Advanced Practice Nurse- Associate Chief of Mental Health- Inpatient Care

Summary

The Supervisory Nurse Practitioner (NP) functions as the Associate Chief of Mental Health and serves as the senior clinician for Mental Health, assisting the Chief of Mental Health in the overall operation of Mental Health Service. The incumbent has supervisory responsibility over the Supervisors of the Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program, Outpatient Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, and Access Crisis Team.

Duties

Major Duties:

• Provides a full range of services emphasizing quality, timeliness, and advancing the Veterans Affairs (VA) mission. The APN Clinical/Administrative Leader executes leadership that is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for population groups or integrated programs that cross services and/or disciplines and influence the organization's mission and health care.
• Practices to the full extent of their education, training, and certification.
• Works closely and collaborates with the Chief of Mental Health to assure that all aspects of the Mental Health Service are functioning optimally.

• The Associate Chief of Mental Health is the first-line supervisor for the Supervisors of the following programs: Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program, Outpatient Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, and Access Crisis Team.
• Oversees the clinical and administrative function of these programs, monitoring quality and service delivery across all Mental Health Service program areas.
• Works cohesively with the Chief of Mental Health to assure that all aspects of the Mental Health Service are functioning optimally. This includes strategic planning, setting operational priorities and deployment of resources, engaging in quality improvement, performance measure outcomes, and encouraging and improving team-oriented care for Veterans.
• Is a member of the senior leadership team in Mental Health and is involved in Clinical Leadership Meetings.
• Is actively involved in discipline leadership activities and works collaboratively with all discipline leads within Mental Health.
• Reports directly to the Chief of Mental Health.
• Is responsible for completing all quality measures and reports as requested by VASLCHCS, VISN, and VA Central Office.
• Works closely with the program supervisors and clinical leads of the Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program, Outpatient Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, and Access Crisis Team to assure Mental Health program quality and outcomes.
• May hold daily and weekly team meetings (i.e., Daily Care Coordination) to staff Veterans and discuss/resolve clinical and administrative issues.
• May cover for the Chief of Mental Health in their absence.
• Sits on applicable VASLCHCS committees as assigned
• Maintains an independent clinical caseload as appropriate to the position, providing direct advanced practice services to Veterans including psychiatric evaluation, medication management, psychotherapy, crisis intervention, and treatment planning.
• Completes clinical documentation in accordance with VHA and VASLCHCS standards and timelines.

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:

Telework: This position is authorized for telework-situational (ad-hoc) AND has not been authorized as remote.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Qualifications

Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) Basic Requirements

• Education: A post-master's certificate or master's or doctoral degree as a Nurse Practitioner. (Applicants pending the completion of educational requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until the education requirements are met.) Must be a 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).
  • NOTE: Foreign Education. Graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing programs, the nurse practitioner degree equivalency must be validated through an Agency recognized degree equivalency evaluation agency, such as the International Consultants of Delaware (ICD). Candidates with equivalent nurse practitioner masters or doctorate level degrees who possess current, full, active, and unrestricted registration and certification will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant appointment.
• License - All APN (NPs) must possess and maintain an active, current, full, and unrestricted APN license to practice as an NP in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
• Basic Board Certification - All APN (NPs) must maintain full and current basic board certification as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) from one of the following: the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB), or other nationally recognized certifying body in the area in which the Nurse Practitioner is academically prepared.

NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and an APN (NP) assignment that are also 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:
  
  
  • Practice. Practices at an associate executive level, utilizing clinical, leadership and administrative skills, demonstrating continuing responsibility that influences the organizational mission, health care delivery and policy at the local and/or regional level.
  • Outcome Focus. Leads the application of clinical/business models, incorporating research/evidence-based practices,
    
    designed to achieve and sustain excellence in the delivery of health care at the service and organization levels.
  • Leadership. Creates and implements a shared vision and successfully leads change to improve organizational
    
    performance and attain measurable performance outcomes.
  • Professional Development. Establishes innovative, current and future healthcare delivery models, policy/regulation and
    
    governance to cultivate a healthy lifestyle, improving health outcomes.
  • Professionalism/Collegiality. Facilitates effective relationship management, communication, customer service experiences
    
    and negotiation across lifestyles using a broad range of technology platforms to influence, inspire and motivate others within their program/service or beyond.

NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and an APN (NP) assignment that are also 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.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience with oversight of multiple complex healthcare operations and programs.
• Experience providing care to Veterans with serious mental illness.

Physical Requirements: This position includes a level of physicality normally associated with duties performed by advanced practice nurses such as physical assessment, 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 patients
• Utilization of safe patient handling and mobility protocols

Additional information

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

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

Benefits

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