Registered Nurse - Outpatient Mental Health - Intensive Community Mental Health Recovery (ICMHR)

Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Provides patient-centered, recovery-oriented mental health nursing care to Veterans with pervasive mental illness (PMI), severe functional impairments, and complex mental health needs.
• Provides community-based case management services, including home visits, community outreach, medication management, and ongoing assessment of Veterans' mental health needs.
• Coordinates care with inpatient mental health units, outpatient clinics, community providers, and other VA services to ensure continuity of care and reduce unnecessary hospitalizations.
• Conducts nursing assessments, risk screenings, medication reviews, and ongoing evaluations to identify changes in Veterans' mental health conditions and treatment needs.
• Develops, implements, and evaluates individualized treatment plans in collaboration with Veterans, caregivers, and interdisciplinary treatment teams.
• Provides education to Veterans, families, and caregivers regarding mental health conditions, medications, treatment plans, symptom management, and recovery goals.
• Responds to psychiatric and medical emergencies, utilizes therapeutic communication and de-escalation techniques, and directs team responses to ensure patient and staff safety.
• Participates in interdisciplinary team meetings, daily huddles, and care coordination activities to address patient needs, safety concerns, and barriers to treatment.
• Provides leadership and guidance to nursing staff and interdisciplinary team members in managing complex mental health cases and improving patient outcomes.
• Collaborates with program leadership to identify safety concerns, improve clinical processes, and implement strategies that support quality patient care and program effectiveness.
• Performs Mental Health Treatment Coordinator (MHTC 2.0) functions, including panel management, targeted outreach, needs assessments, and coordination of care across BHIP and specialty mental health clinics.
• Coordinates post-discharge and post-consult follow-up activities, supports the FLOW initiative, and assists Veterans with accessing appropriate mental health services and resources.
• Incorporates measurement-based care tools, including PHQ-9 and C-SSRS, to monitor symptoms, assess risk, and support treatment planning and clinical decision-making.
• Maintains accurate and timely documentation of nursing assessments, risk screenings, clinical reminders, treatment plans, and care coordination activities using approved VA systems and standardized templates.
• Supports professional development through mentoring, knowledge sharing, and constructive feedback while promoting a safe, supportive, and collaborative work environment focused on improving Veteran care.

• 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.)

• At least 2 years of experience providing direct nursing care to patients with serious mental illness or complex behavioral health conditions.
• At least 1 year of experience providing community-based mental health services, case management, or home-based patient care.
• Experience conducting and documenting mental health assessments, suicide risk screenings, crisis interventions, and medication management.
• Experience coordinating patient care with interdisciplinary teams, including psychiatrists, social workers, psychologists, and other healthcare professionals.
• Experience serving in a nursing leadership role, such as charge nurse, nurse supervisor, team lead, or preceptor, including mentoring staff or participating in quality improvement projects.

• 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 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.