The Referral Coordination Initiative (RCI) Nurse Manager is assigned to the Chief Medical Executive Directorate at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC) in North Chicago, Illinois. FHCC is a VA and DoD dually integrated healthcare center providing care services to Veterans, Active-Duty Military Personnel, and their beneficiaries, including outpatient pediatric services.

Duties

The RCI Nurse Manager executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches in leading and organizing delivery of care to assure continuity of care and peer accountability for practice, including access to care and discharge planning. The RCI Nurse Manager uses advanced clinical knowledge/judgment to promote staff involvement in planning, decision-making, and evaluating outcomes and functions as an expert in clinical practice and/or areas related to the assigned roles and responsibilities. The RCI Nurse Manager systematically evaluates current practice and formulates outcomes for groups of patients and/or organizational processes within an area of expertise while guiding, developing, and supporting staff from a leadership perspective. The RCI Nurse Manager uses professional standards of care, scientific evidence, and practice to evaluate programs and/or service activities. Major Duties and Responsibilities The NM is the designated first-line supervisory authority on the unit, he/she is responsible and accountable for the 24/7 operations of the unit, ensuring that subordinate personnel provide timely nursing care which complies with standards of clinical practice. He/she acts for all operational purposes including the granting of leave, overtime, and disciplinary actions. He/she will have first-line rating responsibility for unlicensed personnel assigned to the care unit. He/she will be rating official related to employee performance which may include the initial drafting of performance evaluations/proficiencies. Directs assignment of nursing care, utilizing the skills and abilities of staff members, patient acuity, and available resources; utilizes the resources (financial, human, material, or informational) to facilitate safe, effective, and efficient care. Partners with other nurse manager and associate chief nurses to coordinate the development and periodic revision of policies and procedures to ensure consistent efficient processes and staff dissemination. Participates in the development and periodic revision of policies and procedures to ensure consistent efficient processes and staff dissemination. The NM possess the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively apply all aspects of the nursing process within the collaborative and interdisciplinary practice setting. Provides tracking and trending of clinical outcomes. He/she has progressive responsibility for performance improvement, customer service/patient satisfaction, patient and employee safety, interviewing applicants, employee relations, standards of care and practice, the work environment, and accreditation and regulatory standards. Plans for personal growth, knowledge and skills to maintain expertise in area of practice as related to professional goals based on self-assessment, evaluation, and feedback. Assumes responsibility for acquiring knowledge and experience to meet goals. Actively participates in professional organizations. Maintains membership on Nursing councils and other groups as assigned. Uses interpersonal communication strategies with individuals, as well as groups of patients/families/significant others and staff that result in the achievement of intended outcomes and other's expressed perception of acceptance/satisfaction. Perceived by other health care workers as approachable when assisting in the achievement of established goals and objectives for improving clinical outcomes. Uses Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (Team STEPPS) with individuals, as well as groups of patients/ families/significant others and staff that result in the achievement of intended outcomes and other's expressed perception of acceptance/satisfaction. Perceived by other health care workers as approachable when assisting in the achievement of established goals and objectives for improving clinical outcomes. Develops collaborative relationships with other services to facilitate and support quality care. Educates staff and colleagues and serves as preceptor and/or mentor. 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-Friday, 7:00am to 3:30pm 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: Have at least a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing (BSN); MSN/MS or Master's degree in a related healthcare field is preferred; Have at least four (4) years of increasingly RN nursing practice; Have/maintain current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS); Be proficient in the written and spoken use of the English Language; 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 years 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 and approximately 2-3 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: To perform in a fully successful manner, the individual must have the physical ability to perform job-related duties which require light lifting (under 15 pounds), light carrying (under 15 pounds), standing (up to 2 hours), walking (up to 2 hours), sitting (up to 3 hours). bending (less than 10 minutes), transferring, stooping (less than 10 minutes), pushing or pulling without assistance (less than 10 minutes) without assistance, reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of color, and hearing (aid permitted). In addition, the ability to perform the following administrative duties is required: word processing, computer key board typing, computer screen viewing, answering/placing telephone calls, filing and note taking. The employee may encounter the following environmental factors: working closely with others; exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations; 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. A health examination must be successfully completed prior to this assignment and periodically thereafter as required by the Occupational Health Clinic policy. There will be intermittent exposure to blood and body fluids.

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 Captain James A Lovell Federal Health Care Center 3001 Green Bay Road North Chicago, IL 60064 US
• Name: Antionette Sneed-Clay
• Email: [email protected]