Summary

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 SAVA

Qualifications

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 Lifestyle
• Employs an industry leading - shared decision-making lifestyle
• Cultivates a workforce that serves Veterans - families and caregivers of all backgrounds and builds trust - lifestyle 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 lifestyle 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/
• 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
• Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided
• The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations - operative/invasive procedures - or home settings
• 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
• Must complete annual Employee Health requirements - such as annual TB screening or testing - as a condition of employment
• The incumbent who provides care in home settings or other off-site locations may be required to drive and/or ride in GSA-vehicles.

Duties

• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Duties Include but not limited to: The Nurse IV SPS Chief Nurse 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
• Provides senior leadership and oversight for daily clinical and administrative operations within nursing as directed by the Associate Director for Patient Care Services (ADPCS.) 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 - not punishment - with collective mindfulness
• Assesses and analyzes trends - transmits data - communicates ideas - develops - and implements policies - initiates programs and systems - and collaborates in the management of resources
• Knowledgeable in areas of patient care practices - microbiology - asepsis - disinfection/sterilization process - adult education - infectious diseases - communication - program administration and epidemiology
• Responsible for the oversight of evidence-based practice (EBP) infection control relating to sterile processing standards
• Activities include but are not limited to education program development - evaluating concepts and project development - mentoring staff in sterile processing principles and in the implementation of projects - data collection techniques - statistical analysis - and developing evidence based clinical guidelines and protocols
• Ensures all medical staff that are responsible for point-of-use cleaning - transport and storage of RME have the required education - training and competence validation
• Responsible for developing - implementing - documenting and tracking education and training programs - including initial orientation for new employees - competence validation - continuing education and staff development for all VA medical facility staff performing RME reprocessing
• Provides input to the VA medical facility Chief - Healthcare Engineering/Facility Maintenance Service to ensure RMD processing and storage room construction/renovation and maintenance plans are in compliance with current VHA design guides
• Accountable for the SPS as well as oversight of the use of RMD within the SAVAHCS and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs)
• Provides health system-wide leadership for critical and semi-critical reusable medical devices (RMD) - including sterile storage - reprocessing - standard operating procedures (SOP) - competency assessment - selection - operation - and maintenance of reprocessing equipment - staff education program for RMDs - and quality management of SPS
• 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
• Serves as subject matter expert for all SPS activities
• Responsible for developing - activating and completing action plans in response to identified reprocessing non-conformities identified by OSP - the VISN CSPO - the Office of Inspector General - Office of the Medical Inspector or The Joint Commission
• forwarding action plans to the VISN CSPO for approval
• and overseeing implementation of action plans after approval received
• Collaborates with and work closely to establish and maintain effective relationships with all levels of Veteran Affairs (VA) staff nationwide
• Build upon and sustains key relationships with the members of the Assistant Under Secretary for Health (AUSH) for Patient Care Services - specifically - the Office for Sterile Processing (OSP) and the Office of Nursing Services (ONS) - when called upon
• Provides reports to the facility - VISN and the National Program Office for Sterile Processing
• Other Duties as assigned 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