Registered Nurse - APC/PACU/IR

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 80,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Paid Time Off

Federal pension and 401K

Federal health/vision/dental insurance

On-call schedule

Relocation not authorized

Job summary

The Milwaukee VA is seeking a registered nurse for APC/PACU/IR duties within the Ambulatory Procedure Center and Post Anesthesia Care Unit. This role includes pre- and post-operative care, patient education, and collaboration during interventional radiology procedures.

On-site work in Milwaukee, with on-call responsibilities and comprehensive VA benefits. Applicants should hold an approved nursing degree, an active US nursing license, and meet VA qualification standards; bridge-program licensure

Qualifications

• Must have a nursing degree from ACEN/CCNE accredited program.
• Current, full, active US nursing license.
• Eligible for licensure after completion of a bridge program.
• State license active at appointment and ongoing.

Responsibilities

• Provide pre-operative/procedural care including nursing assessment and H&P validations.
• Initiate IV fluids, venipuncture, and assist with nerve blocks as ordered.
• Ensure labs and pre-operative tests are completed and communicated to the team.
• Prepare surgical sites, ensure correct site marking, and administer meds as ordered.
• Deliver clear preoperative teaching and review discharge instructions with patients/families.
• Monitor post-operative patients after anesthesia/sedation and document in EHR; on-call duties apply.

Skills

English Language Proficiency

Education

Nursing degree (ADN or Diploma)

RN License in US (active)

Bridge program for RN licensure

State license upon appointment

Job description

Summary

The Milwaukee VA has 1 vacancy in their APC/PACU/IR department. Ambulatory Procedure Center (APC): prepares patients for surgery and provides discharge teaching when sending home post surgery or procedure. Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU): This unit provides immediate recovery for Veterans after surgery/sedation. Interventional Radiology RNs assist in procedures such as drain insertions and angiograms while providing moderate sedation.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• English Language Proficiency
• In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f) - no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English
• Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• OR Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor's level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program
• Upon achievement of a State license - the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program
• (Reference VA Handbook 5005 - Appendix G6)
• OR In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing - possession of a current - full - active - and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement for graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program
• Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD)
• Current - full - active - and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State - Territory or Commonwealth (i.e. - Puerto Rico) of the United States - or the District of Columbia
• Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements - but do not possess the required licensure - may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.) NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification
• Grade Determinations: The following Scope - Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates - and if appropriate - the level within a grade
• The Dimension requirements (Practice - Veteran/Patient Driven Care - Leadership - Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13077642
• Grade/Level Scope Education Nurse I - Level I Delivers fundamental - knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies
• An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing - with no additional professional nursing required
• Nurse I - Level II Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts - cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex
• An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I - Level 1 ;OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional professional nursing experience required
• Nurse I - Level III Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning
• Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations
• An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I - Level 2
• OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I - Level 2
• OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience
• OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience
• Nurse II Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others
• A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I - Level 3
• OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I - Level 3
• OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I - Level 3
• OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience
• OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with no professional nursing experience
• Nurse III Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership - experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting
• MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience - one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III
• OR a Master's degree in *related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience - one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III
• OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III
• OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III
• *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees
• Preferred Experience: Interventional radiology Ambulatory procedures Post anesthesia care Critical care Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: This position includes a level of physicality normally associated with duties performed by nurses such as direct patient care - and potentially long periods of walking - standing - sitting - moderate lifting - repeated bending - or kneeling
• Examples may include but are not limited to: Significant amounts of time standing assisting assigned patients Utilization of safe patient handling and mobility protocols

Duties

• This position requires strong nursing skills due to potential instability post-surgery
• Duties include - but are not limited to: Provide pre-operative/procedural care - including (but not limited to) the nursing assessment of patients - consent - and H&P validations - the starting of IV fluids including venipuncture - assisting with peripheral nerve blocks - assuring all lab work and other pre-operative/procedural testing is completed and communicated to team members - confirms surgical sites are prepared and marked - and the administration of medications as ordered
• Provide clear and concise preoperative teaching and review discharge instructions with patients and families via written and verbal communication
• Monitor post-operative patient's level of consciousness after the recovery of anesthesia/sedation
• Observe signs of side effects of post residual anesthesia medications
• Ensure comprehensive documentation of all phases of care and is timely - complete - and accurate in the electronic health record
• NOTE: This department operates with on-call responsibilities due to the specialized nature of the work

Benefits

• 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: Multiple shifts: 0730-2000 - 1130-2000 - 0930-2000
• Telework: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized