The High Reliability Organization Specialist (HRO) is a professional nurse who serves as the influencer of strong, safe clinical processes across the HealthCare System. The incumbent uses Patient Safety, Systems Redesign (Lean) and Quality Improvement skills to foster the development of a HRO at the unit/service/medical center level. The incumbent actively goes out to clinical care areas and works with individual staff, teams, and services to improve safety, quality and efficiency of care.

Duties

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Duties include but are not limited to: Breaks down silos between services to ensure development of strong patient care processes Works with QM, PSM, SR to identify vulnerabilities & develops processes and programs that advance Patient Care across the continuum Works with Clinical Teams to develop and implement strategies for improved patient safety and patient care Puts Veterans as the focus of all process innovation and change Shares lessons learned from group to group Assists the Health Care System in implementing priority sections of the HRO Toolkit Acts as subject matter expert consultant to Health Care System Leadership in HRO principles and practices 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: 7:30 am - 4 pm Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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. English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), 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 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). The approving official may authorize a waiver of the requirement for ACEN or CCNE accreditation of any degree in nursing provided the college or university has regional accreditation from an accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education at the time of the candidate's graduation and the composite qualifications of the applicant warrant such consideration. 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: Physical and intellectual capacity to satisfactorily perform assigned duties Doctoral degree in Nursing or in a related field with no experience (and meets basic requirements for appointment); OR Master's degree in Nursing or in a related field with a BSN or Bachelor's degree in a related field with ADN or Diploma and approximately 1-2 years' experience; OR MSN from bridge program; no BSN required when a bridge graduate and approximately 1-2 years' experience; Experience and knowledge of Program/Process management Experience and knowledge of Change Management principles Experience and knowledge of Lean Six Sigma techniques and processes. Experience and knowledge Patient Safety Excellent communication skills including discussions with the Senior Leadership Team. Responsibility: The HRO reports to the Chief of Quality Management. Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade: Nurse I Level I - An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse I Level II - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 1 year of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a bachelor's degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience; OR a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse I Level III - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a BSN with approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) or related field with a BSN and no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse II - A BSN with approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing or meets basic requirements for appointment and has doctoral degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse III - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree. Note regarding MSN degrees: If your MSN was obtained via a Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration, a BSN is not required. 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. BLS/ACLS Requirements: Current certification in Basis Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) is required for all staff providing direct patient care and working in PCU. If you are selected, you will be required to have proof of certification prior to being boarded for appointment with VA or obtain such certification in order to avoid any delays in the hiring process. Physical Requirements: The physical requirements of this position include lifting, prolonged standing, frequent bending, stooping, walking, reaching and repetitive motion. The mental/sensory requirements include recall, reasoning, problem-solving, hearing, speaking clearly, writing, keyboarding, reading and logical thinking. The environment's pace can vary from steady to a sometimes fast pace, requiring handling of multiple priorities, frequent, sometimes intense customer interactions, and the ability to adapt to frequent change in a sometimes noisy environment. There may be the need to use personal protective equipment to prevent exposure to disease, illness and hazardous materials. Work Environment: Work is performed primarily in a patient care setting; adequately lighted, temperature controlled, and ventilated. Office temperatures fluctuate periodically; involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as clinics, offices, meeting and training rooms or libraries; exposure to noise and dust on occasion. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. 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.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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.

Contacts

• Address Central Virginia VA Health Care System 1201 Broad Rock Boulevard Richmond, VA 23249 US
• Name: Lynne Whitted
• Phone: 804-854-2581
• Email: [email protected]