Licensed Practical Nurse- Inpatient Mental Health

At the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System, Licensed Practical Nurses play a vital role in delivering compassionate, recovery-oriented care to Veterans. In this inpatient mental health setting, nurses support patient safety, meaningful connection, and high-quality treatment while working collaboratively to promote healing and dignity.

In this inpatient mental health environment, you will provide patient-centered nursing care, support therapeutic recovery, and maintain a safe and respectful milieu. You will collaborate in team reports, use therapeutic communication, participate in safety rounds, respond effectively to emergencies, and help orient new staff while ensuring Veterans receive consistent, high-quality care. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major Duties include, but are not limited to: Provides 24-hour patient-centered, recovery-oriented nursing care and milieu management. Participates in shift reports, warm hand-offs, and leads psychoeducational groups. Uses therapeutic communication and de-escalation strategies in all interactions. Engages in Mental Health (MH) Environment of Care Rounds, Environmental Safety Rounds, and Patient Safety Rounds. Maintains professional boundaries and acts in the best interest of the patient. Contributes to unit quality improvement and Mental Health knowledge sharing. Observes and documents patient responses to care, condition, and treatments. Responds effectively to emergencies, initiates CPR, and manages behavioral crises. Administers medications, collects specimens, maintains a safe environment, and ensures supplies are available. Builds positive relationships, communicates effectively, and assists in orienting and training new staff member Work Schedule: Sunday-Saturday, 8 or 12 hour shifts. Rotating holidays and weekends required. Work is scheduled between 7:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m.-3:30 a.m., or 11:30 p.m.- 7:30 a.m. Additional Pay: Shift Differential - 10% of basic pay for work performed during regularly scheduled hours between 6pm and 6am. Weekend Premium - 25% of basic pay for work performed between the hours of midnight Friday and midnight Sunday. This includes continuous service connected to work performed during these hours. Holiday Pay - 2 times basic hourly rate for regularly scheduled, non-overtime work on a designated holiday. Compressed/Flexible: Available Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year).Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. 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) Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Physical requirements: This position requires some degree of fitness, strength, and agility. Duties require extensive periods of standing and walking. Working with patients requires regular and recurring bending, lifting, stooping, stretching, pushing, pulling, lifting arm overhead, and similar activities. You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Sioux Falls is part of the VA Midwest Health Care Network (VISN 23). The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. 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. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a trial period. 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). Basic Life Support (BLS) certification required. Training provided. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.