Tuscaloosa VAMC is hiring a Chief for Sterile Processing Service. The Chief, SPS provides leadership and management within SPS and identifies and maintains SPS standards of care in all services provided in collaboration with the Associate Director, Patient Care services. The incumbent demonstrates expertise and comprehensive understanding of infection control practices, asepsis and disinfection/sterilization.

Duties

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Duties The Chief, SPS functions as a second-level supervisor with administrative responsibility for planning and directing the work. Oversees attendance and leave, including approval of sick and annual leave and vacation schedules. Informs higher level management of anticipated vacancies or increases in workload. Recommends promotions, reassignments, recognition of superior performance, retention or release of probationary employees or other changes of assigned personnel. Holds corrective interviews with employees, referring disciplinary problems to higher levels of management. Resolves informal complaints of employees and deals with union representatives on personnel matters. Provides technical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the organizational unit, with responsibilities of managing the instrument tracking system, training and quality assurance oversight. This role involves clinical, administrative, research, and educational components which impact patients and healthcare personnel throughout the health care system. The incumbent oversees assessing the decontamination and high-level disinfection/sterilization process inside and outside of SPS, all secondary inventories, and the environment. Based on these, the incumbent analyzes trends, transmits data, communicates recommendations, develops and implements policies, and collaborates with others on the application of evidence-based principles to practice. The incumbent ensures the practice of SPS is consistent with the VA Standards, VISN 7 policies/procedures and external regulatory standards, such as The Joint Commission (TJC), AORN, Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and AAMI. The Chief, SPS plays a leadership role in assuring ongoing systematic evaluation, improvement of quality and effectiveness of SPS processes and practices. The Chief, SPS collaborates with all service lines within the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center (TVAMC), particularly Specialty Care, Primary Care, and Infection Control. The incumbent is responsible for meeting all performance goals including quality of care standards, productivity targets, efficiency and process improvement measures, patient/customer satisfaction, accessibility to care, and budgetary targets. The Chief, SPS assists with the development and completion of action plans associated with instrument processing, decontamination, sterilization, biological monitoring, high level disinfection monitoring, and inventory concerns in secondary storage supplies. The incumbent will assist with product or equipment recalls. This position also involves carrying out the duties, and responsibilities related to CensiTrac program in the facility. They will oversee the implementation and coordination of the CensiTrac management program, training and ongoing maintenance within the facility. Supports service leaders to develop the program is designed to prepare the new or existing staff technicians to function competently in a consistent high standard of providing surgical instrumentation, critical patient care device, and the management throughout the facility. Eligible for: Recruitment (for highly qualified candidates). Relocation (for highly qualified candidates). 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 Monday - Friday (extended hours including Saturday, when needed). Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. EDRP Authorized: This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/14/2023. 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. 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. Preferred Experience At least one year of experience directly tied to Sterile Processing Services is preferred. National Certification in Sterile Processing preferred (e.g., HSPA, CBSPD, VHA Level Two) In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following: Ability to implement and incorporate regulations, policies, and procedures to manage SPS operations. Ability to evaluate new products and equipment, develop options, and make recommendations. Ability to integrate SPS managerial duties, which includes strategic planning of facility organizational goals and integration of SPS vision and values within the organizational mission. Ability to perform a full range of supervisory duties, including assigning, planning and evaluating work, recommending awards, approving leave, identifying training needs, and resolving staff issues. Skill to initiate and lead interdisciplinary groups in order to facilitate daily SPS functions. Ability to analyze and interpret fiscal data in order to forecast resource and equipment needs. Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade: Nurse III - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree. 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: 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.

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 Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center 3701 Loop Road East Tuscaloosa, AL 35404 US
• Name: Ciara Gaines
• Phone: 205-554-3728
• Email: [email protected]