Registered Nurse – Critical Care

Summary

The VA Puget Sound Health Care System is seeking a highly skilled and compassionate Registered Nurse (RN) to join our Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) team. The Critical Care RN plays a vital role in delivering competent, evidence-based care to Veterans with complex and life-threatening conditions. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): APPROVED! Learn more.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Providing direct care for acutely/critically ill patients who are at high risk for actual or potential life-threatening health problems.
• Providing high intensity care and vigilance utilizing assessment skills and blending data from a variety of invasive/noninvasive monitoring technology.
• Establishing a therapeutic relationship, allowing the patient to attain, maintain or regain optimal function through assessment and treatment.
• Engaging patients, families, and other caregivers to incorporate knowledge, values, and beliefs into care planning without judgement or discrimination.
• Participating in unit based educational activities and continuing education requirements.
• Demonstrating positive, effective communication skills and professional behaviors that promote cooperation and teamwork with internal and external customers.
• Applying evidence-based practice/research to patient care.
• Participating in unit-based activities to improve and deliver cost effective patient care.
• Demonstrating knowledge of specific unit level performance improvement activities.
• Incorporating patient preferences into shared care delivery decisions.
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) Authorized: This position is eligible for EDRP, a student loan payment reimbursement program.
• You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of your start date.
• Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.
• Former EDRP Participants are ineligible to apply for the program.
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions/assistance.
• EDRP: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.
• Learn more 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: Six shifts from 7:30 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. and one shift from 11:30 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. during each two-week pay period.
• Shifts are not assigned to set days and will be scheduled based on unit needs, with rotating weekends and holidays.
• Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Requirements

• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• 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.

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. Note: The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission/NLNAC changed its name to ACEN in May 2013. ACEN’s website may be utilized to verify accredited programs using automated inquiry processes; however, for verification of any nursing program’s accreditation prior to 1998, an automated inquiry cannot be used and ACEN must be contacted directly via their email contact information on the ACEN website to verify.) Note: In order to grant credit towards an appointment based on foreign nursing education higher than the associate degree level, formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized degree equivalency evaluation agency accepted by VA such as the International Consultants of Delaware (ICD) must be obtained.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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. 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 that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer 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:

• Resume Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document.
• This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted ‘Resume’ document upload field.
• Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the ‘Other’ document upload field.
• 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
• Resume (2) Foreign Education Equivalency Certificate Other (3) PCS Orders Performance Appraisal Professional Certification
• Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript 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.