The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System is a Level I major interdisciplinary teaching facility with care serving medical, surgical, and neurological inpatients & outpatients, with a Level III Emergency Department along with multiple community-based outpatient clinics (CBOC). There are inpatient and outpatient psychiatric population treatment programs, with admissions for medical co-morbidities. Home & Community-based nursing care, to include home-based primary care from the SAVAHCS. 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. Grade Determinations: The following Scope, Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade. The Dimension requirements (Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12668857. Grade/Level Scope Education Nurse I, Level I Delivers fundamental, knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies. An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional professional nursing required. Nurse I, Level II Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex. An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 1 ;OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional professional nursing experience required. Nurse I, Level III Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations. An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I, Level 2; OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I, Level 2; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience. Nurse II Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others. A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with no additional professional nursing experience. Nurse III Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting. MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Master's degree in *related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III. *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees. Preferred Qualifications Minimum of 5 years successful Nursing practice with a minimum of 2 years working as a Quality Management Consultant or affiliated job. Experience utilizing data from chart reviews, program evaluations, and performance improvement studies to design and revise appropriate strategies to improve patient outcomes. Initiates and participates in interdisciplinary projects to improve organizational performance in collaboration with Quality Management staff, interdisciplinary teams, and peers. Experience preparing and participating in OIG, The Joint Commission, and other accrediting surveys. Experience collecting, organizing, and regularly communicating performance measure information. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Heavy Lifting and Carrying (45 lbs. and over); Moderate Carrying (15-44 pounds); Straight Pulling, Pushing, Walking, Standing, Kneeling, Repeated bending, Keyboarding, Viewing computer screen (8 - 12 hours); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands and legs required; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and 20/40 in the other; Depth perception; Ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of colors; Hearing (aid permitted); and Emotional/Mental stability. ["Duties Include but not limited to: The Chief of SPS Registered Nurse (RN) plays a leadership role in ongoing systematic evaluation and improvement of quality and effectiveness of SPS program outcomes. The incumbent provides health system-wide leadership for critical and semi-critical RMD, including sterile storage, accountability, reprocessing, standard operating procedures (SOP), competency assessment, selection, operation, and maintenance of reprocessing equipment, staff education program for RMDs, and quality management of SPS. The incumbent is responsible for assessing, monitoring, developing, and implementing corrective action plans for instrument processing, decontamination, sterilization, storage, biological monitoring, and high-level disinfection monitoring through an SPS Quality Management System. The incumbent maintains oversight and availability for consultation of non-critical RMD. The incumbent assesses the environment, analyzes trends, transmits data, communicates ideas, develops, and implements policies, initiates programs and systems, and collaborates in the management of resources. The incumbent has knowledge in areas of patient care practices, microbiology, asepsis, disinfection/sterilization process, adult education, infectious diseases, communication, program administration and epidemiology. The incumbent has responsibility and oversight of evidence-based practice (EBP) infection control relating to sterile processing standards. Specific activities include but are not limited to education program development, evaluating concepts and project development, mentoring staff, and medical providers in sterile processing principles and in the implementation of projects, data collection techniques, statistical analysis, and developing evidence based clinical guidelines and protocols. This position is accountable for the SPS as well as oversight of the use of RMD within the Southern Arizona Healthcare System and the Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). Demonstrates leadership in developing and maintaining productive working relationships with groups in other medical programs and services across the spectrum of care, including, but not limited to Operative Care, Gastroenterology, ophthalmic surgical procedures, dental surgical procedures, Supply Chain Management, Ear, Nose and Throat surgical procedures, urological surgical procedures, and medical and surgical patient care areas. This also includes administrative/support programs and services across the healthcare system, such as engineering services, biomedical engineering department, environmental management services, logistics, hospital education, Quality, Safety, and Value (QSV) department, the Safety Officer, VISN 22 Offices, and Southern Arizona Healthcare Executive Leadership. Must work closely to establish and maintain effective relationships with all levels of Veteran Affairs staff nationwide. Executes leadership that is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for integrated programs that cross service and or discipline lines and influence organizational mission and safe, infection-free health care, provides oversight for daily clinical and administrative operations as directed by the ADPCS. The SPS department is wide-reaching, and the consultative information provided to executive leadership impacts the healthcare system at all levels (local, regional, and national). Collaborates in the development and implementation of policies and procedures relating to sterile processing and infection control practices throughout the healthcare system. Collaborates with various surgical proprietary vendors that provide instrumentation that allow the agency to maintain inventory par levels that support the complex surgical cases. These arrangements also require the incumbent to forecast upcoming supply and demand of highly specialized surgical instrumentation especially when our facility competes with other healthcare systems in our region. Chairs the Hospital RMD Committee and provides reports to both VISN and the National Program Office for Sterile Processing regularly. Other Duties as assigned 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: 7:00AM to 3:30PM (Mon thru Fri) Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized: Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized"]

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