The Registered Nurse (RN) reports to the Chief of the Office of Performance and Quality (OPQ) and is responsible for coordinating and managing all aspects of the Multi-Drug Resistant Organism (MDRO) Prevention Initiative to include managing Community Living Center (CLC) quality improvement initiatives at the Erie VA Medical Center in Erie, PA.

Duties

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 Major Duties include but are not limited to: Responsible for coordinating and managing all aspects of the Multi-Drug Resistant Organism (MDRO) Prevention Initiative to include managing Community Living Center (CLC) quality improvement initiatives. Demonstrates leadership, experience, and creative approaches to improvement in the CLCs with documented quality-of-care outcomes. Serves as an expert consultant in MDRO infection prevention and control for staff, students, patients, families, and visitors based on nationally established infection control guidelines and standards. Duties require the ability to apply the specialized principles and practices of health care management in directing or supporting a health care delivery system. Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches to management of complex patient care. Responsible for collecting and analyzing data on Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) swab completion rates, prevalence rates, infection rates, transmission rates, and colonization rates of MRSA and other MDROs and reporting that data to key stakeholders including the VHA National Data Base, VA Inpatient Evaluation Center (IPEC). Collects, tracks and trends data relevant to quality improvement efforts in infection control and uses the data effectively to evaluate outcomes. Reviews and reports infectious laboratory results, contaminations, reportable diseases, Central Line-Associated Blood Stream Infections (CLABSIs), Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTIs), and associated data as required by VHA. Participates in the development, review, and revision of infection control guidelines, policies, and procedures consistent with national standards for infection prevention. Ensures the practices of healthcare employees, visitors, and students are consistent with internal and external MDRO infection prevention standards through data collection, interpretation, reporting of findings with an appropriate action plan, implementation of plan with appropriate collaborations, and evaluation. Collaborates with the Infection Control Coordinator and multidisciplinary teams to evaluate the environment of patients and related areas and patient care equipment and products to ensure they meet the internal and external standards of infection control and prevention and recommends or enforces changes in practices or products to reduce the risk of infection to patients, staff, students, patients, and visitors. Assesses the infection prevention educational needs of healthcare staff, patients, and visitors, and implements an educational plan to meet those needs and meet the requirements of external accrediting bodies. Collaborates closely with the Infection Control Coordinator, the MDRO Program Office, and service lines within the medical center as well as community infection preventionists to exchange knowledge and share clinical expertise in infection control and prevention to improve the quality of patient care outcomes throughout the medical center. Participates on department, medical center committees and task forces, and VISN committees and task forces to improve patient care outcomes and safety. Actively leads initiatives and projects for unit shared governance and/or participates in organizational professional shared governance initiatives. Supports and actively participates in initiatives such as High Reliability Organization (HRO), Patient Centered Care, Just Culture, and I CARE. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday: 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Available - Ad-hoc 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

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. Grade Determinations: The following Scope, Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade. The Dimension requirements (Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12494594. Grade/Level Scope Education Nurse I, Level I Delivers fundamental, knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies. An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional professional nursing required. Nurse I, Level II Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex. An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 1 ;OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional professional nursing experience required. Nurse I, Level III Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations. An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I, Level 2; OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I, Level 2; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience. Nurse II Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others. A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with no additional 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. MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Master's degree in *related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III. *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees. 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. Preferred Experience: quality improvement, quality measures, infection control, or nursing education. Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5019

Contacts

• Address Erie VA Medical Center 135 East 38th Street Erie, PA 16504 US
• Name: Ahsha Konate
• Phone: 412-822-1454
• Email: [email protected]