Summary

The primary purpose of the Operating Room Registered Nurse is to demonstrate leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others in the assigned area. They perform comprehensive circulating and scrubbing duties according to Medical Center Policy and Association of Operating Room Registered Nurses Standards and Recommended Practices.

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/12953180
• 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
• Preferred Education/Experience: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• Three years of Operating Room experience (to include circulator and scrub)
• 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 patients and objects may be required
• Mechanical 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 - operative/invasive procedures - or home settings
• The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
• Must complete annual Employee Health requirements as a condition of employment
• The incumbent who provides care in home settings or other off-site locations may be required to drive and/or ride in GSA-vehicles.

Duties

• Major duties include - but are not limited to: Provide care and counseling of persons or in the promotion and maintenance of health and prevention of illness and injury based upon the nursing process which includes systematic data gathering - assessment - appropriate nursing judgment - and evaluation of human responses to actual or potential health problems through such services as case finding - health teaching - health counseling
• provision of care supportive to or restorative of life and well-being
• and executing medical regimens including administering medications and treatments prescribed by a licensed or otherwise legally authorized provider
• Demonstrate leadership and mastery of practice in delivering efficient - comprehensive - and continuous patient-driven holistic care through active collaboration - communication and coordination of resources
• Consider all characteristics of the individual - including age - life stage - state of health - values and beliefs to assist each patient with the improvement of their health status to the maximum potential
• Utilize core elements of performance including knowledge and active participation in unit/service level quality improvement processes - such as the customer service program
• Comply with and adheres to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for reprocessing/cleaning Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) - demonstrates knowledge of instrumentation specific to the assigned procedure to ensure seamless progression of the operation and assesses cardio-respiratory systems for changes and provides appropriate treatment
• Patient evaluation - documentation on the intraoperative and perioperative flowsheet - creating and maintaining a sterile and safe surgical environment - pre/post-operative patient education - monitoring the patients physical and emotional well-being - and integrating and coordinating patient care throughout the surgical care continuum
• Circulating complex surgical procedures (i.e
• Cardiac - Robotic - Endovascular Surgery)
• Participate in \"time out\" prior to any intervention in the Operating Room
• Appropriately respond to the patient in an emergency or physically distressful situation
• Respond quickly to changes in a patient's condition and takes appropriate action
• Demonstrates the ability to identify an issue - analyze it - develop and implement interventions
• Look for opportunities to improve practice or functions at the unit level for a group of patients - using group process to accomplish this
• for example - organizing - leading or facilitating interdisciplinary team meetings
• Function as a preceptor assuming accountability and responsibility of the assigned orientee's clinical development
• Promote the medical center mission - vision and values
• complies with Equal Employment Opportunity programs - partnerships - customer service standards and Veterans Affairs policies and 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: Various
• that may include: both 8 and 12 hour shifts - days - nights - weekends - and holidays
• Schedule will ultimately be determined by Supervisor and/or needs of the Facility
• Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized