Summary

This Operating Room Registered Nurse vacancy spans Nurse I Level 1 through Nurse III. The RN provides perioperative care for Veterans undergoing surgical or invasive procedures - including circulating and scrubbing - maintaining sterile technique - promoting patient safety - documenting care - supporting emergency on-call coverage - and collaborating with interdisciplinary surgical teams. Grade is determined by qualifications - experience - and scope of practice.

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/12965050
• 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: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Preferred Experience: 2-3 years of operating room experience CNOR Certification preferred Eye surgery experience preferred

Duties

• This position is part of the bargaining unit
• Nurse I - Level 1 Delivers fundamental - knowledge-based perioperative nursing care with close supervision
• Develops technical skills in the Operating Room setting
• Assesses - plans - implements - and evaluates age-specific patient care
• Functions competently in circulator and scrub roles
• Maintains sterile technique and supports safe use of instrumentation and equipment
• Participates in surgical time-outs - counts - specimen handling - medication administration - and documentation
• Seeks guidance as needed and completes assigned work safely and appropriately
• Participates in interdisciplinary care planning and unit-based improvement activities
• Nurse I - Level 2 Provides technically competent perioperative nursing care with general supervision
• Integrates biopsychosocial concepts - clinical judgment - and technical skills into patient care
• Manages assigned patient care safely and timely - assisting team members as needed
• Delegates tasks appropriately and ensures completion by team members
• Demonstrates progression from team member to team leader
• Applies high reliability principles and I CARE values to improve patient outcomes
• Seeks learning opportunities and shares evidence-based practices with peers
• Participates in unit-level performance improvement activities
• Nurse I - Level 3 Delivers self-directed professional nursing care for complex perioperative patients with occasional supervision
• Independently plans and provides technically competent care
• Organizes and prioritizes patient care needs and ensures assigned tasks are completed
• Serves as an emerging leader - including team leader or charge nurse responsibilities
• Directs others in Veteran/patient-centered care - safety - and satisfaction
• Models ethical practice - high reliability principles - and I CARE values
• Educates colleagues or students and may serve as preceptor or mentor
• Models evidence-based practice and recruits peers for improvement activities
• Nurse II Leads professional nursing practice in the immediate practice setting
• Provides and supervises direct care for complex perioperative patients
• Functions proficiently in circulator and scrub roles across surgical specialties
• Leads staff involvement in planning - decision-making - and outcome evaluation
• Resolves care coordination - timeliness - process - and environment-of-care concerns
• Serves as a resource for patients - caregivers - and staff on ethical issues
• Leads education - mentoring - precepting - and teaching activities
• Leads evidence-based practice - resource use - and performance improvement initiatives
• Nurse III Provides expert-level perioperative nursing practice with outcomes beyond the immediate practice setting
• Leads and organizes care delivery to ensure continuity - accountability - and improved outcomes
• Leads initiatives to improve Veteran experience - safety - satisfaction - and care coordination
• Applies advanced clinical knowledge and judgment to guide staff and interdisciplinary teams
• Leads committees - councils - education efforts - mentoring - and development of future leaders
• Leads evidence-based practice - research integration - performance improvement - and resource management
• Shares knowledge and outcomes beyond the unit or immediate practice setting
• Demonstrates leadership - experience - and creative approaches to complex client care
• 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: Monday-Friday - Rotating Shifts between 6:30am-5:30pm Telework: Available - ad-hoc only - in accordance with agency policies
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized