Nurse (Clinical/OB-GYN) Joint Base San Antonio

Time to invest in some new footwear because if you’re San Antonio-bound, you’d better show up in boots! The Alamo City is one of the military’s most envied postings and is often referred to as “Military City USA”. Low cost of living, affordable homes, and the lack of state tax on retirement income are a few financial perks to living and retiring in this Texas city. A robust job market that seems partial to government and defense/security contracting ensures employment opportunities for spouses or transitioning service members. San Antonio is the country’s seventh fastest growing city yet has somehow managed to retain a “small town feel.” Quality schools and friendly locals (most with military ties) are additional  perks to living in San Antonio.

Some things you should know before you get here: trucks are the norm (the bigger, the better), love for The Spurs (NBA) runs deep, the H-E-B obsession is real (it’s a grocery store), rodeos are life, and don’t call it “San Antone”—that’s just wrong. The community boasts a vibrant Hispanic population, and enhances everything from the food, to the music, to community events. You don’t necessarily need to speak Spanish to get around, but you’d better know how to say barbacoa, tamales, and cascarones.

Name brand shopping (IKEA is the latest arrival of note), restaurants, and all variety of entertainment all add to San Antonio’s quality of life. SeaWorld, the San Antonio Zoo, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and downtown museums are all fun outings for kids and families. Tube or kayak down a river, play or fish in the lakes, or relax by San Antonio’s famous downtown River Walk. Museums, art galleries, and historical landmarks—remember The Alamo?—round out San Antonio’s cultural offerings. Tex-mex cuisine arguably originated here, and some up and coming culinary trendsetters are making a name for themselves in the Pearl District downtown, alongside several notable breweries.

San Antonio has over 300 days of sunshine with some hot summers, mild winters and pleasant spring and fall seasons. San Antonio is in Bexar County (it’s pronounced “BEAR”) in south central Texas, and is just south of the gorgeous Hill Country. It’s only about two hours from Austin, the beach, or the desert.

Working for the Department of Defense comes with an abundance of benefits and perks to include competitive compensation packages, paid-time off, medical benefits, student loan repayments, and retirement package with Thrift Savings Plan to include matching employer contributions.

MAJOR DUTIES:

Serves as a Clinical Nurse, Department of OB/GYN, Brooke Army Medical Center: Fort Sam Houston, TX working, as required, in the Department of OB/GYN out-patient clinic.

Plans, oversees, and schedules clinic nursing activities in coordination with the medical and Nursing Officer in Charge. Establishes, reviews, and updates nursing policies and procedures, internal standing operating procedures, and patient education criteria followed by paraprofessional staff. Constantly reviews updated regulatory guides and directives to assess their impact on current internal nursing operating activities. Updates policies and procedures, as required. Assures effectiveness of clinic nursing and administrative operations by continually revising and refining operational activities procedures, and instructions. Manages clinic and patient records. Implements performance improvement and internal control activities for a variety of clinics, to include performing risk appraisals, conducting audits, preparing reports of findings, identifying trends, and reporting on corrective actions taken. Receives, investigates and acts on patient complaints involving clinic operational matters. Assures healthy, hygienic environment for patients and staff by employing prescribed monitoring and safety measures. Attends and participates in assigned committees, projects, and programs. Determines requirements for and orders supplies and materials. 

Uses tact and diplomacy to assess and triage patients reporting to a variety of clinics to prioritize needs and control flow into examination rooms. Takes initial history on new patients through utilizing the nursing process and good communication skills, as appropriate. Systematically collects data through interviews, observation, physical examination, and review of medical records. Evaluates the information provided and makes a professional assessment of the patient's physical, emotional, and mental status. Collects demographic and other data (such as vital signs, height, weight, and other pertinent measurements). Documents or assures documentation of initial assessments in patient medical records. Identifies situations in which the physician should be consulted immediately. Initiates emergency treatment, as necessary. Executes physicians' orders and coordinates with other health care providers, as required. Supervises the collection of and or personally collects laboratory specimens in accordance with published procedures: blood, urine, feces, sputum, to include, blood by vein puncture and urine by catheterization. Assists with special procedures and treatments. Administers medications by all routes and documents effectiveness. Interprets and reports abnormal diagnostic data and changes in symptoms, and identifies need for follow up. Identifies recurring problems with specific patients and anticipates possible crises for the service member, civilian, or family member. Coordinates patient referral to support services provided by community health nurse. social worker, dietitian. clinic nurse specialist, and chaplain, as required. Supervises the set up, operation, and maintenance and/or personally sets up, operates, and maintains a myriad of simple to complex medical equipment. Performs medication reconciliation and records it in the electronic medical record as appropriate. 

Develops informal plans of care for patients as deemed appropriate in such matters as chronic medical disorders, communicable diseases, health promotion, and health education. Performs nursing assessment of the patient's condition, makes nursing diagnosis, and formulates and adjusts nursing plan of care to include nursing orders according to patient's evolving condition. Serves as role model to the staff in giving expert care to patients. Performs and documents pertinent health teaching situations provided to patients and family members which promotes treatment compliance and heath maintenance. 

Serves as Advice Nurse in accordance with established protocols. Counsels patients on the telephone and patients who present themselves to the OB/GYN clinic. Instructs and answers questions relating to their medical care. Provides reassurance and/or advice regarding side effects of medications. Assists with prescription refills in consultation with a physician. Uses tact and diplomacy in notifying patients of laboratory tests which are abnormal. Instructs the patient as to further care according to the physician's advice or established protocol. 

Performs other duties as assigned.

Basic Requirements:

US Citizenship required

May be required to work early morning (before 0730), evening, weekends and holidays. May be required to work 10 or 12-hour shifts.

Current nursing licensure in any state or province of the United States.

Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.

This position has specific initial background investigation and periodic re-verification requirements since its duties require interaction with children and youth under the age of eighteen (18) years of age on a recurring basis.

This position has a mandatory seasonal influenza vaccination requirement and is therefore subject to annual seasonal influenza vaccinations. Applicants tentatively selected for appointment to this position will be required to sign a statement (Condition of Employment) consenting to seasonal influenza vaccinations.

Immunization screening is required.

Position requires a Pre-employment Physical.

This position is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) subject to applicant testing and random drug testing. Applicants tentatively selected for appointment to this position will participate in drug urinalysis testing, unless currently occupying a TDP within the Department of Defense. Tentatively selected applicants will be required to sign DA Form 5019 (Condition of Employment for Certain Civilian Positions Identified as Critical Under the Department of the Army Drug-Free Federal Workplace Program) requiring participation in random drug testing as a condition of employment. A job offer to an applicant who is a not a current employee will be withdrawn if the applicant refuses to be tested. Applicants with verified positive test results shall be refused employment. Applications from such individuals shall not be considered for employment for a period of 6 months from the date of the test results.

NOTES:

National certification in Inpatient Obstetrics, highly desirable.