Nurse (ICU)

This position is located within Indian Health Service. The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a fully functional ICU nurse applying specialized critical care knowledge area of Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The incumbent assumes responsibility for advanced assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of nursing care for critically ill patients in collaboration with providers.

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)

Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. At least a 6 month service agreement will be required.

The position required rotation includes day, evening, night, weekend, and holiday rotations. The shift rotation varies and may vary from 8-, 10-, and 12-hours shifts, but will predominantly be 12 hours.

The purpose of this position is to provide comprehensive care to pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric patients within the Indian Health Service:

• Initiates treatment, medications, emergency and resuscitative measures based on appropriate utilization of standing ICU orders, ACLS protocol, and providers orders.
• Uses critical thinking and nursing judgement to recognize changes and characteristics that may affect the patient's health status.
• Administers therapeutic measures as prescribed by the physician such as medication treatments, intravenous fluids, blood transfusion, nasogastric tubes, internal and external catheters, wound care, etc.
• Observes and assesses critically ill patient's health status by conducting a nursing assessment and examination, interviewing patient and family members and reviewing patient's health history and ongoing hemodynamic monitoring.
• Develops a plan of care for individual patients by assessing the patient's condition and reviewing the patient's health record, determining and evaluating the kind of nursing care required by assessing the individual needs and goals of each patient.
• Maintaining required certifications such ACLS and BLS.

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; religious; spiritual; community; social). 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.

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 within 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.
This education must have been accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education, or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

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

Licensure
For all grade levels and positions, applicants must have passed the National Council Licensure Examination. 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.

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

Experience

The work experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. At the GS-9 and above grade level, many positions may require experience in a specialty area of nursing.

Basic Requirements for the GS-7 (or equivalent) Grade Level

• Possession of a bachelor's degree in nursing and eligibility under the Superior Academic Achievement provision;
• Possession of a bachelor's degree in nursing and at least one full year of professional nursing experience (equivalent to the GS-5 grade level);
• Possession of a diploma or associate degree in professional nursing and two full years of professional nursing experience; or
• Completion of at least one full year of graduate education in a professional nursing educational program.

Basic Requirements for the GS-9 (or equivalent) 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 (or equivalent) 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.

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:

Specialized experience GS-07
Implementing and evaluating a plan for care for assigned patients; and monitoring life support equipment for sudden changes in condition.Use established clinical guidance/orders and escalate abnormal findings or urgent issues to higher level of nursing staff or providers.

Specialized experience GS-09
Initiate treatment/medications and emergency/resuscitative measures based on facility and ACLS protocols. Conduct a thorough nursing assessment and recognize abnormal findings. Able to interpret data, document, and initiate treatment based on ICU equipment such as, invasive monitoring, defibrillators, ventilators, and other monitoring devices Coordinates care with the multidisciplinary team.

Specialized experience GS-11
Provides comprehensive nursing care to patients by utilizing the nursing process to assess the needs of patients, prioritizing and organizing the plan of care from admission through discharge. Collaborate with other health care professionals to identify individual patient needs and to develop, implement and evaluate plans of patient care for critically ill patients. Administers therapeutic measures as prescribed by the physician to include, but not limited to, monitoring life functions, administering prescribed medication, and monitoring for compliance. Provides local leadership in the unit such as charge nurse duties that the applicant coordinates and directs patient care and patient disposition.

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.

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.

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/.

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.

Financial Suitability Requirement:
This position requires a review of the applicant's financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying.

Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including, but not limited to, delinquent federal or state tax liabilities, defaulted federal student loans, court-ordered fines or fees, or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service (IHS).

Prior to the appointment, candidates must present two valid forms of identification. If one of the documents is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant.

Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.