Critical Care Registered Nurse

Summary

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until August 31, 2026 or until vacant positions have been filled. The first group of eligible applicants will be reviewed on July 6, 2026. Subsequent reviews will be conducted periodically until these positions are filled. Note: the 2‑page Resume requirement does NOT apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to the "Required Documents" section below.

Qualifications

• English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f), a person must be proficient in basic written and spoken English for direct patient care positions.
• Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by ACEN or CCNE at the time of program completion.
• OR individuals attending a master’s level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor’s level degree may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program.
• Upon achieving a State license, the individual may be appointed on a 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 than 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 U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or District of Columbia.
• Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who 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).
• 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 (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—entry, level, and, if appropriate, the level within a grade.
• 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:
• Education and experience requirements for each Nursing level (I, II, III) as outlined in the original qualifications list.
• Physical Requirements: Must pass a pre‑evaluation.
• Reference for more information on this qualification standard:

Duties

• This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) – a student loan payment reimbursement program.
• Must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit the EDRP application within four months of appointment.
• Program 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 review of the EDRP application.
• Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply.
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package; the Critical Care Registered Nurse provides direct patient care functioning as a primary care nurse for a 1‑3 patient assignment.
• The nurse collaborates with nursing staff, physicians, and other interdisciplinary team members responsible for patient care as assigned.
• The nurse provides 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 services such as case finding, health teaching, and health counseling.
• Provision of care supportive to or restorative of life and well‑being and execution of medical regimens including administering medications and treatments.
• The nurse’s primary commitment is to the patient—whether an individual, family, group, or community (American Nurses Association Code of Ethics for Nurses). This area serves critically ill adult and elderly veterans.
• Patients often present with multiple chronic medical conditions, including psychiatric components.
• Patients may need advanced life support, including mechanical ventilation.
• The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) serves as a surgical post‑anesthesia recovery room and post‑operative care area for critically ill patients; recovery is also provided for surgical patients including general, orthopedic, and urology surgery.
• Major duties include—though not limited—to: manage multiple competing priorities successfully, manage complex patient situations and act as an expert in ICU or Clinical Decision Unit (CDU) areas, assess care provided by team members, provide constructive criticism and praise to team members, demonstrate accurate and timely documentation of patient care according to standards for ICU, step‑down, observation, and acute patients, demonstrate understanding of patient safety guidelines and VHA directives, provide safe direct patient care, communicate effectively, participate in care planning and discharge planning, evaluate current standards of care, implement changes based on findings through current policies and procedures, and additional duties as assigned.
• Pay: competitive salary with regular increases; potential performance awards.
• Paid time off: 50 days per year (26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, 11 paid federal holidays).
• Retirement: traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401(k) with up to 5% VA contribution.
• Insurance: federal health/vision/dental/term life/long‑term care; many federal programs carried into retirement.
• Licensure: one full and unrestricted license from any U.S. State or territory.
• Work schedule: Permanent full‑time 7:30 p.m. – 8:00 a.m., holidays and every other weekend; compressed/flexible schedule available as needed.
• Telework: not available; virtual: not a virtual position.
• Relocation/recruitment incentives: not authorized.
• Permanent change of station: not authorized.