The staff nurse working on a Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Domiciliary is a professional nurse with a broad-based clinical knowledge enabling him/her to effectively implement health promotion, prevention and recovery-based programming for adult residents throughout the residential continuum of care. The RN Staff- Domiciliary will be located outside of the VACHS main facility in Hato Rey.

Duties

The RN Staff- Domiciliary will be located outside of the VACHS main facility in Hato Rey. The Residential staff nurse functions as a part of an interdisciplinary team in partnership with the Mental Health Treatment Team, Veterans, and families promoting wellness through effective holistic, recovery-oriented treatment, and the management of mental health disorders including substance abuse, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and serious mental illness. The Registered Nurse creates and maintains a safe, therapeutic, recovery-oriented environment in collaboration with Veterans and other healthcare providers. (VHA Directive 1162.02) The staff nurse utilizes the nursing process when assessing, planning, implementing, evaluating, and documenting nursing care provided. The staff nurse assumes Charge Nurse duties on the unit, under the direction of the Nurse Manager. This nurse demonstrates a high level of leadership skill, organizing and delegating care activities to other RNs, LPNs, and NAs. He/she provides feedback to the Nurse Manager regarding the practice of others in order to improve care. He/she may either direct care or provide direct care to Residential patients. He/she performs telephone or face to face screening evaluations for Residential programs, assessing treatment and level of care needs. The Residential staff nurse demonstrates Veteran-centered care and utilizes strategies for crisis prevention and management. He/she initiates and participates in quality improvement activities at the unit, service or Medical Center level with the objective of improving patient care outcomes. The staff nurse participates in Psychology Service and Medical Center Committees representing nursing as assigned. He/she takes an active role in identifying his/her own education needs, as well as the education needs of subordinate staff, and continually updates clinical skills. The Residential staff nurse performs comprehensive holistic health assessments, physical assessments, medication management, safety and security rounding, conducts psychoeducation at the Veteran's level of understanding, including recovery principles, relapse prevention, illness management, and independent functioning (VHA Directive 1162.02). Work Schedule: Rotating shifts, 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

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/01/2023. 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. Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d). Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate State-accrediting agency and accredited 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). 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. Must be proficient in written and spoken English Preferred Experience: 2 years of RN experience preferred. Experience as RN in a mental health inpatient ward on outpatient clinic preferred. PMDB training highly preferred Spanish proficiency preferred. 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 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 year's 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 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience. 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: This position involves lifting, moving and transporting patients, assist with transferring patients from wheelchair to to stretcher or radiology suite table and vice versa. Also assist with transferring patients to wheelchairs and/or may need to escort a patient to other areas. This position involves exposure to blood borne pathogens, fine manipulation, standing, walking, bending, crouching and reaching patients. It requires dealing with the acutely ill, with patients who may display disturbed behaviors, and with stressful situations. Moving patients and weighing patients in excess of 50 kg. or more. Wearing of a respirator may be required at times in the performance of the duties of this position. When required to use respirator, employee cannot have facial hair or any condition that interferes with the face to face piece seal or valve function of the respirator. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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 San Juan VA Medical Center 10 Calle Casia San Juan, PR 00921 US
• Name: Luis Burgos-Pena
• Email: [email protected]