Registered Nurse-Chief Nurse Sterile Processing Service

Summary

The Charles George VA Medical Center located in Asheville, North Carolina, is currently seeking one highly qualified Registered Nurse to fill the Chief Nurse vacancy within the Sterile Processing Service.

Duties

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The Chief Nurse IV plays a leadership role in ongoing systematic evaluation and improvement of quality and effectiveness of SPS program outcomes. Provides health system-wide leadership for critical and semi-critical reusable medical devices (RMD), including sterile storage, reprocessing, standard operating procedures (SOP), competency assessment, selection, operation, andmaintenance of reprocessing equipment, staff education program for RMDs, and quality management of SPS.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards

The Duties of the Nurse IV Sterile Processing Service Chief include but are not limited to the following:

• Chief, Sterile Processing Services (SPS), is responsible for oversight of all operational and administrative activities of the service.
• Responsible for the quality management system activities within Sterile Processing Services, to include training, competency assessment, development and enforcement of standard operating procedures.
• Through subordinate supervisors provides technical and direct supervision to over 25 GS3/4 through GS9 Medical Supply Technicians.
• Manages, directs and adapts work to accomplish program goals and objectives, and to meet new and changing program requirements.
• Serves as liaison between SPS and other departments.
• Manages the SPS Equipment Inventory Listing (Ell) for equipment assigned to SPS such as sterilizers, washer/disinfector, ultrasonic, sealers through the nonexpendable property program for the assigned facility/system and requests replacement of all equipment under their purview as needed.
• The Chief serves as a member or in an advisory capacity on committees such as Commodity Standardization, Infection Control, Environment of Care, and Reusable Medical Devices. In addition, the Chief is required to attend regularly scheduled meetings as assigned to represent SPS and to provide written and verbal reports as required.
• Issues, adapts, implements and maintains local SPS policies and procedures as applicable to specialized facility/system programs.
• Develops, directing and maintaining a Quality Control Program ensuring product quality assurance through random sampling, biological monitoring, product assessment and other means, and providing specialized reports as required.
• Solicits assistance from, or responds to, inquiries from outside regulatory and advisory agencies to ensure compliance with established policies and procedures from organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (MMI), Joint Commission (JC), Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA), Association of Perioperative Nurses (AORN), and others.
• Responsible for training in various aspects of SPS, including reprocessing and inventory management. Conducts departmental orientation, training, skills review and assists with educational programs to maintain high staff quality performance standards. Identifies and promotes staff development.
• Responsible for coordination and integration of production requirements to meet needs of customers, both scheduled and non-scheduled.

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 to Friday 7:30 am to 4:00 pm

Telework: ADHOC

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation Incentive: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Requirements

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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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/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

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/.

Preferred Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of full-time professional administrative leadership and hospital experience in a sterile processing environment. Demonstrated success in planning and activating new units/programs, with demonstrated leadership in formulating new policies/practice protocols and in preparing programs for accrediting body reviews, such as Joint Commission. Demonstrate leadership which promotes staff involvement and ownership resulting in excellent outcomes for Veterans.

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

Additional information

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

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

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.