Registered Nurse, Outpatient Mental Health

Quick Facts

• Role: Registered Nurse (RN) in Outpatient Mental Health (BHIP)

Description

Serve as the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) RN providing direct and/or supervised patient care. You will assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care, coordinate patient education and self-management across the continuum, and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to improve outcomes. Responsibilities include psychosocial support, administration of long-acting injectable medications, use of behavioral health screening tools, monitoring treatment adherence and side effects, and coordinating follow-up and referrals.

Responsibilities

• Perform nursing process for BHIP patients: assess, plan, implement, and evaluate age-specific care
• Coordinate care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the care continuum
• Obtain health histories including lifestyle, pain, sleep/activity, support systems, cultural/social/ethnic factors, and patient treatment preferences and goals
• Administer long-acting injectable medications (including antipsychotics and opioid antagonists)
• Administer screening tools: PHQ-9, GAD, PCL, MoCA, Suicide Risk Assessment, AUDIT-C
• Monitor adherence, medication side effects, symptom changes, impairment, and therapeutic response; coordinate appropriate follow-up
• Provide additional support between visits with licensed independent providers (LIPs)
• Refer, consult, and coordinate care with other VA providers and community agencies to ensure continuity of care
• Facilitate psycho-educational and support groups; participate in mental health team meetings
• Provide education to Veterans and families about illness, medications, and treatment plan; act as an advocate for Veteran self-determination
• Serve as liaison for Veterans in community hospitals to facilitate continuity of care
• Precept and educate nursing students, new hires, and Peer Support Specialists; cover other staff as needed

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship (or limited non-citizen appointment when qualified citizens cannot be recruited)
• Graduate of a professional nursing program approved by the accrediting agency (ACEN or CCNE) OR meet VA-approved nursing education/licensure pathway
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted RN licensure in a U.S. state/territory/Commonwealth (or DC)
• English proficiency in basic written and spoken English
• Complete required VA onboarding and all required pre-employment steps, including a pre-employment physical evaluation
• Subject to background/security investigation
• EDRP eligibility: submit the EDRP application within 4 months of appointment (former EDRP participants are ineligible)
• Selective Service registration required for eligible males

Benefits

• Competitive salary with regular salary increases and potential performance awards
• Paid Time Off: 50 days per year (annual leave, sick leave, and Federal holidays)
• Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% employer contributions
• Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care insurance options
• 1 full, unrestricted license from any U.S. state or territory

Preferred Experience

• 2 years of Mental Health nursing experience