The Registered Nurse - Outpatient Mental Health is responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing and/or supervising direct patient care. Assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates care based on age specific components. Assumes responsibility for the coordination of care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care.
The Registered Nurse - Outpatient Mental Health (MH) executes position responsibilities to improve patient and organizational outcomes. The MH RN executes their position duties by providing patient-centered and recovery-oriented care and maintaining self-awareness while caring for patients living with MH conditions.
Some of the MH RN duties include, but are not limited to: Facilitates care coordination, linking with the Inpatient MH Units to facilitate continuity of care, MH interdisciplinary treatment team huddles and meetings, warm hand-offs, and develops content as well as facilitating nurse-led psychoeducational groups.
Uses therapeutic communication techniques, practices de-escalation techniques, utilizes recovery-oriented language, and provides Veterans, their family members, and/or significant others with education regarding their illness, medications, and treatment plan. Reports and assists and/or directs safety concern resolution and collaborates with program leadership to help improve patient and program outcomes; and directs team response to psychiatric and medical emergencies.
Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches to management of complex client care. Documents nursing triage assessments, risk screens, measurement-based care tools, clinical reminders, and patient plan of care according to facility policy. Maintains professional boundaries to protect patient vulnerabilities and act in the best interest of the patient.
Provides peers with formal or informal constructive feedback for improvement. Supports colleagues and other nurses through knowledge sharing to provide safe, quality nursing care. Fosters a safe and supportive environment conducive to the professional development of health care professionals.
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: Full Time, Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm.
Telework: Not available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. EDRP Authorized: This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment.
Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
Note for RNs: Nursing education must be from a school of professional nursing accredited by one of the following accrediting organizations at the time the program was completed by the applicant. The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), located at 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326.
The ACEN accredits all levels of nursing programs, including clinical doctorate, masters/post master's certificate, baccalaureate, associate and diploma nursing education programs. (Note: The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission/NLNAC changed its name to ACEN in May 2013.
ACEN's website may be utilized to verify accredited programs using automated inquiry processes; however, for verification of any nursing program's accreditation prior to 1998, an automated inquiry cannot be used and ACEN must be contacted directly via their email contact information on the ACEN website to verify.) The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), located at 655 K Street, NW, Suite 7, Washington, DC 20001.
The CCNE is an accrediting arm of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and accredits nursing education programs at the bachelor and master's level.
This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.
The posted pay range is $71599 – $151662/yr.
This position requires a Other security clearance.
Applications close on 2026-10-26.
This is a Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm. position.
This position is open under the 'Fed Internal Search' hiring path.
Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government · Retrieved 2026-10-16 · Not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM or USAJOBS.gov
Apply on official site →