Nurse Manager-Outpatient Mental Health

Full Job Description

The Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville North Carolina, has one Nurse Manager (NM) vacancy within the Outpatient Mental Health Service.

The NM is directly responsible for the management of patient care in the Mental Health Outpatient setting which is comprised of a Mental Health Outpatient clinic, a Substance Use Disorder clinic, and a Mental Health Intensive Case Management program.

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 in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade.

The Dimension requirements (Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12895811.

Grade/Level Scope Education Nurse I, Level I Delivers fundamental, knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies.

An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional professional nursing required.

Nurse I, Level II Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex.

An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 1 ;OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional professional nursing experience required.

Nurse I, Level III Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations.

An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I, Level 2; OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I, Level 2; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience.

Nurse II Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others.

A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with no additional professional nursing experience.

Nurse III Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting.

MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Master's degree in *related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III.

*Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees.

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

Physical Requirements: In accordance with VA Handbook 5019, Part II, Paragraph 3, II-1, 1(a), A pre-placement physical examination to determine the physical, cognitive and emotional fitness of candidates for appointment in VA is required, and shall be completed prior to appointment, for all full-time individuals appointed under 38 U.S.C., Chapter 73, for Title 38 Major Duties:

Responsibilities: Responsible for organizing, directing, and evaluating the patient care delivery system within the outpatient setting.

Facilitates an atmosphere of interactive management and the development of collegial relationships among nursing personnel and other team members.

Promotes a climate for effective performance while allocating available resources to promote safe, efficient, effective, and quality nursing/patient care.

Observes and evaluates the quality of nursing care provided including interdisciplinary patient rounds, reviewing nursing documentation in clinical records, and collecting, reviewing, and analyzing data related to the delivery of patient care.

Assure the compliance with all regulatory agencies and standards of practice and implementation of required actions to meet Performance Measures.

Initiates an educational plan to meet changing program or service needs for self and staff.

Provides leadership in identifying and addressing ethical issues with patients and staff, including initiating and participating in ethical consultations.

Implements an educational plan to meet changing programs or service needs for self and others. Maintains knowledge of current techniques, trends and professional issues.

Contributes to the strategic planning process, day-to-day operations, and attainment of goals of the organization. Ability to provide direct patient care to an assigned group of patients.

This manager is an ECF (Executive Career Field) participant and must meet the performance requirements detailed in that document including performances measures and the HPDM (High Performance Development Model) elements of performance in addition to the nursing professional qualification standards.

Responsible for demonstrating and maintaining full competency in the use, pre-cleaning and/or reprocessing of reusable medical equipment.

Core elements of performance include knowledge and active participation in unit/program level quality improvement processes and initiatives as well as the customer service program.

Accountable for all aspects of the nursing care and programs within the area under his/her management.

The Nurse Manager has continuing responsibility for all the following functions: Planning work to be accomplished by subordinates, setting priorities and preparing schedules for completion of work Assigning work to subordinates based on priorities, selective consideration of difficulty and the requirements of the assignments, and the capabilities of subordinates.

Evaluating the performance of subordinates; making recommendations for appointments, advancements, or reassignments of subordinates.

Giving advice, counsel, or instruction to subordinate personnel on work and administrative matters.

Hearing and resolving complaints of subordinates and referring more serious complaints not resolved to higher level supervisor Recommending and/or taking disciplinary action where appropriate.

Identifying developmental and training needs of subordinates and providing or making provision for such development and training (VA Handbook 5007, Part III, Chapter 8).

Responsible for performance measures, performance improvement, customer service/patient satisfaction, patient and employee Actively develops and manages collaborative partnerships with physicians and other clinicians.

Responsible for staffing their units on a continual basis (24/7), validating the nursing hours per patient day, and working with other Nurse Managers to identify and share resources.

Responsible for time scheduling of the unit, coaching staff, dealing with employee conduct and performance issues, completing and submitting recurring reports, proficiencies and performance evaluations in a timely manner.

Participates on service and medical center committees and task forces to improve nursing practice and patient care. Identifies educational needs of staff and ensures that these needs are addressed.

Has an integral role in supporting and facilitating student nurse clinical experiences, as well as orienting new Nurse Managers. Preferred experience: MSN or equivalent preferred.

Board certification in MH or Leadership 5 years nursing experience 5 years of mental health or substance use disorder nursing experience preferred.

2 years outpatient experience 1 year leadership experience VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards 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) Work Schedule: 7:30am-4:00pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.