Northern Arizona VA Medical Center (VAMC) Primary Care is looking for interested candidates for the Associate Chief Nurse. The primary purpose of the position is to lead and supervise Primary Care Operations within Prescott, AZ outpatient Primary Care, providing backup cross-coverage of other operations, services and sections. May assume supervisory responsibility or program leadership of other areas. 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: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-6 Nurse Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: Occasional moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds Occasional Light carrying, under 15 pounds Use of Fingers and Hands for patient examinations Waking 2 hours Standing 2 hours Near vision correctable at 13' to 16' to Jaeger 1 to 4 Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other Ability to distinguish basic colors Hearing (aid permitted) Mental/Emotional stability required ["VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards The Associate Chief Nurse (ACN) is responsible for the management and oversight of clinical operations within the clinical services under their responsibility. These duties include coordination of work schedules, responsibility for clinical performance measures, optimization of resources and other functions within the department. The duties of the position include but are not limited to the following: Provides direct patient care in outpatient clinics and/or inpatient wards and will participate in the on-call schedule if required, dependent on qualifications/expertise, and/or the needs of the service line. Manages and approves leave schedules and respective Time & Leave (T&L) sections to ensure there is adequate coverage for planned leaves and a contingency plan for unexpected absences as well as accurate/timely leave approvals and labor mapping. Participates in activities/committees/board impacting patient care, Veteran access, staff performance and morale as assigned. Completes required training, closure of encounters, billing, electronic view alerts, orders, medication renewals, travel requests, and other assigned tasks. Works with service line leadership and human resources staff to ensure adequate and appropriate staffing for all assigned areas. The ACN is responsible for recruitment, hiring, evaluation, disciplinary, and termination actions for primary care staff. Works with various stakeholders to ensure policies, procedures, performance goals, strategic plans and initiatives are communicated to staff and implemented Reviews, interprets, and effectively uses performance reports, benchmark data, budget cost/expenditure documents, staffing, and other reports in decision-making. 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, 7:30am to 4:00pm Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May Be Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Location: 500 Highway 89 North Prescott, AZ 86313"]
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.
