This incumbent will play a crucial role in ensuring the highest standards of surgical care and patient safety within our healthcare facility. You will collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team making significant contributions to the continuous enhancement of surgical outcomes. If you are passionate about quality improvement, possess exceptional clinical skills, and are committed to providing top-tier care for our Veterans, we invite you to apply for this rewarding opportunity.

Duties

The incumbent serves as one of the Surgery & Anesthesia Service Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) Registered Nurses. Surgery & Anesthesia Service is a complex service comprised of twelve surgical sections. The National Surgery Office (NSO) requires that each facility that performs surgery must comply with the VA Surgical Quality Improvement Program. The Surgical Quality Nurse must be an RN and will act as the Electronic Health Record Surgical Package Subject Matter Expert for VASQIP Data Collection. This position is organizationally aligned under Surgery & Anesthesia Service and the incumbent reports directly to the Associate Nurse Executive of Surgery & Anesthesia Services. Major Duties include but are not limited to: Collect surgical quality data Ensure accurate VASQIP data submission process Respond to and correct inaccuracies in the VASQIP data Manage programmatic issues related to surgical data Maintain competency in VASQIP definitions, chart review, and NSO processes and resources Participate in Surgical Morbidity & Mortality (M&M) Collaborate with the Chief of Surgery regarding surgical data and programs Participate in surgical performance improvement activities Provide ongoing educational activities regarding VASQIP Compile and present monthly and quarterly reports to the Section Chief, Facility Surgical workgroup, CIOC and other meetings as assigned Maintain all mandatory TMS education Maintain Annual VASQIP SQN competency Maintain current RN license and BLS 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, 7:30 am-4:00 pm Telework: Available 6 or more times a pay period 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 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) OR 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 and are registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program. 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 to warrant appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associate degree level Nursing education program. Note: 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 must be provided. Licensure. 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 in surgical safety and quality measures 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 - Education and Experience Requirement: A Diploma or Associate Degree (ADN) in Nursing, with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse I Level II - Education and Experience Requirement: A Diploma or ADN in Nursing and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to a Nurse I, Level 1; OR a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse I Level III - Education and Experience Requirement: A Diploma or ADN 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 a Bachelor's degree in nursing and one year of professional nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 2; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no professional nursing experience; or a Master's degree in a related field with a BSN and no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse II - Education and Experience Requirement: 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 - Education and Experience Requirement: 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 Requirement. Nurses at Nurse III must meet ALL the following dimension requirements to qualify for Nurse III. i Practice. Demonstrates expertise in professional practice using the nursing process (assessment, diagnosis, outcome identification, planning, implementation and evaluation) with improved evidence-based and/or data-driven outcomes beyond the immediate practice setting. ii Veteran/Patient Driven Care. Leads initiatives to improve Veteran/patient experience. Satisfaction and/or safety beyond the immediate practice setting. iii Leadership. Communicates and collaborates as an effective leader of the interprofessional team, at the expert level, with improved evidence-based and/or data-driven outcomes beyond the immediate practice setting. iv Professional Development. Enhances knowledge base and practice evaluation, at the expert level, with improved outcomes beyond the immediate practice setting. v Evidence Based Practice/Research. Leads the identification and integration of evidence-based practice/research with clinical expertise to improve quality of care and resource utilization at the expert level with improved outcomes beyond the immediate practice setting. Reference: VA Regulations, 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 incumbent 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 incumbent may occasionally be 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. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment. The incumbent 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.

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 John L McClellan Memorial Veterans' Hospital 4300 West Seventh Street Little Rock, AR 72205 US
• Name: Pamela Stephens
• Phone: 8509771532
• Email: [email protected]