Summary

The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information - refer to Required Documents below. The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System is recruiting for a Registered Nurse - Operating Room - First Assistant . The Registered Nurse - Operating Room - First Assistant will function within Perioperative Nursing Service at the VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System.

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
• Preferred Experience: Experience functioning in complex surgical cases including but not limited to general surgery - GYN - orthopedics - urology and robotics BSN CNOR certification At least 2 years of current OR experience 2 years of scrub RNFA experience 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/12996456
• 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: Applicant must possess the ability to do the following: heavy lifting and carrying - 45 pounds and over
• pulling - pushing and reaching above the shoulder
• potentially long periods of walking - standing - kneeling and repeated bending
• Transferring patients and objects may be required.

Duties

• The Registered Nurse - Operating Room - First Assistant duties include but are not limited to: Demonstrates competence in practice and decision-making - deliberate planning - and critical thinking skills
• integrates knowledge - skills - abilities - and judgment and is self-directed in goal setting for managing complex situations
• The focus is beyond the self to the evolution of systems thinking by synthesizing knowledge to solve problems that result in demonstrated outcomes
• The ability to cope with and manage competing priorities
• Evaluates others - coaches - and mentors' others - and demonstrates leadership skills through collaborative efforts
• Functions in an expanded perioperative nursing role
• When performing delegated medical functions - First Assist RNs are practitioners who are agents of the supervising physician(s)/independent licensed practitioner(s) who are responsible for the First Assist RN's actions within the agreed upon scope of practice
• The supervising physician/independent licensed provider is to direct and review the work and practice on a continuous basis to ensure that appropriate directions are given and understood - and appropriate care is rendered
• Possess the necessary knowledge - judgment - and skills specific to the expanded role of First Assist RN clinical practice
• Intra-operatively - the First Assist RN practices at the direction of the attending surgeon
• The First Assist RN shall not concurrently function as a scrub nurse with responsibility as a surgical first assistant
• Verifies the standardized procedures in effect before preforming the functions of a surgical first assistant
• Maintains knowledge of current Association of peri-Operative Registered Nurses (AORN) Standards - VHA Directives and service level standard operating procedures
• When directed by the attending surgeon - the First Assist RN's expanded role permits the performance of intra-operative functions including - but not limited to: positioning the patient - preparing and draping the surgical site - administering local anesthetic - providing exposure and retraction - providing hemostasis
• utilizing electrosurgical cautery (ESU) - bipolar and ultrasonic devices - suture ligation - hemostatic agents and argon beam - use and handling of surgical instrumentation - tissue manipulation - dissection - suturing - and stapling - making the skin incision or stab wound for laparoscopic surgery or drains and placement of trocar (based on State Board of Nursing) for laparoscopic access - robotics insertion and removal of instrumentation - securing drains - closure of wounds and application of dressings - including wound vac therapy - application and removal of casts and splints - harvest of vein and arteries for bypass conduit - cleansing the surgical area - including superficial - subcutaneous - muscle and fascia - bone and abdominal and pelvic cavities - removal of surgical drains (chest tubes - knee drains)
• 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: Rotating Shifts: 6:00am - 2:30pm - 7:00am - 3:30pm - 11:00am-7:30pm - On-call M-F - weekends - holidays
• Overtime as required for patient care
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.