At VA, you have more than a job--you have a mission to serve Veterans who have borne the battle with honor. At VA, you are a part of a dynamic team of thousands of professionals helping provide high-quality healthcare to our Nation's Veterans. As a registered nurse, you contribute knowledge and expertise to optimize patient-driven care and advance VA goals for improving access to care.

Duties

The Registered Nurse provides care and counseling of persons or in the promotion and maintenance of health and prevention of illness and injury based upon the nursing process. The nurse's primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group, or community. (ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses). The registered nurse, as a licensed professional, will be responsible and accountable for his/her practice including compliance with American Nurses Association (ANA) Profession Standards. The Assistant Nurse Manager, Mental Health/Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (RRTP), under supervision of the Nurse Manager, oversees and leads nursing staff assigned to Mental Health and RRTP clinical areas. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNED DUTIES Provide overall supervisory management of nursing staff assigned to Mental Health programs, including Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Teams, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center, Substance Use Disorder Program, Gateway Clinic, Mental Health Intensive Case Management, Homeless Veterans Program and the RRTP. Use sound clinical judgment in delivery of care to the patient population. Guides staff in the implementation of the nursing process in caring for these patients Facilitates the delivery of quality nursing care; ensures a safe environment of care where patient services are delivered Provides oversight of performance improvement activities and leadership in improving patient care Accountable for adherence to established VA policies and procedures Monitors patient care, unit activities and staff development in the clinical setting Management of personnel including time and leave administration, staff education, daily assignments, proficiencies, disciplinary and adverse actions Participate/lead on committees and/or workgroups Ability to use electronic tracking/monitoring/data collection/presentation tools, i.e. Excel, Word, PowerPoint Demonstrate effective communication skills and interpersonal relationships Supports customer service as the liaison for patients receiving care in the Mental Health clinical areas Educate staff on clinical performance measures and monitor compliance taking action to address deficiencies as identified. Responsible for recruitment and retention of nursing staff for assigned areas Support medical center mission, vision and values, and guides staff in I CARE principles in daily activities. Leads staff and other disciplines in meeting Joint Commission performance standards Leads staff in understanding and meeting clinic performance measures related to Mental Health services All other duties as assigned. AGE, DEVELOPMENTAL, AND DIVERSITY FACTORS The population of male and female veterans served ranges from the adult, age 18, to the elderly adult, age 65 and over. Age-related and cultural interventions appropriate to cognitive, physical, and emotional needs will be employed at all times, tailored to the individual patient, incorporating knowledge of changes associated with aging and principles of growth and development. The supervisor must be poised, articulate, adaptive, and respectful in communicating with and caring for people of varied educational, ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. Care will be provided to Veterans without discrimination and harassment, tailored to his/her needs, regardless of a veteran's age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression. Knows how to obtain translation services for patient or families with limited English language proficiency or who need sign language services. SUPERVISORY CONTROLS The Assistant Nurse Manager Mental Health/RRTP is administratively and clinically responsible to the Nurse Manager Mental Health/RRTP, and to the Chief Nurse Ambulatory Care and Mental Health. SAFETY The Assistant Nurse Manager Mental Health/RRTP embraces a continuous culture of safety for veterans, their families, visitors, and other employees. 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: Full-Time; Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm 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. Education. Graduate of a school of professional nursing. See Education Section below for Specific Education Accreditation Requirements, Nursing Bridge Programs, Foreign Education, and Degrees in Related Fields. 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: 3 years Mental Health RN experience 2 years leadership experience Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic qualification requirements, the grade level of Nurse (any assignment) is based on a combination of Scope, Education and Experience, and Dimension Requirements. Nurse I Level 1 - Delivers fundamental, knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies. Diploma or associate degree in nursing with no professional nursing experience. Nurse I Level 2 - Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex. Diploma or associate degree in nursing and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to a Nurse I, Level 1; OR Bachelor's degree in nursing and no professional nursing experience. Nurse I Level 3 - Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations. Diploma or associate degree in nursing and two years of professional nursing experience, one of which is a year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 2; OR Bachelor's degree in nursing and one year of professional nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 2; OR Master's degree in nursing and no professional nursing experience; OR Master's degree in a related field with a bachelor's degree in nursing with no professional nursing experience. Nurse II -Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others. Bachelor's degree in nursing and two years of professional nursing experience, one of which is a year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR Master's degree in nursing with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR Master's degree in a related field with a bachelor's degree in nursing with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR Doctorate degree in nursing with no professional nursing experience; OR Doctorate degree in a related field with a master's or bachelor's degree in nursing with no professional nursing experience. Nurse III - Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting. Master's degree in nursing with two years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR Master's degree in a related field with a bachelor's degree in nursing with two years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR Doctorate degree in nursing with one year of specialized nursing experience which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR Doctorate degree in a related field with a master's or bachelor's degree in nursing with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III. Dimension Requirements are specified at each grade/level and will include elements in Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development, and Evidence-Based Practice/Research. DEVIATIONS. a. Accreditation Waiver. Candidates meeting the basic education requirement of graduation from an ACEN or CCNE accredited nursing program must be considered before consideration of a deviation to the basic accreditation requirement. (1) In rare instances, when there is a need to expand the application pool to candidates not meeting the basic education requirement due to extenuating circumstances, e.g., a difficult to recruit position, graduates of nursing education programs recognized by the Department of Education as an accredited Postsecondary Institution or Program at the time of graduation may be considered. (2) The applicant's superior practice qualifications must warrant the exception to the basic education requirement; example of qualifications to consider include the candidate's experience, skills, competencies and professional accomplishments. A request to strongly support the need for a deviation must be formally documented with evidence to support the deviation, to (3) include validation by Department of Education and submitted through the Associate Director, Patient Care Services for formal decision by the Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs), Chief Nursing Officer, or delegated nursing official. For Centralized Positions, the request must be submitted to the Chief Nursing Officer/Deputy Chief Nursing Officer, or delegated nursing official, for formal decision. b. Under no circumstances may the educational, certification or licensure requirements be waived for appointment. 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. Transferring patients and objects may be required. Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided. The supervisor may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations, operative/invasive procedures, or home settings. The supervisor may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The supervisor must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements as a condition of employment. The supervisor who provides care in home settings or other off-site locations may be required to drive and/or ride in GSA-vehicles.

Education

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

Education Accreditation Requirement.
Nursing education must be from a school of professional nursing accredited by one of the following accrediting organizations at the time the program was completed by the applicant:

• The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326. The ACEN accredits all levels of nursing programs, including clinical doctorate, masters/post master's certificate, baccalaureate, associate and diploma nursing education programs. (Note: The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission/NLNAC changed its name to ACEN in May 2013. ACEN's website may be utilized to verify accredited programs using automated inquiry processes; however, for verification of any nursing program's accreditation prior to 1998, an automated inquiry cannot be used and ACEN must be contacted directly via their email contact information on the ACEN website to verify.); or
• The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), 655 K Street, NW, Suite 7, Washington, DC 20001. The CCNE is an accrediting arm of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and accredits nursing education programs at the bachelor and master's level.

Nursing Bridge Programs. Nursing bridge programs are accelerated nurse education programs which rely upon existing nursing knowledge and education. Graduates from nursing bridge programs that meet accreditation requirements specific grade level requirements in this standard must also be met in addition to the following:

• Master's Level Bridge Program Education Appointments Prior to Graduation. Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who achieve the level in their education in which they have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor's level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program. Upon achievement of a State license, the individual may be appointed on a temporary basis for any period up to three years contingent upon full completion of the professional nursing education program, if education verification provided by the school supports the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) equivalency. Upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program, the Nurse may be converted to a permanent appointment under the provisions of section 7401(a)(1) of title 38. Failure to complete the bridge program on which the temporary appointment was based will result in termination of the appointment.

Foreign Education. Graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing who possess a current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associate degree level Nursing education program. In order to grant credit towards an appointment based on foreign nursing education higher than the associate degree level, formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized degree equivalency evaluation agency accepted by VA such as the International Consultants of Delaware (ICD) must be obtained.

Degree in a Related Field. A graduate level or doctorate degree in health care/management related fields from an institution accredited by the State and approved by the Department of Education at the time the candidate completed the program may be credited as specifically indicated in grade requirements. The graduate level or doctorate degree and coursework must provide evidence in support of the nursing role and duties associated with the assignment and grade level. Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees.

ON-GOING EDUCATION AND TRAINING/COMPETENCY EVALUATION
Incumbent will be self-directed in completing orientation and on-going mandatory education. Ensures subordinates complete competency reviews where applicable. Basic Life Support (BLS) is required.

Contacts

• Address Huntington VA Medical Center 1540 Spring Valley Drive Huntington, WV 25704 US
• Name: Jennifer Darling
• Phone: 423-741-7328
• Email: [email protected]