The Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center is currently recruiting for a Registered Nurse for the Chief, Community Care Service (CCS). This position requires a minimum of a Master's degree in Nursing and approximately 4-5 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing or related field.

Duties

The Chief, CCS, is a registered nurse (RN) who is accountable to the Chief of Staff (COS) and functions as a supervisor, administrator, educator, and consultant utilizing management, adult learning and education theory in collaboration with other service lines, disciplines, and affiliates. The Chief, CCS, must establish and maintain productive relationships through the organization (local, Veterans Integrated Service Network [VISN], National) and relate effectively to the internal/external customers, their families, and the community. As an RN, he/she is also responsible for contributing to the establishment and implementation of evidenced-based nursing standard of practice and outcomes. In collaboration with the interdisciplinary team, s/he creates a positive work environment to enhance patient-centered care while balancing internal and external services and resources. This dynamic leader serves as a consultant to the Executive Leadership Team as well as other Service Chiefs and department managers throughout the Medical Center and is instrumental in coordinating care and identifying opportunities for VA services to reduce non-VA spending. This position provides executive leadership and direct supervision for Community Care Service and is the clinical and administrative coordinator for all aspects of Community Care, internal and external, including policies and practice, budgetary and administrative oversight of compliance with VHA Directives. This position provides oversight for the Service to include: Administrative Supervisors, Program Support Analyst, Budget Analysts, Contract Nursing Home Coordinator, State Veterans Home Liaison, Administrative Assistant, Administrative staff for review of eligibility, authorizations and scheduling etc., Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses for care coordination and, if applicable, all processes related to review and approval of Community Care consult requests (for justification and medical necessity), and/or denial of Community Care consults, unauthorized/Mill Bill and traditional VA Community Care claims based on eligibility criteria. In addition to traditional Community Care, the Chief, CCS provides oversight and is responsible for administrative functions of the Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC), Contract Nursing Home (CNH), State Veterans Home (SVH) programs as well as the Referral Coordination Team. The Chief, CCS, is a senior nursing leadership position directly aligned under the Chief of Staff. This individual assumes direct responsibility and authority for the administrative and clinical operations as well as personnel within Community Care Service. This individual executes leadership that is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for population groups or integrated programs within Community Care and coordinates areas that cross service and/or discipline lines, influences the organizational mission and facilitates care coordination with both internal and external providers and demonstrates nursing leadership, clinical expertise and responsibility for outcomes. This Chief, CCS, works directly under the COS and has oversight of all functions associated with traditional Community Care to include non-VA and purchased care, MISSION Act standards, Veterans Care Agreements, the Referral Coordination Initiative, as well as financial and regulatory controls for the purchased care line in the Wilkes-Barre VA catchment area. This includes administration of a complex collection of laws, policies, and processes involving VA providers, community network providers, Third- Party Administrators (TPA), and Veteran enrollees. He/ she provides administrative, clinical, and financial oversight to VA Purchased Services including scheduling, authorizations, TPA coordination, provider agreements, reconciliation of budget and paid claims, case management of patients referred to the community, and hospital notifications. 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: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized 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: Experience/knowledge in care in community operations and regulations to include insurance regulations. Experience in Financial & Budget 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 IV - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN and approximately 4-5 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing or related field and appropriate basic or advanced certification desired, and approximately 3-4 years of nursing practice/experience. 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. Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient, staff and/or facility needs. The position may require long periods of sitting through meetings and/or at the computer. The individual must have the physical ability to perform job-related duties which require lifting, standing, bending, transferring, stooping, stretching, walking, pushing, or pulling without assistance. A health examination must be successfully completed prior to this assignment and periodically thereafter as required by the Employee Health Clinic policy.

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 Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center 1111 East End Boulevard Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711 US
• Name: Beverly Gurdock
• Phone: (570) 824-3521 X24174
• Email: [email protected]