Duties

The Associate Director for Patient Care Services/Chief Nurse Executive is the top executive within nursing and is a key member of the senior executive leadership team of the organization, involved in strategic planning, organizational assessment, and program development. The Associate Director for Patient Care Services/Chief Nurse Executive has the authority and responsibility for establishing standards of nursing practice and ensuring the continuous and timely availability of quality nursing services.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Participates fully in upper-level management decisions to speak on behalf of nursing, social work and other hospital administration issues and is a member of all medical center-level Councils and Committees that govern and influence the operations of the medical center, such as the Facility Leadership Board, Health Systems Council, Resource Management Board, and the Affiliation Partnership Council/Dean's Committee.
• Responsible for the practice of nursing 24/7 by all registered nurses, advanced practice nurses, and allied health staff (LPNs, NAs, etc.) regardless of line authority.
• Exercises final authority and approval over nursing job descriptions, nursing care policies and procedures; nursing standards of patient care, treatment, and services; standards of nursing practice; nurse staffing plans; and standards to measure, assess, and improve patient outcomes.
• Ensures that all registered nurses, advance practice nurses, and licensed practical nurses are licensed, certified, and/or registered upon employment, and thereafter.
• Ensures a competency process is in place to evaluate individual practice, as well as a review process for annual performance ratings.
• Participates with leaders from the Executive Council for Patient Care Services, management, medical staff, clinical areas, and administrative areas in strategic planning and decision-making processes.
• Responsible to the VAMHCS Director for establishing, maintaining and providing oversight for nursing practice and operations across the VAMHCS.
• Functions as the senior nurse executive within a centralized nursing service model for a complex, multi-site health care system with five separate Clinical Centers including all levels of care from intensive to home based community.
• Serves as the principle advisor to the VAMHCS executive management leadership for issues related to nursing practice including nursing policies, procedures, protocols, as well as the interpretation of local, state, and national regulations.
• Oversees all Nursing Labor and Management Relations.
• Responsible for a centralized nursing service consisting of approximately 1300 various types of nursing staff.
• Accountable for the development, ongoing management and fiscal resolution of the nursing service budget consisting of approximately 120 million dollars.
• Responsible for ensuring fulfillment of the VAMHCS Mission, Vision, and Values as well as the goals of the VAMHCS, VISN 5, and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
• Executes leadership that is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for professional nursing practice.
• Responsible for the management of organized nursing services within the VAMHCS in relation to VISN 5 and other VHA nursing organizations.
• Provides the leadership, guidance and direction for the ongoing evolution of a patient centered, shared governance nursing practice model.
• Responsible for nursing operations and practice throughout the multiple sites and environments of care in the VAMHCS.
• Provides executive leadership in human resources development and management and serves as a professional role model and mentor to motivate, develop, recruit, and retain future nurse executive administrators.
• Ensures there are a sufficient number of appropriately qualified nursing staff members to delivery care to veteran patients.

Work Schedule: 8 hour shift between 7:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday
Telework: Available at the discretion of the Medical Center Director
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact Daniel Benton, daniel.benton@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Required

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Personnel

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate State-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 ). 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, 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.

Preferred Experience: PhD preferred. Board certification as a Nurse Executive (NEA-BC) desired or other appropriate VHA approved certification. Demonstration of complex leadership and administrative expertise associated with critical health care issues. RN Experience: 10 years.

Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade:

• Nurse V - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN (or a Bachelor's degree in a related field) and approximately 5-6 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree (preferred) in nursing or related field and appropriate basic or advanced certification desired, and approximately 4-5 years of nursing practice/experience.

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: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires intermittent walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. 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 Incumbent must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript (not a diploma) showing degree conferment in nursing must be submitted with your application

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ . If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html .

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan reimbursement program. To participate in the program, you must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA Policy 1021 and submit your application within four months of appointment. The final award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) is determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services office. The EDRP Coordinator, Daniel Benton, can be reached at daniel.benton@va.gov and (410) 605-7000, ext. 51532.

Additional information

Testing Designated Position: All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

Annual leave shall accrue for full-time Nurses, and Nurse Anesthetists at the rate of 8 hours for each full biweekly pay period.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

As required by Executive Order 14043 , Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required exception from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

Due to COVID-19, VA is currently in an expanded telework posture. If selected, you may be expected to temporarily telework, even if your home is located outside the local commuting area. Once employees are permitted to return to the office, you will be expected to report to the duty station listed on this announcement. Management officials will provide information about returning to the official, pre-pandemic worksite, when applicable. At that time, you may be eligible to request to continue to telework depending upon the terms of your organization's telework policy and the duties of the position.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .