Registered Nurse - Associate Chief Nurse (PeriOP)

Summary

The Western NY VA Healthcare system is currently recruiting for a Registered Nurse - Associate Chief Nurse to serve over the Perioperative Nursing Care Team at the historic Buffalo - NY location. The Registered Nurse - Associate Chief Nurse functions as a leader - advisor - administrator - educator - consultant - and mentor who possesses a wide range of experience and nursing leadership ability.

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 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 Lifestyle
• Employs an industry leading - shared decision-making lifestyle
• Cultivates a workforce that serves Veterans - families and caregivers of all backgrounds and builds trust - lifestyle 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 lifestyle 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
• *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees
• Preferred Experience: Master's in Nursing preferred
• Five (5) years of demonstrated successful nursing management experience within the last 6 years preferred
• Recent experience in Surgical/Procedural/Recovery care preferred
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with strong interpersonal skills preferred
• Demonstrated leadership skills overseeing multiple complex departments - with clinical decision-making and problem-solving capabilities across all supervised departments preferred
• Demonstrated leadership - skill and knowledge for systematic reviews and accreditation processes preferred
• Demonstrated ability to develop - implement and analyze performance improvement activities preferred
• Demonstrated ability to develop - implement - evaluate and interpret professional nursing goals - medical center policies - procedures - standards of nursing and assist the nursing staff int he implementation of the same preferred
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: This position is administrative in nature and 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 - and pushing
• The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures
• 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.
  
  

Duties

• The Registered Nurse (RN) - Associate Chief Nurse (ACN) executes leadership that is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for population groups or integrated programs that cross services and/or discipline lines and - influence the organizational healthcare mission
• Nursing teams realigned under the newly established Perioperative Nursing team at the Buffalo VA include: the Operating Room - PACU and ASU - the Endoscopy team and Interventional Radiology RNs
• This ACN assesses - plans - and evaluates the processes and daily operations of these units and with Chief of Anesthesia leads planning and maintenance of block time scheduling
• In collaboration with the Chiefs of Anesthesiology - Surgery - Medicine/Gastroenterology and Pulmonology and Radiology Service Chiefs - designs and implements interdisciplinary programs and policies within the service and medical center
• He/she is responsible for assessing and recommending the allocation of human and materiel resources in determining staffing levels - managing overtime - and plays a significant role in the recruitment and retention of nursing staff
• the incumbent will ensure competency assessment is completed on each nursing employee annually - reviews EPRP - VASQUIP - IPEC - performance measures - and other data for trends and early intervention - and formulates follow-up plans with Nurse Executive Team - Nurse Managers - the service - and the medical center
• This position directs two (2) Nurse Managers - who provide direction for roughly 70 staff
• The ACN of Perioperative Nursing supports the integration and collaboration of nursing with other professional disciplines and functional areas in the mutual achievement of patient-centered and organizational goals
• He/she will champion a High Reliability Organization (HRO) mentality with a culture of safety founded on a systems approach to developing evidence-based health care solutions based on prevention - not punishment - with collective mindfulness
• He/she will collaborate with interdisciplinary team members - including other program and service leaders at the facility and network - and will work closely to establish and maintain effective relationships with all levels of Veteran Affairs staff nationwide
• The ACN relates effectively with customers - families - and the community as well as program and service leaders at the local and network levels - and assist the ADPCS with healthcare operations and the functions and activities expected of them
• The incumbent will contribute ideas and recommendations for the establishment of standards of care - policies - and objectives for the enhancement of nursing in the perioperative services and the Western New York healthcare system
• Work Schedule: Full-Time
• Administrative Day Monday - Friday (7:00 am - 3:30 pm or 7:30 am - 4:00 pm) Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package VA Nurse Total Rewards that includes: 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