Registered Nurse - Acute Care; 9B

Job Title:

Registered Nurse (Day/Night)

The Buffalo VA Medical Center is seeking a qualified full-time Registered Nurse (Day/Night) for the Acute Care Department (Inpatient - 9B). The Acute Care Registered Nurse (RN) is responsible for providing competent, evidence-based care to assigned patients and oversight of licensed vocational nurses/nursing assistants, provides direct and indirect nursing care to patients and families in a nursing care unit/area. The incumbent is accountable for adhering to established policies, standards of care and standards of practice.

She/he demonstrates leadership when providing and improving patient care. The incumbent reports directly to the Nurse Manager of the patient care unit/area and serves as a role model when functioning as team leader or charge nurse under the supervision of the Nurse Manager. The incumbent will be responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing and/or supervising direct patient care.

Assume responsibility for the coordination of care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care. Administer medications and procedures per established policies and guidelines. Influence care outcomes by collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team. Core elements of performance include knowledge and active participation in the unit/program level quality improvement process and initiatives as well as customer service programs.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Diagnose and treat a patient's unique responses to diagnosed health problems perform health assessments to identify new symptoms of possibly undiagnosed conditions or complications
• Teach and counsel patients about maintenance of health and prevention of illness or complications
• Execute medical regimens as prescribed by licensed physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and podiatrists, and contribute as members of an interdisciplinary health care team and as consultants on health-related committees to plan and implement the health care needs of consumers.
• Assist, through in-depth assessment, a patient's ability to adapt to new situations and circumstances created by changes in health status.
• Teach and counsel on health procedures, emotional adjustment and adaptation of the patient and their families.
• Identify, through case-finding and critical analysis, a patient's, families, or community's deviation from health and wellbeing and advocate for, initiate and recommend appropriate actions including the establishment of safe environments.
• Manage and deliver restorative or palliative care to the ill, disabled and dying.
• Participate in research, shaping health policy and inpatient and health systems management, and embrace fundamental values and obligations beyond that of a private citizen including ethical obligations and a recognition of patients' rights to confidentiality.
• Completing and documenting nursing assessments, seeking assistance to identify priority needs.
• Developing the initial nursing plan of care and updating plan with assistance as needed.
• Addressing patient safety needs when communicating patient care needs to other nursing staff and disciplines.
• Safely and effectively using equipment required for patient care, including:
  Procedures for cleaning, transporting and storing reusable medical equipment (RME)
• Adhering to infection control practices while using equipment and providing patient care (proper hand washing techniques, use of PPE).
• Recognizing actual or potential changes in condition and response to treatment, initiating appropriate action and revising the plan of care accordingly.
• All other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule:

Full-Time. Variable Day/Night Tour (7:30 am - 8:00 pm to include weekends and holidays)

Compressed/Flexible:
Authorized

Telework:
Not Authorized

Virtual:
This is not a virtual position

Relocation/Recruitment

Incentives:

Not Authorized

EDRP Authorized:
Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VISN2

EDRPCoordinators, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Permanent Change of Station (PCS):
Not Authorized

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package VA Nurse Total Rewards that includes:

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