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

Duties

The RN role includes initial and ongoing, physical and psychosocial assessment/ reassessment to determine the patient's nursing care needs. It is the synthesis of data from various assessments, problem identification, care planning, monitoring and evaluation of the patient. The RN is actively involved in the following patient concepts of care: support systems, strengths/areas for growth, advocacy, discharge planning, and collaboration with other healthcare providers to optimize wellness and comfort. The RN will also give immediate attention and response to critical events and assess, plan, implement, and evaluate the patient's experience with pain. All RN's are required to be competent in the standards of practice for the care of all critically ill patients. Finally, the registered nurse is expected to facilitate work in a collaborative, team-oriented environment working as a patient advocate and build strong teams within multiple levels of interdisciplinary staff. The employee must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to complete the duties of the position including those necessary to provide care appropriate to the patient population served. Such knowledge and skills are identified in the competence assessment checklist of the position and include knowledge and skills in the following: Communication and interpersonal relations, including the ability to appropriately and courteously relate to internal and external customers. Maintenance of confidentiality related to patient/employee information, electronic and print. The Federal Health Care Center (FHCC) performance improvement program. How to work and function in the FHCC in a safe manner, including infection control, and the correct operation of equipment. Population-specific care, as identified in the Population-Specific Competencies, including knowledge of principles of growth and development relevant to the populations served and associated age specific changes; ability to assess and interpret data about the patient's status; and ability to identify population specific needs and provide the appropriate care based upon the population related factors noted. Population specific care will include working knowledge of Adults, Geriatric, and Mental Health patients. Practices within a challenging RN scope to include proficiency in the care of adult patients with critical nursing care requirements, including telemetry monitoring. This includes but is not limited to continuous cardiac monitoring, assisting in the insertion of invasive lines such as arterial lines, Swan-Ganz catheters and maintenance, hemodynamic monitoring, multiple vasoactive drips, mechanical ventilation, EKG/rhythm strip interpretation, moderate sedation, post-surgical recovery and stabilization; responds to the Rapid Response System and other cardiopulmonary arrests calls for adults in the medical center. Major Duties and Responsibilities: Applies the nursing process to systems or processes at the unit/team/work group level to improve care. Demonstrates leadership by involving others to improve care. Supports and enhances client self-determination. Serves as a resource for clients and staff in addressing ethical issues. Identifies and assesses resource utilization and safety issues, taking appropriate action. Acquires knowledge and skills to maintain expertise in area of practice. Participates in educational activities to improve clinical knowledge and enhance role performance. Evaluates practice of self and others using professional standards, relevant statutes and regulations. Takes action to improve performance. Uses group process to identify, analyze and resolve care problems. Educates colleagues and/or students and serves as a preceptor and/or mentor. Initiates/participates in quality improvement activities that result in improved outcomes. Uses a body of research to validate and /or change work group practice. 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: 12hr/Days (7:15am-7:45pm) or 12hr/Nights (7:15pm-7:45am), with rotation on 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: Must have at least an Associate Degree and/or Diploma in Nursing; a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing is preferred. Have at least 1 year of increasingly complex RN critical care and telemetry nursing practice experience. Must have current, active certifications in BLS and ACLS. CCRN or certification in other nursing related field 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 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 require moderate lifting (15- 44 pounds), moderate carrying (15-44 pounds), straight pulling (< 1 hour), pushing (< 1 hour), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, use of both hands, walking (> 1 hour), standing (up to 2 hours), kneeling (< 1 hour), repeated bending (up to 2 hours), use of both legs; 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; ability to distinguish basic colors; ability to distinguish shades of colors; and hearing (aid permitted). Administrative duties include: word processing, computer key board typing, computer screen viewing, answering/placing telephone calls, filing and note taking. A health examination must be successfully completed prior to this assignment and periodically thereafter as required by the Occupational Health Clinic policy. There is the potential/risk for 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]