Registered Nurse - Operating Room

<p>This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible.</p><h3>Major Duties</h3><p>The Nurse Perioperative Operating Room (OR) Registered Nurse (RN) is accountable for patient outcomes resulting from the nursing care for the patient undergoing a surgical/invasive procedure. Responsible for providing competent, evidence-based care to patients with oversight of licensed vocational nurses/nursing assistants/surgical technicians as appropriate to the setting. The OR RN is responsible to the assigned rating and approving supervisors and is accountable to the Associate Director of Patient Care Services (ADPCS). Duties include but are not limited to the following: Assists in directing the provision of nursing education, orientation, competencies and providing quality improvement and enhance outcomes utilization. Integrates knowledge, skills, abilities, and judgment and is self-directed in goal setting for managing complex situations. Validates understanding of the rationale for care processes and decisions. Questions clinical practices for the purpose of providing evidence-based care. Demonstrates the ability to cope with and manage competing priorities. Demonstrates competence in practice and decision-making, deliberate planning, and critical thinking skills. Plans, directs, and coordinates the care of every patient undergoing operative and other invasive procedures, taking into consideration respect for the individual and recognition of the important contribution that each team member makes to the patient's well-being. Functions proficiently in both the circulator and scrub role within the OR and to be competent in all surgical specialties served. Maintains knowledge of current Association of peri-Operative Registered Nurses (AORN) standards, Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Directives, and service level standard operating procedures (SOPs). Assures the sterility of the surgical field is maintained and all instrumentation and equipment in play is used in a safe and efficient manner. Protects the patient from injury caused by chemical, electrical, mechanical, and thermal sources, and extraneous objects, performs counting procedures to protect the patient from unintended retained surgical items, participates in the Time Out process to ensure correct site, side, and level, and follows implant and tissue/tissue-based product documentation, policy, and procedures. Manages the patient's specimens in the appropriate manner, administers medications safely and correctly, performs interventions to maintain the patient's wound and tissue perfusion at or above baseline levels, and performs interventions to protect the patient from surgical site infection. Responsible for ensuring comprehensive documentation of all care provided during the perioperative experience is timely, complete, and accurate in the electronic health record. Responsible for knowing what reusable instruments, equipment, medical devices, or supplies are in use in the clinical area. Obtains, reads, and follows Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all reusable medical equipment (RME) in use in the clinical area and consults Sterile Processing and/or Infection Control as needed. Required to be on-call during off tours hours to provide patient care for emergency procedures. 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, 9:30am - 6:00pm, Will Call. Subject to change based on the needs of facility. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact robert.knudsen@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.</p><h3>Requirements</h3>U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.