This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (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 appointment. 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. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), 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 State-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). In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. OR The completion of coursework equivalent to a nursing degree in a MSN Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration constitutes the completion of an approved course of study of professional nursing. Students should submit the certificate of professional nursing to sit for the NCLEX to the VA along with a copy of the MSN transcript. (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. 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. Preferred Experience: Endoscopy and sedation experience Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade: Nurse I Level I - An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse I Level II - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 1 year of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a bachelor's degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience; OR a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse I Level III - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a BSN with approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) or related field with a BSN and no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse II - A BSN with approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing or meets basic requirements for appointment and has doctoral degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse III - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-6 Nurse Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: moderate lifting (15-44 pounds); straight pulling (1 hour); pushing (1-2 hours); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking/standing (3-6 hours); kneeling (1 hour); repeated bending (2 hours); both legs required; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; both eyes required; ability to work in dim lighting; depth perception; ability to distinguish basic colors; shades of colors; hearing (aid may be permitted); mental and emotional stability; heavy lifting is intermittent. Environmental Factors: Working alone; working closely with others; protracted or irregular hours of work, low light work enviornments; ionizing radiation exposure; PPE required (Lead Apron. ["VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards The RN is assigned to the Endoscopy Unit, under the Division of Hospital and Specialty Medicine at VA Portland Health Care System in Portland, Oregon. The Endoscopy Unit provides services for Veterans who require therapeutic and diagnostic endoscopic procedures including colonoscopy, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, endoscopic ultrasound, endoscopic retrograde cholangiogram pancreatography, sigmoidoscopy, and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube placement, and manometry procedures. The primary duties & responsibilities of the Endoscopy RN include (but are not limited to): Delivering and managing care of patients undergoing therapeutic and diagnostic endoscopic procedures, including both inpatients and outpatients Provides moderate sedation and manages care for gastrointestinal outpatients and critically ill in-patients Conducts pre and post procedure patient education and nursing assessments, stabilizes vital signs and hemodynamic status, maintains patent airway and invasive lines, and maintains patient tubes, catheters, and drains Assesses patient motor and sensory function and assesses orientation status and compares to baseline Maintains physical and emotional comfort as well as provides adequate pain management Assists the gastroenterologist as needed during the procedure when assigned Responsible for the maintenance, cleaning and preparing of the equipment/instrumentation for the procedures Delivers and manages care during the recovery period and upon determining that the patient meets criteria Discharges the patient from area Documents response to interventions, findings, and reports changes in patient status Communicates handoff information regarding patient status to receiving unit prior to transfer, including emergency contact information for physician and family members identified by the patient Accountable for defined groups of patients on his/her shift 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: 7:30am to 4:00pm, or 8:00am to 4:30pm, plus on call some nights/weekends/holidays OR Monday-Friday, 7:45am to 5:15pm, or 8:30am to 6:00pm, plus on call some nights/weekends/holidays Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. EDRP Authorized: Contact V20CompensationTeam@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
About Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
Providing Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.