In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. OR The completion of coursework equivalent to a nursing degree in a MSN Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration constitutes the completion of an approved course of study of professional nursing. Students should submit the certificate of professional nursing to sit for the NCLEX to the VA along with a copy of the MSN transcript. (Reference VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G6) OR In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of a current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement for graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Preferred Experience: Have at least a Diploma or an Associate Degree/Diploma in Nursing; BSN or Bachelor's degree in a healthcare related field preferred; Have at least 1-2 years of RN mental health, behavioral health, medical-surgical and/or long-term care nursing practice in a hospital inpatient unit, preferred; Have/maintain current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS). Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade: Nurse I Level I - An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse I Level II - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 1 year of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a bachelor's degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience; OR a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse I Level III - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a BSN with approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) or related field with a BSN and no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse II - A BSN with approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing or meets basic requirements for appointment and has doctoral degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse III - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience. Note regarding MSN degrees: If your MSN was obtained via a Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration, a BSN is not required. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-6 Nurse Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: To perform in a fully successful manner, the individual must have the physical ability to perform job-related duties which include: moderate lifting (15-44 pounds); moderate carrying (15-44 pounds); pushing or pulling (up to 1 hour); walking (up to 2 hours), standing (up to 2 hours); prolonged siting (up to 4 hours); reaching above shoulder; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; both eyes required; depth perception; ability to distinguish shades of colors; both hands required and hearing (aid permitted). The employee maybe exposed to the following: working closely with others, exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations; and exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Administrative duties to include, computer key board typing, computer screen viewing, answering/placing telephone calls, and note taking. A health examination, as required by the Occupational Health Clinic policy, must be successfully completed prior to this assignment and periodically thereafter. There will be intermittent exposure to blood and body fluids.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Captain James A Lovell Federal Health Care Center 3001 Green Bay Road North Chicago, IL 60064 US
• Name: Shamya Hall
• Email: [email protected]