Career Center

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Learn more 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. Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate State-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). In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. OR The completion of coursework equivalent to a nursing degree in a MSN Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration constitutes the completion of an approved course of study of professional nursing. Students should submit the certificate of professional nursing to sit for the NCLEX to the VA along with a copy of the MSN transcript. (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. 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: Bachelor's Degree in Nursing At least 2 years of experience in Patient Safety or Quality Management. Relevant certifications such as HCQM, CPHQ, CPHRM, etc. 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 - An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse I Level II - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 1 year of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a bachelor's degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience; OR a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse I Level III - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a BSN with approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) or related field with a BSN and no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse II - A BSN with approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing or meets basic requirements for appointment and has doctoral degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse III - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience. 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 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. ["VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards The PS Program Director is accountable to the Quality and Patient Safety(QPS) Service Line executive and/or the QPS Deputy Director who has a direct reporting line to the Medical Center Director. Duties include, but are not limited to: Collaborates with both administrative and clinical services to ensure the development of systems and processes to monitor quality and safety, to ensure ongoing regulatory compliance, including resolution of obstacles/barriers to the achievement of goals within the service line and the medical center. Collaborates with the QPS executives / QPS Director / Deputy Director in the establishment of overall program goals and monitoring of program compliance and effectiveness. Responsible for developing and leading programs using an analytical framework that creates an environment that facilitates the delivery of high-quality, safe, and efficient care within the organization. Performs technical, administrative, and investigative work and applies expertise and knowledge of healthcare delivery systems in performance measurement and improvement processes Apply solid health care operations management principles, sound care management, and performance improvement skills to ensure that Veteran groups are provided high-quality care aligned with VACO and VISN goals and consistent with community and national standards and evidence-based practices. Responsible for the ongoing development of various PS projects which ensure facility compliance with standards and internal performance expectations, as delineated in VHA guidelines and directives. Builds and implements patient safety systems, promotes the culture of safety in all programs and settings within MEDVAMC and ensures implementation of the patient safety program through policies and procedures developed by the National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS) and VHA Directives. Works with all levels of staff within the facility, to facilitate high quality and safe care, that is also efficient and cost-effective. Provides ongoing staff training and just-in-time training for Root Cause Analyses and HFMEA. Coordinates and oversees the PS project for the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, driving sustained improvement and developing processes that support safe and efficient patient care delivery. Exhibits strong skills in leading both large and small interdisciplinary groups, guides in developing processes, and driving systems improvement outcomes, including but not limited to teaching, writing, chart review, data extraction, evaluation and trending, electronic data reporting, development of spreadsheets, tables and graphs, and using project management skills, presentation development, priority-setting, and critical thinking skills, among other things that support safe and efficient patient care delivery. Ensures ongoing compliance with NCPS, Joint Commission, and other regulatory requirements of the patient safety program. He/she manages and responds to patient safety alerts and advisories, including timely notification, resolution, and documentation, as appropriate. Participates in the completion of quarterly and annual patient safety reports with reporting to leadership. Ensures the submission and communication of Patient Safety information and/ or reports to identified offices or committees as required and requested within the facility and to the VISN upon review by the QPS chief. Provides timely information regarding emergencies, unusual occurrences, or issues that impact nursing practice or operations to the appropriate person(s.) He/she provides direct supervision of nursing personnel in their defined area(s) of responsibility and evaluates their performance and competency. Leads as the direct supervisor of the team of clinical consultants / Utilization Managers and/ or program coordinators for the MEDVAMC Patient Safety Program. Collaborates with service practitioners and careline executives/chiefs and leads in developing strategic goals for each of the PS projects to influence the measurable outcomes of the Patient Safety Program at MEDVAMC. Ensures that nursing practice is consistent with external standards such as The Joint Commission and internal standards such as the VA Performance Measures. Responsible for all issues that affect nursing including standards of practice, credentialing, training, functional statement, position descriptions, proficiency reports, performance appraisals, policies, procedures, protocols, and competencies Work Schedule: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM\nTelework: Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authjorized\nEDRP Authorized: Contact demetrius.roberts@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]