Registered Nurse (Inpatient Mental Health)

Quick Facts

• Role: Registered Nurse (Inpatient Mental Health)

• Focus: Inpatient mental health nursing with leadership, evidence-based practice, and outcomes documentation

Description

This Registered Nurse position provides direct care in an inpatient mental health setting while demonstrating leadership and creative approaches to managing complex patient care. The role supports policy and guideline development, provides peer feedback, fosters a safe and supportive professional environment, and evaluates evidence-based practice changes. It also emphasizes leadership in holistic care planning for the unit/team (microsystem) and achieving broad program or service level outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Deliver and improve complex inpatient mental health nursing care using the nursing process

• Collaborate on development, implementation, evaluation, and revision of policies/procedures/guidelines

• Provide constructive formal or informal feedback to peers

• Support colleagues through knowledge sharing for safe, quality nursing care

• Foster a safe, supportive environment for professional development

• Evaluate outcomes of evidence-based decisions and practice changes

• Maintain documented outcomes at the program/service level

• Lead holistic care strategies through collaboration with others

• Demonstrate critical thinking in efficient, accurate assessment and management

• Use group processes to solve problems and improve operations/resources

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship (or qualifying non-citizen exception per VA policy)

• English proficiency for direct patient care (written and spoken)

• Nursing education from an approved program (ACEN/CCNE) or VA-approved alternative pathways

• Current, full, active, unrestricted RN license in a U.S. state/territory/DC

• Meet all VA conditions of employment, including background/security investigation and pre-employment physical

• Complete VA onboarding and submit required documents

• Subject to urinalysis drug screening if testing-designated

• Selective Service registration (for eligible males)

• Seasonal influenza vaccination requirement

• PMDB Prevention and Management of Disruptive Behavior courses annually (Parts 1, 2, and 3 as applicable)

Benefits

• Competitive federal salary with regular increases and potential performance awards

• Paid time off: 50 days/year (annual leave, sick leave, federal holidays)

• Federal retirement: traditional pension with vesting and federal 401(k) with up to 5% contributions

• Federal insurance options: health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care

• Work schedule: Sunday–Sunday, 7:30pm–8:00am

• EDRP authorized (eligibility and application required; prior EDRP participants are ineligible)