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Registered Nurse (Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders Inpatient)

Veterans Health Administration

Palo Alto, California

Eligibility
RN
Unit
Nurse

Posted Sep 17

Location

Palo Alto, California

$153,887–$228,000/year

Schedule and commitments

Term
Permanent

The work and the unit

Specialty
Nurse

Pay and benefits

Against the board
Top of California staff payCalifornia staff postings that state pay run $33/hr to $90/hr, the middle half $43/hr to $70/hr, across 2149 postings.

Do you qualify?

License
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.
Education
Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the…
Also asks
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Subject to background/security investigation.
Also asks
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
Also asks
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).
Also asks
Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination.
Show all 13
Also asks
You may be required to serve a probationary period.
Also asks
Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
Also asks
See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.
Also asks
U. S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
Also asks
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.
Also asks
Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
Also asks
Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

What's around it?

In Palo Alto, CA· © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap

Living costs about 11% above the US average

Median rent
$3,484/mo
Household income
$231,101/yr, all local households, not nurse pay

See Palo Alto, CA

From Census ACS 2024.

About this role

The Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders Inpatient Registered Nurse provides evidence-based direct and supervisory nursing care for Veterans with spinal cord injuries/disorders in a 43-bed acute-care unit, including ventilator beds. Manages complex medical and surgical care, medications, procedures, education, care coordination, quality improvement, interdisciplinary collaboration, staff development, and patient/family support to promote health, independence, comfort, and optimal outcomes.

Duties include, but are not limited to: Conduct comprehensive, systematic nursing assessments and use clinical judgment, critical thinking, time management, and organization to deliver patient-centered care. Provide direct care to Veterans with spinal cord injury/disorder (SCI/D) who have acute, complex medical, surgical, pre-operative, and post-operative needs. Coordinate services and prioritize care using an organized, systematic problem-solving approach.

Read the full posting

Establish collaborative, measurable short- and long-term goals and interventions with patients and the interdisciplinary team. Implement, monitor, and evaluate individualized plans of care and revise interventions based on patient response and treatment outcomes. Complete accurate, timely clinical documentation in accordance with VA and facility policies.

Function as Charge Nurse and Nurse Therapist, as assigned. Analyze and evaluate unit operations and care-delivery processes to identify opportunities to improve patient care and outcomes. Maintain strict compliance with sterile technique, infection-prevention, infection-control, and patient-safety practices.

Assess and continuously monitor respiratory status for ventilator-dependent patients. Monitor mechanical ventilator settings, tracheostomy cuff pressures, and alarms; perform airway suctioning and tracheostomy care. Administer intravenous fluids and medications in accordance with established policies and guidelines.

Assess, access, and maintain central lines in accordance with facility policy. Perform wound care, including Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT). Apply specialized SCI/D clinical knowledge, including injury level and ASIA classification; respiratory management; skin-integrity and pressure-injury prevention; wound staging; neurogenic bowel and bladder management; and altered elimination needs.

Provide nursing care for Veterans with conditions affecting the SCI/D population, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Assess and address psychological, emotional, functional, lifestyle, and aging-related effects of spinal cord injury or disorder. Serve as an integral interdisciplinary team member by planning, delivering, evaluating, and documenting coordinated care.

Create and sustain a therapeutic rehabilitation environment that supports health, independence, comfort, quality of life, and functional outcomes. Provide patient and family education, support self-management, and participate in interdisciplinary discharge planning. Participate in educational in-services, patient-safety initiatives, performance-improvement activities, and evidence-based-practice efforts.

Assist with orientation, education, competency development, and mentoring of nursing personnel and students. Participate in the VAPAHCS service-improvement model and interdisciplinary committees to design, implement, and evaluate performance-improvement initiatives. Demonstrate and promote VA ICARE values: Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence.

Incorporate High Reliability Organization (HRO) practices to promote a culture of safety, continuous process improvement, and the goal of zero harm. 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: 12 hour NOC shift, 1930-0800 with rotating weekends and holidays Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statements: 11850F, 11851F, 11852F, 11853F, and 11854F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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/13067915. 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

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.

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 evaluation/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.

Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the…

Sourced from Veterans Health Administration’s careers page.

How this role fits you

About the employer

Veterans Health Administration
Health system employer

Nationally the VA describes itself as the largest U.S. nurse employer, with more than 120,000 RNs, APNs, LPNs, and nursing assistants. The VA has said it is on pace to reduce staff by nearly 30,000 by the end of FY2025…

Veterans Health Administration photoVeterans Health Administration photoVeterans Health Administration photo

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