Registered Nurse (Operating Room)

US Veterans Health Administration; Providence (RI); On-site; USD 88,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Health insurance

Pension plan

Job summary

US Veterans Health Administration Providence VA Healthcare System, Providence, RI, seeks a Registered Nurse (Operating Room) to plan, direct, and coordinate care for patients undergoing operative and invasive procedures.

The OR RN will function as circulator and scrub, uphold AORN standards and VHA directives, ensure sterile fields, document care in the EHR, and participate in on-call, with a 40-hour permanent schedule and possible evenings, nights, or weekends.

Qualifications

• Must be a graduate of a school of professional nursing.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted RN license in the United States.
• Ability to work in a perioperative setting with gowning, sterile technique and patient safety in mind.

Responsibilities

• Plan, direct, and coordinate care for patients undergoing operative procedures.
• Function as circulator and scrub in the OR across specialties.
• Maintain sterile field, ensure safety of instruments and equipment.
• Document care comprehensively in the electronic health record.
• Participate in on-call duty and shift variations as needed.

Skills

English language proficiency

Education

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Job description

Summary

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 to apply.

Learn more about this agency

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.

Clarification from the agency

Open to Current permanent employees of the Providence VA Healthcare System including Past/Current/Upcoming Graduates of VHA Health Trainee Programs (HPT) are eligible to apply (must send proof such as an SF-50 with application) and the public. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

Duties

This Registered Nurse (Operating Room) position is within the Nursing, Perioperative Service at the Providence VA Healthcare System located in Providence, Rhode Island. It is permanent and full-time at 40 hours per week.

The perioperative OR RN 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. Duties include, but are not limited to:

• 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, VHA Directives, and service level standard operating procedures;
• Assures the sterility of the surgical field is maintained and all instrumentation and equipment in play is used in a safe and efficient manner
• Participates in the Time Out process to ensure correct site, side, and level, and follow 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;
• Ensures comprehensive documentation of all care provided during the perioperative experience is timely, complete, and accurate in the electronic health record; and
• Performs other duties as assigned.

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: This is a permanent, full-time (40 hours per week) shift to be determined. The Providence VA Healthcare System is an acute care facility operating 24 hours a day 7 days a week. While most tours of duty are scheduled during the day, the possibility of working evenings, nights and weekends does exist. On-Call availability will be required. Shift changes may be considered by the service based on patient and facility needs.

Compressed/Flexible: Not available.

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 Karen Chapman ([e-mail]), the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not authorized.

Notifications:

• Veterans’ preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.
• This position is a LIUNA Bargaining Unit position.
• This position is covered by a special rate.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• 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.
• 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.

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/13081774.

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 additional 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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring objects may be required. Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

The Associate Degree Nursing (ADN), Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSN), or Master of Science degree in Nursing (MSN) must be fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission On Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Verification of accreditation may be obtained from http://www.acenursing.us/accreditedprograms/programsearch.htm or https://directory.ccnecommunity.org/reports/accprog.asp.

If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application packet. If your school was accredited by ACEN or CCNE at the time of graduation, but is no longer listed on the websites, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant’s criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Résumé Reminder:Your résumé must include the following information each job listed:

• Job title
• Duties (be as detailed as possible)
• Month & year/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
• Full-time or part-time (include hours worked per week)
• Education should be included (list school and conferred date)

NOTE: Candidate’s education, scope, and length of nursing practice (experience) will be considered in determining the grade and salary of the applicant selected. The recommended salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.

Experience as an RN will be evaluated to determine if the experience is of an acceptable level of quality with regard to the following five dimensions of nursing: Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development, and Evidence/Based Practice/Research. Each dimension of practice has criteria that demonstrate essential core competencies for VHA Nursing Personnel.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate’s abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)

The following documents are accepted and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

If you are a current federal employee, you are required to attach your Most Recent non-award SF-50. This should be a SF-50 from the current calendar year which shows your current position, grade and step. Award SF-50’s do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted.

Veterans’ Preference Note: Preference eligible candidates and other Veterans will be given preference when qualification of candidates are approximately equal for Title 38 positions in VHA. When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 “Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference” with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans’ Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets – Veterans – Job Seekers – Veterans’ Preference.

Veterans’ preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

Agency contact information

Samantha Roberts

Phone

612-978-6318

Email

[email protected]

Address

VA Providence Healthcare System

830 Chalkstone Avenue

Providence, RI 02908

US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued, and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

Overview

Accepting applications

Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

Providence, RI

1 vacancy

No matching locations found.

Work site options

Telework eligible

No

Remote job

No

Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

Salary

$88,157 – $159,579 per year

Pay scale & grade

VN 00

Promotion potential

None

Learn more about pay scale and grade

Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.

Work schedule

Full-time

Travel Required

Not required

Appointment type

Permanent

Occupations and job series

• 0610 Nurse
• Supervisory status
• No
• Federal service type
• This job is in the Excepted Service
• Represented by a union
• Yes
• Drug test
• Yes
• Security clearance
• Not Required
• Position sensitivity and risk
• Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
• Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
• Background check type