The Bruce W Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center is looking for a Registered Nurse IV- Chief of Operations to work in the Associate Director, Patient Care Service. The Nurse IV Chief Nurse of Operations executes leadership that is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for population groups or integrated programs that cross services and/or discipline lines and, influence the organizational healthcare mission. Basic Requirements: English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited 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); OR Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor's level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program. Upon achievement of a State license, the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program. (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 to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program. Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD). 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. Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements, but do not possess the required licensure, may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.) NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification. The following Scope, Education and Dimension criteria must be met to qualify for Nurse IV: Scope: Executes leadership that is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for population groups or integrated programs that cross service and/or discipline lines and influence organizational mission and health care. Education: Master's degree in Nursing (MSN) and 4 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse IV; OR Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and 4 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse IV; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing and 3 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse IV; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and 3 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse IV. *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees. Dimensions: Leadership. Leads health care delivery by leveraging evidence-based practices, industry-leading research, and innovative care models. Drives a shared vision and successfully leads change to improve performance and attain measurable outcomes at the program or service level. Business Acumen. Transforms health care by implementing new processes, technology, informatics, and data analytics using business models and fundamental concepts of resource management at the program or service level. Inspiring an Industry-Leading Culture. Employs an industry leading, shared decision-making culture. Cultivates a diverse and inclusive workforce that serves Veterans, families and caregivers of all backgrounds and builds trust, cultural competencies and catalyzes dynamic teams at the program or service level. Communication and Relationship Management. Directs the effective use of relationship management principles to achieve positive customer service experiences that are consistent with professional organizational values, beliefs and practices at the program or services level. Professional and Social Responsibility. Operationalizes a culture of holistic care, health advocacy and health equity. Applies ethical principles in decision-making at the program or service level. Advances nursing knowledge through health science research and the translation and dissemination of evidence into practice to maximize the value to Veterans and the community. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Preferred Experience: A minimum of 3-5 years of mid-to high-level leadership/management. Experience managing a complex nursing section with diverse programs. Basic or advanced certification. Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. The environment's pace can vary. The incumbent must have the ability to priority patient care needs. Weigh limitations vary depending on area of service and functional duties. ["The Chief Nurse of Operations provides senior leadership and oversight for daily clinical, administrative operations, workflow Care management, UM, and Emergency management within nursing and emergency department as directed by the Associate Director for Patient Care Services (ADPCS.) They are a key member of the nursing executive leadership team and is responsible for all aspects of care that fall under the operations service line, providing administrative oversight and direction in the programs within the service. Possesses solid knowledge of Nursing and Emergency Nursing regulations, Veterans Health Administration (VHA) guidelines, medical review criteria, clinical practice and documentation requirements, current standards of care, and compliance guidelines. The Chief Nurse of Operations functions as an advisor, administrator, educator, consultant, and mentor who possesses a wide range of experience and leadership ability. The Chief Nurse provides senior leadership and oversight for daily clinical, administrative operations and Emergency management within nursing and emergency department as directed by the ADPCS. They are a key member of the nursing executive leadership team and responsible for all aspects of care that fall under the operations service line, providing administrative oversight and direction in the programs within the service. Possesses solid knowledge of Nursing and Emergency Nursing regulations, VHA guidelines, medical review criteria, clinical practice and documentation requirements, current standards of care, and compliance guidelines. Provides leadership in projects related to the coordination, design/redesign, delivery, and management of nursing and patient care services. He/she provides executive leadership and direct supervision to the Nurse Managers, Coordinators over the following clinical areas: Nursing supervisors, transfer office, case managers, utilization managers, float pool, staffing methodology, time keepers, emergency department, escort department, and patient flow. The incumbent assesses, plans, and evaluates processes affecting the overall operations of units/programs. The incumbent supports the integration and collaboration of nursing with other professional disciplines and functional areas in the mutual achievement of patient-centered and organizational goals. Champion a High Reliability Organization (HRO) with a culture of safety founded on a systems approach to developing evidence-based health care solutions based on prevention, just culture, and with collective mindfulness. Other duties included but are not limited to: Responsible for assessing and recommending allocating human and material resources, determining staffing levels using staffing methods/models in areas not yet under NHPPD, and managing overtime. The CN collaborates with stakeholders and sponsors to define the project charter, framework, vision, and deliverables and ensures the quality and effectiveness of research. Working closely with employed and non-employed physicians, the CN will be responsible for building effective partnerships and promoting collaborative relationships throughout the medical center. The CN assures implementation of local and system-wide policies and initiatives. This role is responsible to accomplish strategic and operational changes in a complex environment while maintaining integrity, being flexible, approachable and goal oriented. Collaborates with the Deputy Associate Director of Patient Care Service, reviews Performance Measures and other data for trends and early intervention, formulates follow-up plans with Nurse Executive Team, Nurse Managers, coordinators, the service, and medical center. Provides project management analysis, recommendations, and decision support for a broad array of complex clinical nursing and patient care issues. Provides subject matter expertise, address and develop recommendations for current/future operations and clinical processes/services/programs. Ensure resources and timelines are met. 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: Monday-Friday; 8:00-4:30; flexibility required in schedule and assignments to ensure coverage for the 24/7 operations of the facility. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized"]
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.