Summary
The Durham VA Healthcare System is seeking (1) highly skilled/experienced Registered Nurses to serve within Acute Care. Demonstrates leadership, experience/ingenious approaches to management of complex patient care. Accountable for the management of patient care, human, fiscal/material resources, & the total environment of the unit. Responsible to ensure that the highest possible quality of care is achieved & a safe therapeutic environment.
Duties
Durham VAHCS is recruiting Registered Nurses for its Acute Care Service, which is comprised of four inpatient units serving a diverse Veteran population. The service includes two telemetry-capable medical-surgical units, a dedicated dementia/cognitive support unit, and a unit with a dedicated oncology/chemotherapy focus. Registered Nurses partner with LPN's and Nursing Assistants to provide patient and family centered care in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team of clinicians, who support patients and families in decision-making. The interdisciplinary needs of patients and families are met through collaboration with ancillary services to include Pharmacy, Laboratory, Dietary, Social Work, Chaplin, and Radiology. Specialty Care and services are available through consultation and are utilized as needed to ensure continuity and progression of care. Discharge planning and patient/family education is initiated on admission and continues throughout hospitalization. Interdisciplinary treatment and discharge planning is conducted bi-weekly during an organized interdisciplinary treatment and discharge planning conference. Duties include, but are not limited to: Provide direct, patient-centered nursing care within an assigned acute care unit, including assessment, care planning, implementation, and evaluation. Monitor and interpret telemetry/cardiac rhythms and respond appropriately to changes in patient status (telemetry units). Apply dementia-informed care techniques, de-escalation strategies, and behavioral safety protocols to support Veterans with cognitive impairment (dementia unit). Administer chemotherapy and other antineoplastic agents per competency and monitor for treatment-related complications (oncology unit). Administer medications and treatments, monitor patient response, and adjust the care plan in coordination with the interdisciplinary team. Educate Veterans and family members/caregivers on diagnosis, treatment plans, and post-discharge needs. Document care accurately and timely in the electronic health record in accordance with VA and Joint Commission standards. Participate in unit-based quality improvement initiatives, falls prevention, and purposeful rounding. Preferred Experience: A minimum of two years successful nursing practice. Current or within last 3 years Medical-surgical nursing experience. Demonstrated ability to work effectively with patients, families and other members of the interdisciplinary team. Demonstrated skills in decision-making, sound clinical judgment and critical-thinking abilities. Demonstrated ability to use computer systems in support of patient care delivery. 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: Day, Evening, Night (8 hour and 12 hour shifts), rotating weekend Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
How you will be evaluated
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. NOTE: Candidate's education, scope, and length of nursing practice (experience) will be considered in determining the grade and salary of the applicant selected. The recommended salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy. Experience as an RN will be evaluated to determine if the experience is of an acceptable level of quality with regard to the following five dimensions of nursing: Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development, and Evidence/Based Practice/Research. Each dimension of practice has criteria that demonstrate essential core competencies for VHA Nursing Personnel. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.