Career Center

This position is located within the Durham VA Medical Center. The Assistant Nurse Manager, Sterile Processing Services (SPS), at the Durham VA Medical Center serves under the direction of SPS Chief and exercises responsibility over SPS personnel that reprocess critical and semi-critical reusable medical equipment (RME) to health system providers for patient use. The Durham VA Medical Center SPS areas include both Durham facility and Greenville VA Clinic. 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/Qualifications: Five (5) years clinical experience in the Operating Room (OR) and/or Sterile Processing Service (SPS) Documented knowledge/skill in the role as Nurse Educator, Supervisor, or Quality Nurse in SPS or OR Documented knowledge of the Joint Commission standards and patient safety goals Documented ability to effectively manage multiple high priority activities Documented knowledge of Performance Improvement principles Documented skill in independent decision making, sound clinical judgment and critical thinking abilities Documented skill in effective interpersonal relationships and collaboration with interdisciplinary team members Documented knowledge/skills in Quality Improvement data collection Current experience as a Sterile Processing subject matter expert (SME) Documented skill in leadership in the interdisciplinary environment Preferred Certification(s): Current BLS AORN Sterile Processing 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 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 years 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 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience. The full performance level of this vacancy is Nurse III 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: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, and sitting, lifting, carrying, pushing, reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands, both legs and repeated bending. Heavy lifting (45 lbs. and over); Heavy Carrying (45 lbs. and over); Straight Pulling (up to 4 hours); Pushing (up to 4 hours); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (up to 8 hours); Standing (up to 8 hours); Repeated bending (up to 8 hours); Both legs required; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Specific visual requirement: Read typed Chapters; Correctable vision :20/40 in one eye; Ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of colors; Hearing (aid permitted). The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders; Emotional and Mental Stability: 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. ["VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards The Assistant Nurse Manager, Sterile Processing Services (SPS), assists SPS Chief to ensure effective and safe reprocess, delivery and storage of critical and semi-critical reusable medical equipment (RME). Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: Supervises and manages SPS staff and workflow in decontamination, high-level disinfection (HLD), preparation/assembly and sterilization, transportation and storage of critical and semi-critical RME Performs full range of supervisory duties, including assigning, planning and evaluating work, recommending awards, approving leave, identifying training needs, resolving staff issues and other duties as assigned Possesses strong familiarity with all duties, tasks and workflow performed in SPS as well as standard operating procedures and manufacturers guidelines Integrates SPS managerial duties to include VA and departmental vision and values, within the organizational mission, exemplifying iCARE values and based on principles of Highly Reliable Organization (HRO) Evaluates completed work for overall technical soundness and conformance to agency policies through competency assessment utilizing simulation, direct observation, and verbal responses from the incumbent Sets deadlines and priorities for SPS Staff and works with SPS management and facility leadership to develop and implement action plans Monitors quality and efficiency of work flow throughout each tour to ensure safe and timely delivery of reprocessed RME; recommends methods to improve quality, productivity, safety and timeliness of delivery Possesses extensive working knowledge of Censitrac instrument tracking system, including ability to run complex and timely reports, develop count sheets, enter essential data including instrumentation, competencies, instructions for use, and other SPS and RME related data Possesses extensive working knowledge of Sterile Processing equipment, regulations and guidelines for RME reprocessing and storage, and in-depth understanding of surgical and procedural instrumentation and medical devices Provides oversight of Quality Control Program for RME, ensuring product quality assurance and complete and timely documentation Ensures compliance with all regulatory mandates Responds to inquiries from internal agencies (Office of Inspector General (OIG), VISN 6 and NPOSP), and external accreditation and regulatory agencies such as Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (TJC), Association at Operating Room Nurses (AORN), Center for Disease Control (CDC), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Provides excellent customer to end-users, patients, stakeholders, and providers Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately Promptly reports all non-conformities and incidents; notifies appropriate personnel of unsafe/unhealthful conditions in the workplace; performs other duties as assigned As Subject Matter Expert for RME and SPS, provides written and oral reports to management and key committees, including RME Membership Committee, Nurse Executive Council, Executive Leadership Team, VISN and National SPS Committees, Infection Control Committee, and others, as required Co-chairs RME Membership Committee Evaluates new products and equipment, develop options, and make recommendations. Analyzes and interprets fiscal data in order to forecast resource and equipment needs. Provides in-services and other training of staff within SPS and RME staff throughout facility, as needed Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases\nPaid 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)\nRetirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA\nInsurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)\nLicensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 7:30am-4:00pm; No weekends, holidays, or on call tours (Assistant Nurse Manager will presume a staffing role 50% of the time)\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: A recruitment incentive of $15,000.00 has been authorized for Eligible, highly qualified applicants. This incentive has been authorized for new and previous VA employees. Please contact the HR specialist for specific requirements. ****Current VA employees are not eligible to receive this incentive****\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]