Inpatient Mental Health Registered Nurse (RN)

Quick Facts

• Role: Inpatient Mental Health Registered Nurse (RN)

Description

You will deliver patient-centered, recovery-oriented inpatient mental health nursing care and oversee the nursing team as appropriate. The position emphasizes therapeutic communication, de-escalation, milieu management, interdisciplinary collaboration, and response to psychiatric emergencies. You will also facilitate nurse-led psychoeducational groups and document assessments, plans of care, and safety observations per facility policy.

Responsibilities

• Provide competent, evidence-based mental health care to assigned patients

• Use therapeutic communication techniques and de-escalation strategies

• Maintain self-awareness while caring for patients with mental health conditions

• Participate in the mental health interdisciplinary treatment team and environment of care rounds

• Direct team response to psychiatric emergencies and report safety concerns

• Facilitate shift reports and warm hand-offs

• Develop content and facilitate nurse-led psychoeducational groups

• Document nursing assessments, nursing plan of care, patient safety observations, and environmental safety rounds

• Maintain professional boundaries and collaborate on policies, procedures, and guidelines

• Evaluate mental health outcomes using evidence-based decisions and practice changes

• Provide formal or informal constructive feedback to peers

• Lead initiatives to improve Veteran/patient experience, satisfaction, and/or safety beyond the immediate setting

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship (or limited non-citizen appointment when qualified citizens cannot be recruited)

• English language proficiency for basic written and spoken English

• Graduate of an ACEN- or CCNE-accredited professional nursing program (or meet equivalent education/licensure requirements for foreign education/bridge pathways)

• Current, full, active, unrestricted RN licensure in a U.S. state/territory or District of Columbia

• Selective Service registration for males born after 12/31/1959

• Background/security investigation

• Complete onboarding and pre-employment physical evaluation

• Participate in seasonal influenza vaccination program

• Subject to drug testing (urinalysis) if the position is testing designated

• May be required to serve a probationary period

• Submit all application requirements listed in the announcement

• EDRP: eligible applicants must meet VHA policy requirements and submit the EDRP application within 4 months of appointment (former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply)

Benefits

• Competitive salary with regular increases and potential performance awards

• Paid time off: 50 days per year (26 annual leave, 13 sick leave, 11 federal holidays)

• Retirement: federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% VA contributions

• Insurance: federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care benefits

• Licensure support: 1 full and unrestricted license from any U.S. state or territory

• Work schedule example: 0800–1930; may require other shifts, on-call, weekends, and holidays