Nurse (Specialty Departments)

At the Indian Health Service (IHS), Nurses do more than practice medicine-they change lives. Guided by our mission to raise the health of American Indian and Alaska Native people, you'll deliver compassionate care where it's needed most.

Your expertise brings healing and hope across generations. Begin your journey with purpose - AND receive a recruitment/relocation sign-on bonus, if you are eligible.

A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).

Total Compensation Package - Check out IHS's outstanding total compensation package for this job: Registered Nurse Total Compensation | Pay (ihs.gov)

All Grade levels MAY NOT be available at all locations. Not all locations may have immediate vacancies.

The purpose of this position is to provide comprehensive care to pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric patients within the Indian Health Service within the Emergency Department, Obstetrics/Labor and Delivery, Operating Room, and Med/Surg-Inpatient.

ER Duties:

• Assessing, planning, coordinating, implementing, and evaluating the delivery of skilled patient care in accordance with nursing standards and evidence-based practice.
• Supervising the delivery of nursing care by other professional and non-professional staff, providing guidance, evaluation, and feedback as needed.
• Collaborating with physicians, nurse practitioners, and other healthcare providers to develop and implement coordinated care plans.
• Utilizing critical thinking skills to make complex clinical decisions and respond effectively to rapidly changing patient conditions.

OB Duties:

• When a physician or midwife is not immediately available, initiates pre-planned emergency nursing interventions to ensure maternal and neonatal safety, including preparation of the operating room, serving as circulating or scrub nurse, and performing newborn resuscitation and assessment. Maintains a professional, compassionate, and therapeutic environment.
• Administers prescribed therapeutic interventions including medications, intravenous fluids, blood products, and other treatments in accordance with established policies and standards of. Collaborates with physicians, certified nurse midwives, and interdisciplinary team members to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate patient care.
• Develops, implements, and evaluates individualized patient care plans across the continuum of care including antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, obstetrical triage, and newborn nursery services.
• Obtain and maintain certifications as required by hospital policy, such as Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Life Support (ACLS), and Neo-Natal Resuscitation Program (NRP), Fetal Monitoring.

OR Duties:

• Formulating, implementing, and documenting individualized plans of care based on assessment findings and patient condition.
• Responding to life-threatening situations and initiating emergency resuscitation measures in accordance with adult and pediatric resuscitation protocols.
• Maintaining required certifications (e.g., ACLS, BLS, PALS) and demonstrating competency in advanced perioperative and procedural nursing skills.
• Supervising the delivery of nursing care by other professional and non-professional staff, providing guidance, evaluation, and feedback as needed.
• Collaborating with surgeons, anesthesia providers, and the interdisciplinary team to plan, coordinate, and evaluate patient care to achieve optimal outcomes.
• Performing on-call duties as required to provide patient care during off-tour hours for emergency surgical and procedural cases.
• Work other staff to ensure sponge and instrument counts are correct.
• Functions as the second circulator for complex surgical procedures.

Med-Surg/Inpatient Duties:

• Promoting evidence-based nursing practice through coordinating care focused on patient education, self-management, and overall satisfaction throughout the continuum of inpatient care.
• Performing comprehensive assessments, planning, implementing, and evaluating patient care based on clinical findings and the nursing process.
• Administering medications and performing procedures in accordance with established policies and clinical standards.
• Recognizing changes in patient condition, identifying urgent or emergent situations, and initiating appropriate interventions to ensure patient safety.
• Ensuring compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards and maintaining knowledge of current clinical and operational guidelines.

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

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; community). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

Degree and License Waiting Period for Impending Graduates: The Hiring Manager/Selecting Official may elect to utilize an available flexibility wherein applicants who are currently enrolled and expected to complete the required education and obtain the required licensure/certification/registration with 9 month(s) of applying, may be deemed tentatively qualified. Applicants who have not completed their education requirements (but who are within the established timeframe for qualifying) must submit:

• Documentation from the educational institution's registrar, dean or other appropriate official that attests to the applicable timeframe for completion of the professional program/coursework AND
• A copy of the most recent unofficial transcript.

BASIC REQUIREMENT(S):
Education A graduate or higher-level degree, bachelor's degree, associate degree, or diploma from an accredited professional nursing educational program is required.

Licensure For all grade levels and positions, applicants must have passed the National Council Licensure Examination(external link). In addition, they must possess a current, active, full, and unrestricted license or registration as a professional nurse from a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.

Experience At the GS-9 and above grade level, many positions require experience in a specialty area of nursing.

Basic Requirements for the GS-9 Grade Level

• Possession of a master's degree in professional nursing; or
• At least one full year of professional nursing experience (equivalent to the GS-7 grade level or above) and possession of a diploma, associate degree, or bachelor's degree in nursing from a professional nursing program.

Basic Requirements for the GS-11 Grade Level

• Successful completion of a PhD or equivalent doctoral degree from a professional nursing educational program or related medical science field; or
• At least one full year of professional nursing experience (equivalent to the GS-09 grade level) and possession of a diploma, associate degree, bachelor's degree, or master's degree from a professional nursing educational program.

In addition, to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below-

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks:
ER GS-09
Provides professional nursing care principles, practices and procedures required to assess needs of patients; knowledge of pharmaceuticals, their desired effects, side effects, and complications of their use; recognizing adverse signs and symptoms and to react promptly in emergency situations initiating the implementation of life saving measures; providing counseling, guidance and health instruction to patients; Provide triage using the Emergency Severity Index system.
ER GS-11
Functioning as a senior clinical expert in Emergency nursing by managing care for patients with highly complex, high-risk, or unstable conditions. Providing clinical leadership and guidance to nursing staff by serving as a subject matter expert in emergency practice, policies, and procedures. Leading or coordinating unit-level quality improvement, patient safety, or evidence-based practice initiatives to improve patient outcomes and clinical workflows. Participating in the development, review, and implementation of nursing policies, procedures, and clinical practice guidelines. Ensuring high-quality compliance with regulatory, accreditation, and professional nursing standards.
OB GS-09
Provides professional obstetrical nursing care utilizing established principles, practices, and procedures to assess patient needs. Develops individualized nursing care plans for patients during labor and delivery through postpartum care and discharge. Interprets the progress of labor, monitors fetal status, recognizes deviations from normal, and promptly initiates appropriate nursing interventions. Identifies adverse signs and symptoms and responds effectively in emergency situations, including implementation of life-saving measures.
OB GS-11
Independently provides comprehensive nursing care in the obstetrical department, including triage and intervention in acute and life-threatening situations. Exercising advanced clinical judgment to independently assess, prioritize, and manage patient care in unpredictable and life-threatening situations. Coordinating and overseeing patient care to ensure continuity and quality of care and serving as a clinical resource within the OB department. Leading or significantly contributing to department-level initiatives such as policy development, quality improvement, staff education, or implementation of evidence-based practices.
OR GS-09
Provide care for patients before, during and after surgery or surgical procedures without close supervision; Certified in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS); Perform the role of patient educator, or circulating nurse and/or scrub nurse; Assess patients prior to surgery and alleviate their concerns; Gather all supplies as needed for the operation; Assess patient prior to surgery; Keep operating room sterilized; Position and prepare patient on operation table; Pass medical instruments to surgeon during operation; Monitor patients vital signs to detect anomalies.
OR GS-11
Knowledge of professional nursing principles, practices, and procedure to apply infection control practice to hospital programs; ability to analyze data, conduct rounds, and initiate the appropriate action with the findings; experience with conducting educational training on infection prevention in a large group setting; skill with providing oversight, direction, and coordination of projects and investigations related to infection control services. Able to coordinate patient care needs and strategize patient disposition while providing unit support.
Med/Surg GS-09
Perform complex assessments of patients with acute, chronic, and post-operative conditions and independently identify and respond to changes in clinical status; Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of nursing care plans and nursing diagnoses for patients with multifaceted care requirements; Serve as a clinical resource or preceptor by providing guidance, mentoring, and clinical support.
Med/Surg GS-11
Function as a senior clinical expert managing care for patients with highly complex, high-risk, or unstable conditions; Provide clinical leadership and guidance to nursing staff as a subject matter expert; Lead or coordinate unit-level quality improvement, patient safety, or evidence-based practice initiatives to improve patient outcomes and clinical workflows; Participate in development and implementation of nursing policies, procedures, and clinical practice guidelines; Collaborate with nursing leadership and interdisciplinary partners to address system-level issues affecting patient care delivery, staffing, and resource utilization.

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.ed.gov/accreditation. This education must have been accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education(external link),or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education(external link) at the time the degree was obtained.

Degree from Foreign Nursing School: Official certification from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (external link) is required for individuals who graduated from foreign nursing schools.

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 https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Selectee may be subject to a probationary period
U.S. Citizenship is required
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

This is a competitive vacancy announcement advertised under Direct Hire Authority. Selections made under this vacancy announcement will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would therefore be given new appointments to the civil service; however, benefits, time served, and all other Federal entitlements would remain the same.

This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.

IHS Selectees that will work in an IHS health care facility may be subject to Employee Health Policies related to Measles and Rubella, and seasonal influenza immunizations. Vaccine exemption requests may be available according to the National and/or Service Unit guidance.

The selected individual is required to obtain and maintain any licensure requirements.

On-call hours or standby duty may be required.

Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.

Position subject to rotating shifts; days, evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays. Shift rotations may vary from 8-, 10-and 12-hour shifts.

You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.

Background Investigation Requirement:
This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment.

A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service.

Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance. Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.