Registered Nurse - PACU

Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Federal benefits

Competitive salary

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, West Roxbury campus, is seeking a Registered Nurse for the PACU. The role involves post-anesthesia care for a variety of surgeries, with possible travel to Jamaica Plain campus.

It is a full-time, 40-hour week position. The incumbent provides comprehensive recovery care, monitors vitals, manages IV lines, and supports the Acute Pain Service with regional anesthesia procedures.

Qualifications

• English language proficiency required for direct patient care.
• Graduate of an approved nursing program (ACEN/CCNE accredited).
• Licensed or eligible for RN licensure in state after bridge program if applicable.
• Foreign-nursing education requires degree equivalency validation when needed.

Responsibilities

• Provide post-anesthesia care in the PACU for diverse surgical cases.
• Assess, diagnose, treat and document patient status during recovery.
• Monitor hemodynamics and manage IV lines and analgesia.
• Collaborate with pain service on epidurals/nerve blocks and procedures.
• Ensure hemodynamic stability and safe discharge to next care area.

Skills

English language proficiency

Assessment skills

Interpersonal communication

Education

RN degree (ADN/ Diploma/ BSN)

ACEN/CCNE accreditation

State RN license

Job description

Summary

This Registered Nurse - PACU position is within the Nursing service at the West Roxbury location. Occasional travel to Jamaica Plain campus may be required. This is a full-time position at 40 hours per week.

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.) Preferred Experience: Minimum of three (3) years successful nursing practice in medical surgery and one (1) year of ICU and/or inpatient PACU experience preferred
• Demonstrated strong assessment skills
• Demonstrated strong interpersonal and communication skills
• 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/13092945
• 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: All applicants must be physically able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position.

Duties

• Five bed post anesthesia care unit (PACU)
• Incumbent works under the direction of the Nurse Manager
• The PACU nurse is responsible for the assessment - diagnosis - treatment and evaluation of perceived - actual or potential physical or psychosocial problems that may result from the intrusion of anesthetic agents and techniques
• The PACU nurse takes care of a wide variety of patients including but not limited to the following types of surgeries and special procedures including general - orthopedic - ENT - vascular - urology - Gyn - podiatry - plastics - cardiac - thoracic and neurosurgery
• Nurses in the PACU work with hemodynamic monitors - and intravenous lines
• PACU staff also assist the Acute Pain Service with epidurals - nerve blocks & other procedures related to treatment of pain
• Works with invasive lines and ventilators
• are responsible for titrating vasoactive meds and ensuring that patients are hemodynamically stable and free from respiratory complications - meeting VA-PAS phase 1 prior to discharge
• They also ensure that surgical and/or procedural complications are managed and addressed
• 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 - no weekends/holidays Compressed/Flexible: Authorized
• either four 10's (12p-10:30p) or six 12s and one 8hr shift (10a-10:30p and 2p-10:30p) Telework: Not authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Notifications: Current or former 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 in the Excepted Service
• Veterans preference does not apply for other current permanent Federal agency employees.