The Registered Nurse is responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing and/or supervising direct patient care. Assumes responsibility for the coordination of care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care. Administers medications and procedures per established policies and guidelines. This position is located on the Med/Surg Unit at the Fort Wayne Facility.

Duties

The Inpatient Staff Registered Nurse (RN) is responsible for providing competent, evidence-based care to assigned patients and oversight of licensed vocational nurses/nursing assistants, as appropriate to the setting. The nurse will assist in directing the provision of nursing education, orientation, competencies and providing quality improvement and outcomes utilization consultation. Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others. Evaluates practice in an ongoing process, based on best evidence. Provides peers with informal constructive feedback for improvement. Fosters a safe and supportive environment conducive to the professional development of healthcare professionals. Contributes professional nursing perspective in discussions with the interdisciplinary team. Partners with others to effect change and produce optimal outcomes. Supports colleagues through knowledge sharing to provide safe, quality nursing care. Shares educational findings, experiences, and ideas with peers. Questions clinical practices for the purpose of providing evidence-based care. Participates in activities and strategies to sustain an evidence-based-practice culture. Duties: * Serves Veteran population from young adult to geriatric population with a broad range of medical and psychiatric diagnosis. * Demonstrates sound clinical judgement, knowledge, and skills in performing nursing procedures to provide patient care, consistent with medical plan of care, for a designated group of patients served on assigned unit. Preparing, distributing, and administering medications prescribed by s.credentialed LIPs. * Accepting and orienting new patients to assigned unit. The nursing staff will provide a safe environment by observation, assessment of the environment, and physical assistance as needed to prevent adverse events by ensuring a clean environment and controlling items and/or substances that can be potentially dangerous through a physical inventory. * Providing individual patient education, in accordance with accepted nursing practice and medical plan of care. * Utilizes interventions, which maximize health capabilities (e.g., safely administers medications, assists with coordination of consults, utilizes interdisciplinary team to achieve treatment goals) * Participates in unit-based performance based measures that include but are not limited to quality data focused on pain control initiatives, infection control principles, and customer service feedback. * Demonstrate ICARE values and utilizes therapeutic communication techniques in order to facilitate the patient's optimum level of wellness. * Administers CPR according to American Heart Association Standards (Basic Life Support for the Health Care Provider along with Advanced Cardiac Life Support) to patients in cardiac arrest, on an emergency basis. The Registered Nurse shall remain compliant in keeping such certification current. * Delegates patient care duties and assignments based upon patient care needs and competencies of healthcare clinician. * Coordinates interdisciplinary focused patient care with other hospital departments, including but not limited to: Physical Therapy, Dietary, Respiratory Therapy, Pharmacy, and Social Service. * Discharge planning: Assessment of patient home needs involving internal home care resources, obtaining equipment, consulting dietary, teaching patient about discharge medications. The Registered Nurse shall facilitate, when possible, a collaborated review of discharge information at the bedside with the discharging provider. * Fulfills continuing education requirement and performance measures established by VANIHCS. * Actively participates in unit quality improvement program by identifying unit or patient-based issues .Demonstrates consistent positive, effective communication skills and professional behaviors that promote cooperation and teamwork to achieve goals. * Serves as a preceptor and/or mentor for new staff. 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: 7am-7:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f), 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 the appropriate 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); OR Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor's level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program. Upon achievement of a State license, the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program. (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 to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program. Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD). 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. Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements, but do not possess the required licensure, may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.) NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification. Grade Determinations: The following Scope, Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade. The Dimension requirements (Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12489587. Grade/Level Scope Education Nurse I, Level I Delivers fundamental, knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies. An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional professional nursing required. Nurse I, Level II Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex. An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 1 ;OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional professional nursing experience required. Nurse I, Level III Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations. An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I, Level 2; OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I, Level 2; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience. Nurse II Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others. A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with no additional professional nursing experience. Nurse III Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting. MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Master's degree in *related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III. *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees. 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 potentially requires flexibility in schedule and assignments. This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear, distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, kneeling, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and must don protective clothing in isolation or during patient procedures and care. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. Use of fingers, both hands and near and far vision is required. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment.

Contacts

• Address Northern Indiana HCS 1700 East 38th Street Marion, IN 46953 US
• Name: Kari Brown
• Phone: 260-278-9767
• Email: [email protected]