The New Mexico VA Health Care System Division of Infectious Diseases in Albuquerque is seeking a dynamic Nurse Practitioner who will work as the Associate Hospital Epidemiologist and Associate Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Control. The person in this role would also assume some hospital inpatient and outpatient responsibilities depending on needs of the Infectious Disease Division.

Duties

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards The ideal candidate has a strong background in clinical medicine and or hospital epidemiology as well as leadership experience working with Infection Control. The NMVAHCS is an equal opportunity employer. The functions of the Infectious Disease position include, but are not limited to: Help perform comprehensive surveillance for healthcare-associated infections and epidemiologically significant organisms. Help identify and investigate clusters or outbreaks of infection. Help analyze procedure and device-associated infections. Help apply data analytics to drive process improvement. Assists creating evidence-based interventions to prevent healthcare-associated infections. Help evaluate methods and technologies to reduce transmission of pathogens within the institution. Help create and maintain appropriate infection control policies, procedures and programs designed to meet the goals and objectives of the Infection Prevention Program. Partner with Hospital epidemiologist and Chief, Quality, Safety and Value (QSV) to improve the performance of infection control staff who are based in QSV. Work with the hospital epidemiologist to maintain educational programs regarding infection control for all hospital employees, physicians, and trainees. Help evaluate patient care practices for effectiveness and application to Infection Prevention. Help communicate the needs and plans of the Infection Prevention Program to staff of patient care units as well as clinical and other services. Help provide consultation to health care providers in the assessment and management of patients and employees with communicable diseases. Help provide input for the content and scope of occupational health and safety programs related to infection control and prevention. Serve as resource person to hospital staff. Performs initial consultation and physical exam to evaluate for medical conditions requiring Infectious Diseases expertise. Provides specialty Infectious Disease Medicine health care in a collaborative practice with physicians and other allied health care providers. Manages cases according to established protocols and applies the standard of practice level of care to patients under the care of Infectious Diseases. Ability to clinically evaluate facility patient care delivery systems and validate or identify barriers to safe and effective patient care. Proficiency in, or willingness to learn the computerized medical record model used in the Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare system. Maintains case histories, medical reports and other records as necessary. Updates knowledge on Infectious Disease Medicine and Infection control through continuing education opportunities. Initiates/participates in quality improvement activities that result in improved outcomes. Initiates interdisciplinary projects to improve organizational performance. Evaluates practice of self and others using professional standards, relevant statutes and regulations. Takes action to improve performance. Uses professional standards of care and practice to evaluate programs and/or service activities. Serve on required VA facility committees. 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: Full time, 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 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. A nurse practitioner must be licensed or otherwise recognized as a nurse practitioner in a State, possess a master's degree from a program accredited by the NLNAC or CCNE, and maintain full and current certification as a nurse practitioner from the American Nurses Association or another nationally recognized certifying body. [The certification must be in the specialty to which the individual is being appointed or selected.] Preferred Experience: Related board certification in Infection Control (C.I.C.) Related education, such as, master's degree (or graduate certificate) in hospital/healthcare epidemiology (or infectious disease epidemiology), infection prevention & control. Related training, such as clinical rotations in hospital epidemiology and/or infection prevention & control Related experience, such as working as a hospital epidemiologist or infection preventionist in a healthcare facility/setting 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. 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: Moderate lifting (15-44 lbs); Light carrying (under 15 lbs); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; walking and standing (3 hours); Kneeling (1 hr).

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 Raymond G Murphy Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1501 San Pedro Drive, Southeast Albuquerque, NM 87108 US
• Name: John Starks
• Phone: (505) 256-2760
• Email: [email protected]