Associate Chief Nurse Integrated Veteran Care

Full Job Description

The Integrated Veteran Care Nurse IV Associate Chief Nurse (IVC 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.

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 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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.

This position may include a level of physicality normally associated with duties performed by nurses such as direct patient care, and potentially long periods of walking, standing, sitting, moderate lifting, repeated bending, or kneeling.

Examples may include but are not limited to: Significant amounts of time standing assisting assigned patients Utilization of safe patient handling and mobility protocols Major Duties:

General Description of Assigned Duties: Responsible and accountable for success and outcomes of the program that includes referrals to federal facilities and the purchase of non-federal inpatient and outpatient care; patient referrals and movements from local hospitals to federal facilities via the VISN Integrated Referral System (VIRS); and compliance and business integrity knowledge and comprehension while managing the VAPIHCS Integrated Veteran Care program.

Ensures timely access to care occurs for our veterans and as such, impacts the agency's outcomes and how the agency is perceived by the population as it services and the community care providers who provide care for our veterans.

Evaluates effectiveness of programmatic implementation to achieve optimum patient outcomes in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.

Integrated Veteran Care program elements include Utilization Management, Clinical Care Management, and Administrative Support Staff.

Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving services to patient cohorts across the healthcare continuum through the development and management of collaborative strategies dealing with both healthcare and business office professionals across the VA service lines and with community providers outside the organization.

Coordinates and authorizes Veteran Care Agreements and national contract services for care.

Responsible for purchasing care for eligible veterans living in geographically inaccessible areas or care that is not available directly through the healthcare system.

Maintains in-depth knowledge of this multifaceted legislative language to complete determinations of eligibility and special regulatory authority to pre-authorize various periods of care to "obviate the need for hospitalization.

Develops and monitors service performance improvement initiatives reporting and providing plans of action to ensure quality of care and performance improvement in consult management.

Functions or Scope of Assigned Duties: Operates as an advisor, administrator, educator, consultant, and mentor who possesses a wide range of experience and leadership ability and serves as a matrixed consultant to the facility Chief of Staff and Associate Director.

Responsible for ensuring standards of care criteria are used to determine if community care should be authorized.

Authorization of care falls solely to the IVC ACN with minimal coordination required with the Chief of Staff except for the appeal process.

Demonstrates leadership characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility for decision making and accountability for the operation and clinical oversight of the purchase of community care across the state and for patient referrals to DoD partners and other VAMCs.

Accountable for methodology, approach, interpretation, and evaluation of the program; is a key member of the facility's senior leadership and participates in the formulation, implantation and evaluation of the medical center's goals, program services, as well as development of station directives.

Provides senior leadership and oversight for daily clinical and administrative operations; directs strategic planning, program development, budget management, and quality improvement activities in consultation with VAPIHCS Executive Leadership team.

Supports the integration and collaboration of nursing with other professional disciplines and functional areas in the mutual achievement of patient-centered and organizational goals.

Collaborates with interdisciplinary team members, including other program and service leaders at the facility and network.

Contributes ideas and recommendations for the establishment of standards of care, policies, and objectives for the enhancement of nursing.

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: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pm Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized