The Chief Nurse is a Registered Nurse position in the Learning & Organizational Development Service. The Chief Nurse applies current leadership, management, and performance improvement concepts and participates in developing and implementing strategies to address opportunities for improving the quality of care delivered to patients within the Service and VA St Louis Health Care System (VASTLHCS).

Duties

VA Saint Louis Health Care System is committed to Diversity and Inclusion. Together, we strive to create and maintain a working and learning environment that promotes professional growth and teamwork. We offer an inclusive, equitable, and welcoming environment where we celebrate our individual differences and unite as a team toward a common goal of providing outstanding service to our Nation's Veterans. The Chief Nurse is a Registered Nurse position in the Learning & Organizational Development Service. The Chief Nurse applies current leadership, management, and performance improvement concepts and participates in developing and implementing strategies to address opportunities for improving the quality of care delivered to patients within the Service and VA St Louis Health Care System (VASTLHCS). Duties include, but are not limited to: Designs and implements interdisciplinary programs within the service and the medical center. This may include, but is not limited to access, patient flow process, harm reduction initiatives such as fall prevention, rapid response teams, or pressure ulcer prevention, implementation of evidence base practices as policy or standard operating procedures, clinical triage, telehealth, and care coordination across the continuum of care. Responsible for assessing and recommending the resources, both human and material, that are necessary to ensure positive outcomes of existing programs and new projects. Uses quality data to design delivery models, ensure budgetary responsibility, and establish staffing levels that will meet the needs of the veteran patient. Participates in the recruitment and retention of nursing staff and other staff at VASTLHCS. Responsible for promoting fiscal responsibility within the service. Leads the assigned nursing staff and other members of the interdisciplinary team in the integration of evidenced-based research and data into practice. Responsible for leading interdisciplinary teams to identify performance improvement goals, benchmarks or outcomes that will assist in the improvement of care with the service, medical center, or network. Ensures the establishment and approval of standards of nursing practice for the service and is consistent with national, state, VISN and medical center policies. Provides direction for nursing and other members of the interdisciplinary team in the management of patient care programs with the standards of such accrediting bodies as The Joint Commission and Commission for Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. Evaluates the performance of professional and non-professional nursing personnel and designated support staff. Collaborates with ACOSs in the restructuring and implementation of a broad range of programs in the service and sets forth the role and contribution of nursing in these endeavors. Ensures that educational offerings for the professional and non-professional staff are appropriate and meet the goals of the service, medical center and VISN. Lead the nurse managers in coaching staff toward clinical and professional goals and act as a mentor for other professionals in the medical center and VISN. This may include directing staff toward educational enrichment through career progression programs (e.g., NNEI, EISP and the VISN LEAD program). Collaborates with nursing and medical center leadership to plan, implement, and evaluate career development and educational programs for nursing staff and other disciplines within the medical center. Provides leadership in addressing ethical issues that impact patients and staff in or beyond the organization and the local health care community. Designs, modifies, and implements systems compatible with professional standards and within the mission and the goals of the organization to improve the cost-effective use of resources. 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 07:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Schedule is subject to change based on the needs of the healthcare system. Telework: Ad hoc, per agency guidelines. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

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: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, and sitting. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing. 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. In the performance of duties, the incumbent may be required to drive and/or ride in GSA-vehicles.

Contacts

• Address VA St Louis Health Care System 1 Jefferson Barracks Drive St. Louis, MO 63125 US
• Name: Laura Devaney
• Phone: 314-939-8744
• Email: [email protected]