The Registered Nurse (RN) is responsible and accountable for the delivery of safe, effective, and quality patient centered care in the OR and other areas of operative services. As an RN assigned to the operating room, the nurse is primarily responsible for applying the nursing process to the care of Veteran patients undergoing surgical procedures in the operating room.

Duties

The Operating Room RN Circulates and/or performs the surgical scrub technician role for major and minor cases efficiently and effectively follows established standards. Registered Nurse is self-motivated in the pursuit of meeting professional work functions and standards. Duties listed below but not limited to: Assures that the health care system's reprocessing of all RME is performed according to the concepts associated with a High Reliability Organization (HRO) and demonstrating and maintaining full competency in the use, pre-cleaning and/or reprocessing of reusable medical equipment. The employee must ensure that the appropriate Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and manufacturers' instructions are followed for any step in the use of RME (pre-cleaning, reprocessing, disinfection, sterilization, maintenance) in which he/she is involved. Ensuring r actions contribute to a mode of continued accreditation readiness regarding Joint Commission (TJC), Office of Inspector General (OIG), VA surveyors, and other survey teams. Articulate standards of care and practice, policies, and procedures/SOPs; documentation is complete and timely; has situational awareness of safety and other environment of care issues. Maintains safety and infection control operative standards; strictly protects verbal, written, and electronic patient personal and health information; maintains a professional, healthcare business. Responsible and accountable for individual nursing practice and determines the appropriate delegation of tasks consistent with the nurse's obligation to provide optimal care, such as protecting the patient from injury caused by extraneous objects and chemical, electrical, laser, mechanical, and thermal sources. Delivers safe care to assigned Veteran's while developing technical competencies. Safely and effectively uses patient care equipment and procedures/ interventions. Correctly and safely performs procedures that protect the patient from unintended retained surgical items, and necessary to ensure that the patient's procedure is performed on the correct site, side, level and laterality. Implements physician's/providers orders in a timely and complete manner. Demonstrates grade-appropriate and consistent critical thinking skills. The RN can recognize the patient has a problem, can manage the problem safely and effectively, recognizing his/her scope of practice. The RN has a relative sense of urgency and takes the right action for the right reason. 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: 7:00am-3:30pm (with call coverage) Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized (See details below) Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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: Previous Operating Room (OR) experience Experience in roles as Circulator and Scrub 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: This position is required to meet the physical standards as outlined on the 178 Certificate of Medical Examination. The position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. The position requires long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. He/she may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing/equipment in isolation situations or during day-to-day functions and procedures. The RN must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. The incumbent must complete annual Employee Health requirements such as screening or testing as a condition of employment.

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 appropriate State agency and accredited by either: a) The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN); or b) The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or 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:

1. ACEN - http://www.acenursing.us/accreditedprograms/programSearch.htm
2. CCNE - https://www.aacnnursing.org/CCNE-Accreditation/CCNE-Accredited-Programs
3. U.S. Department of Education - 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.

Note: If your school was accredited by Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the ACEN or CCNE website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.

Note: If your school has changed

Contacts

• Address Salem VA Medical Center 1970 Roanoke Boulevard Salem, VA 24153 US
• Name: Yalanda Edwards
• Phone: 980-401-2562
• Email: [email protected]