SummaryThe Nurse Manager (NM) is the designated first-line supervisory authority and is responsible and accountable for the operation of their assigned units and provides coverage for other NMs as needed. The NM is responsible and accountable for the direction and supervision of specific orientation, training, development of staff, and evaluation of individual staff performance. They function as a role model, educator, practitioner, and supervisor providing leadership to the team.
DutiesHelp
- Establishes work priorities and monitoring of OCC Clinicians in order to achieve program and system goals
- Demonstrates ability to communicate through role modeling and instruction of positive communication skills to promote an environment of acceptance, openness, and feedback
- Provides supervision and timely written evaluation of assigned staff
- Collects and reports database documentation, daily, weekly and monthly
- Prioritizes and consistently addresses customer concerns
- Monitors workload and manages staffing based on workload needs and reports significant information forward to Service Chief as necessary.
- Provides overall management of the department staff's time and attendance.
- Manage staff in delivering nursing care/services. Demonstrates sound administrative judgment in making decisions
- Promotes professional development and motivates employees to work at optimal efficiency.
- Develops policies, protocols, and guidelines for staff related to work within the VA Care in the Community office
- In collaboration with the Third-Party Administrator ensure compliance with contract provisions
- Ensures compliance with VHA, system policies, TJC and other regulatory bodies and standards of operation
- Monitors performance metrics and implements performance improvement and systems redesign projects to address areas of concern.
- Improves quality of care coordination between VA and community providers.
- Assigns responsibility and delegates authority to effectively meet system objectives.
- Demonstrates responsibility for performance improvement activities and utilizes the information to enhance quality of patient care provided and ensures staff participation.
- Compiles and submits required reports in a timely manner including performance appraisals, proficiencies, performance improvement reports, certified time, and other workload and patient care data requested
- Completes special assignments and is a contributing member of Patient Administrative Service and system councils and committees as assigned by the Service Chief
- Counsels/disciplines staff members as indicated by performance or attitude; documents according to prescribed procedures; and maintains an objective relationship with the staff
- Manages department resources within budgetary guidelines
- Complies with recruitment and retention policies and procedures
- Supports the timely completion of mandatory on-line in-service education programs and staff development
- Supports health promotion and risk reduction strategies
- Submits reports and documents to HRMS as required
- Ensures timecards are accurately documented and sent to the timekeeper
- Maintains departmental readiness for TJC, OIG, internal/external surveys
- Advocates fiscal responsibility in the management of patient care through effective utilization of resources
- Maintains privacy and confidentiality of all patient information, including electronic, print, and conversations
- Maintains collegial relationships with Physician Utilization Management Advisors, Social Work, Clinical, Human Resources, Contracted, Fiscal and VISN staff
- Conducts and documents interdisciplinary meetings
- Assists with revision of job descriptions and/or functional statements and competencies as needed
- Participates in personal growth and development
- Participates in system level committees
- Provides vital input into decisions regarding VA Care in the Community
- Provides feedback to hospital management regarding issues and program changes
- Plans and conducts regularly scheduled unit staff meetings; encourages open communication and verbalization of options when identifying and resolving problems on unit
- Provides for ongoing development of staff members through regular assessment of needs and scheduling of in-service programs, continuing education programs, participation in committees/councils or meetings, and compliance in annual mandatory reviews
- Promotes and supports staff to pursue leadership, professional, and educational activities
- Plans for staff to attend committee/council meetings and educational opportunities
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, 08:00am-04:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
RequirementsHelp
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.
- 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.
- 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.
QualificationsBasic 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/[redacted].
Grade/LevelScopeEducationNurse 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.
Preferred Experience:- Experience in Supervisory Nursing Leadership: experience serving as a first-line supervisory authority, overseeing nursing teams, providing direction, performance evaluations, staff development, and resolving personnel matters.
- Expertise in Care Coordination & Patient Experience Improvement: ability to coordinate care across interdisciplinary teams, improve Veteran/patient-driven outcomes, enhance satisfaction, address care delays, and resolve systemic barriers.
- Experience Implementing Evidence-Based Practices & Process Improvements: participation or leadership in performance improvement initiatives, systems redesign, data-driven decision-making, and applying evidence-based practice to improve care delivery.
- Knowledge of Regulatory Compliance & Accreditation Standards: ensuring compliance with VHA policies, TJC accreditation, VA directives, and maintaining readiness for audits, inspections, or regulatory reviews.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
Physical Requirements: Lifting up to 35
• pounds for 8-12 hours, intermittently, moderate carrying (15-35 pounds) for 8 to 12 hours, intermittently, lifting over 35 pounds with assistive devices in accordance with the Safe Patient Handling Poli
