The Chief Nurse, Mental Health Service is the senior nursing leader for the mental health service line that assumes major administrative responsibility over nursing services provided in inpatient mental health, outpatient mental health, domiciliary, and mental health at the community based outpatient clinics.

Duties

Responsibilities and duties for this position include but are not limited to the following: Provide clinical and administrative leadership and oversight for both clinical nursing practice and administration. Establish and promote optimal standards in care delivery and policies and procedures which reflect the current evidence-based practice. Work with peers to formulate strategic directions for patient care service to include planning, implementing, and leading activities to enhance customer service. Collaborate with other health care disciplines to establish and maintain programs that cross service lines and influence the organizational mission and overall health care delivery. Provide direct supervision to the Nurse Management and nursing leadership team within the mental health service line. Communicate the mission, ethics and goals of the facility, as well as the focus statement of the department. Function as a departmental resource while promoting team functioning and representing the organization in a positive and professional manner. Effectively and consistently communicate administrative directives to personnel and encourage interactive departmental meetings and discussions. Perform management activities including interviewing, hiring and discipline. Interpret and enforces Human Resource Management policies in a consistent manner. Resolve personnel concerns at the departmental level, utilizing the grievance process as necessary. Recognize and evaluate the strengths and weakness of self and staff while regularly coaching staff on their contribution to the mission of the agency and with their performance development. Help staff to understand the context of their work and how it relates to the work of others and the agency. Schedule and adjust staffing, as appropriate, for fluctuations in workload. Delegate appropriately to subordinates to share responsibilities for efficient departmental operations. Ensure retrospective, ongoing and continuing evaluation of the quality of nursing care rendered by mental health nursing staff in the facility using performance evaluations. Provide education to staff on performance improvement. Attend departmental, organizational and medical staff (as appropriate to departmental rules and regulations) committee meetings, QI and management meetings, as appropriate. Participate in the development and implementation of mental health specific policies and procedures in conjunction with the nursing staff and nurse managers. Ensure Departmental documentation meets current standards and policies. Comply with all organizational policies regarding ethical business practices. Foster professional innovation and evidence-based practice within the anesthesia department. Responsible for assessing and recommending the allocation of resources, both human and material, necessary to ensure positive outcomes of existing programs and new projects. Support quality, safety, value, and efficiency; striving to ensure that Veterans receive health care services in the appropriate level of care, when that care is needed, and receive only needed health care services. Will use performance improvement data to design delivery models, ensure budgetary responsibility, and establish staffing levels that will meet the needs of the patients. Responsible and accountable for the delivery of high quality, customer-focused, cost-effective patient care to meet the mission and goals of the organization. The incumbent will facilitate interdisciplinary teamwork to assure optimal quality in all care delivery processes, promote productivity and efficiency, monitor clinical outcomes, work to enhance patient satisfaction levels and be responsible and accountable for continuous performance improvement within Mental Health Nursing. 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, 0730-1600 Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f), 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 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); OR Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who 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 temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program. (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 to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program. Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD). 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. Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements, but do not possess the required licensure, may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.) NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification. The following Scope, Education and Dimension criteria must be met to qualify for Nurse IV: Scope: Executes leadership that is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for population groups or integrated programs that cross service and/or discipline lines and influence organizational mission and health care. Education: Master's degree in Nursing (MSN) and 4 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse IV; OR Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and 4 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse IV; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing and 3 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse IV; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and 3 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse IV. *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees. Dimensions: Leadership. Leads health care delivery by leveraging evidence-based practices, industry-leading research, and innovative care models. Drives a shared vision and successfully leads change to improve performance and attain measurable outcomes at the program or service level. Business Acumen. Transforms health care by implementing new processes, technology, informatics, and data analytics using business models and fundamental concepts of resource management at the program or service level. Inspiring an Industry-Leading Culture. Employs an industry leading, shared decision-making culture. Cultivates a diverse and inclusive workforce that serves Veterans, families and caregivers of all backgrounds and builds trust, cultural competencies and catalyzes dynamic teams at the program or service level. Communication and Relationship Management. Directs the effective use of relationship management principles to achieve positive customer service experiences that are consistent with professional organizational values, beliefs and practices at the program or services level. Professional and Social Responsibility. Operationalizes a culture of holistic care, health advocacy and health equity. Applies ethical principles in decision-making at the program or service level. Advances nursing knowledge through health science research and the translation and dissemination of evidence into practice to maximize the value to Veterans and the community. 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, lifting, reaching, repetitive motion, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided. The mental and sensory requirements include recall, reasoning, problem-solving, hearing, speaking clearly, writing, keyboarding, reading, and logical thinking. The environment's pace can vary from steady to a sometimes fast pace requiring handling of multiple priorities, frequent, sometimes intense customer interactions, and the ability to adapt to frequent changes in a sometimes-noisy environment. 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.

Contacts

• Address Hampton VA Medical Center 100 Emancipation Drive Hampton, VA 23667 US
• Name: Edward Pearch
• Phone: 804-988-2582
• Email: [email protected]