Registered Nurse(Interventional Radiology)-VA

Overall Purpose of The Job

This position will support the US Department of Veterans Affairs Critical Staffing Program.  The person in this position will represent International SOS and provide the services outlined below.   

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 

This position is assigned to the Radiology Service line. The primary responsibilities include coordination and assessment of patients undergoing interventional radiology procedures; pre, intra, and post intervention. They work closely with the interventional Radiologist and the assigned patients to provide direct care in collaboration with providers and other team members.

Key Responsibilities:

• Aseptically preparing patient and the surgical field, selecting required instruments, catheters, guide wires and ancillary equipment necessary for the prescribed procedure. Prepping and draping patient according to protocol. 
• Providing venous access via initiation of an intravenous line and setting IV pump to ordered drip rate and medication dosage. 
• Venous access skill-set for IV medication administration. 
• Preparing and administering cardiac medications as directed by the attending Cardiologist for all emergency and non-emergency situations in the Cath/EP Labs and Echocardiography. 
• Administering and monitoring patients receiving anxiolysis or moderate sedation for all cardiac Cath procedures or transesophageal echo procedures. 
• Providing critical care level nursing to critically ill patients which includes maintaining a patient on the ventilator, adjusting critical care medications, critical assessments and notifying staff of changes. 
• Setting up computers in order to acquire, reconstruct and analyze data using various computer software and peripheral devices (digital imaging, and video formatters) to quantitate coronary lesions and to generate ventricular analysis reports, cardiac output, gradients, valve areas and other diagnostic parameters for patient reports. 
• Assisting in Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP) set-up by calibrating the machine and correlating the mechanics of the IABP with the cardiac cycle and/or pressure waveform. 
• Assisting in maintaining sterile field, helping with catheter exchanges, injections, and balloon dilatation. Circulating responsibilities include providing supplies, administering medications, monitoring the patient and responding to emergencies. Hemodynamic and ECG monitoring and ensuring optimal performance of radiological equipment. 
• Removing arterial and venous sheaths and achieving effective hemostasis. 
• Assisting in collecting blood and expired gas samples to determine Fick and thermodilution cardiac outputs. 
• Dopplers patients with suspected peripheral vascular disease to determine a) the best approach; and b) document peripheral flow post cath. 
• Providing nursing care, medication administration and set-up for non-invasive procedures (Dobutamine Stress Echocardiograms, Trans-Esophageal Echocardiograms, Treadmill Stress Testing). 
• Maintaining practice and unit specific competencies. Utilizing protocols and Directives for safe procedural and patient care activities. 
• Electrophysiology - assist with monitoring, medication administration, hemodynamic monitoring and scrub for Pacemaker / ICD implants, and Ablation studies

Job profile

Experience/Certification Required:  

• 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.  
• Current ACLS and BLS certification.  Current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) is preferred 
• One year of EP or Cath Lab procedural experience 
• Minimum of two to three years critical care or procedural care experience 

Physical Requirements: 

• Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment. 
• Work involves sitting and standing for prolonged periods of time. 
• May require bending, stooping and lifting to 15 lbs. 

Other Special Qualifications: 

• US Citizen or Permanent Resident Card is required.   
• Must relocate to project site for the duration of the contract.  
• Pass/possess VA Public Trust Clearance

Education required

• Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved 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). The approving official may authorize a waiver of the requirement for ACEN or CCNE accreditation of any degree in nursing provided the college or university has regional accreditation from an accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education at the time of the candidate's graduation and the composite qualifications of the applicant warrant such consideration. In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. OR The completion of coursework equivalent to a nursing degree in a MSN Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration constitutes the completion of an approved course of study of professional nursing. Students should submit the certificate of professional nursing to sit for the NCLEX to the VA along with a copy of the MSN transcript. (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. Current BLS certification.
•   Current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) is preferred