Registered Nurse - Mental Health (BHIP)

Department of Veterans Affairs

This position is eligible for EDRP, a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy & submit your EDRP application within 4 months of your start date. Approval award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (1 to 5 years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions/assistance.

• The Nurse II Outpatient Mental Health (MH) Registered Nurse (RN) is responsible for providing competent, evidence-based care to assigned patients. The MH RN will assist in directing the provision of nursing education, orientation, competencies and providing quality improvement and outcomes utilization consultation. The psychiatric MH RN independently provides patient ­centered and recovery-oriented care and maintains self-awareness while caring for patients living with MH conditions. They facilitate warm hand-offs, telemental health care, and nurse-led psychoeducational groups; use therapeutic communication techniques, practice de-escalation techniques, utilize recovery-oriented language, and provide Veterans, their family members, and/or significant others with education regarding their illness, medications, and treatment plan. The MH RN actively participates in care coordination, liaising with Inpatient MH Units to facilitate continuity of care, MH interdisciplinary treatment team huddles and meetings and responds to psychiatric and medical emergencies as directed. The MH RN reports and addresses safety concerns, document nursing triage assessments, risk screens, clinical reminders, and patient plan of care, according to facility policy. The MH RN maintains professional boundaries to protect patient vulnerabilities and act in the best interest of the patient. Fosters a safe and supportive environment conducive to the professional development of healthcare professionals. Supports colleagues through knowledge sharing to provide safe, quality nursing care. Questions clinical practices for the purpose of providing evidence-based care. Promotes patient scheduling activities to maximize availability and workload capture. Provides accurate and timely documentation. Duties Include But Not Limited To: 1. Leads the provision of nursing care to patients with complex care needs utilizing the nursing process in alignment with the ANA Standards of Nursing Practice. 2. Applies clinical knowledge/judgment to lead staff involvement in planning, decision­making, and evaluating outcomes within the immediate practice setting. 3. Effectively functions as a leader, with demonstrated outcomes, for the immediate practice setting. 4. Manages high risk flag Veterans scheduling requirements in collaboration with MSAs. 5. Manages Veteran care by daily voice mail checks and returns all Veteran/family telephone calls timely, the same or next day. 6. Manages all documentation timely, using VA required notes and templates. 7. Completes the Columbia Suicide Severity Raring Scale (CSSRS) as required. 8. Provides a warm handoff for a positive CSSRS to a licensed independent provider for the completion of the Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluation (CSRE) same day and documents same. 9. Collaborates with a licensed independent provider regarding welfare checks on high risk Veterans as indicated same day, and documents the check or the rationale why not to check by close of business. 10. Provides Veterans long acting injectable behavioral health medications. 11. Provides Veterans 12 lead EKGs, Vital Signs, nasal swabs for infection control as needed. 12. Manages coverage for absences and notifies all of the Mental Health Services and Supports. 13. Manages surrogacy for CPRS and Secure Messaging for absences 2 days or greater. 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: Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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