Chief Nurse Education

The Chief Nurse for Nursing Education is responsible for the operational planning and expansion of services for the Orlando VA HealthCare System (OVAHCS). The Chief Nurse for Nursing Education provides leadership and oversight for both clinical nursing practice and administrative duties; establishes/promotes optimal standards in care delivery and develops policies/procedures which incorporate current evidence-based practice; works with peers to formulate strategic directions for Nursing Services; plans implements and leads activities to enhance customer service; and collaborates with other healthcare disciplines to establish and sustain programs that cross service and/or discipline lines and influence organizational mission and overall health care delivery.

The Chief Nurse for Nursing Education Services collaborates with appropriate Service Chiefs to support programs and processes that will enhance OVAHCS strategic needs. The Chief Nurse for Nursing Education Services is responsible and accountable for assessing and recommending the allocation of resources both human and material necessary to ensure positive outcomes for nursing education programs. Additionally the Chief Nurse for Nursing Education Services is responsible for developing future nurse leaders and expanding academic affiliations and partnerships with community educators in nursing programs. The Chief Nurse for Nursing Education Services will serve as a recognized leader in nursing education programs functioning as a role model educator practitioner and supervisor providing leadership to interdisciplinary teams. The Chief Nurse for Education provides leadership and oversight for multiple educational programs: Employee Incentive Scholarship Program (EISP) the National Nursing Education Incentive (NNEI) the VA Learning Opportunities Residency (VALOR) and the RN Transition to Practice Program (RNTTP). The Chief Nurse for Nursing Education Services is instrumental in establishing and fostering relationships with Central Florida universities. They incorporate performance improvement and staffing effectiveness data to design effective efficient care delivery models manage assigned budgets and establish staffing levels to optimally meet the needs of the Chief Nurse for Nursing Education Services has responsibility and accountability for all nursing care activities in Nursing Education. The Chief Nurse for Nursing Education Services will serve as the direct supervisor of the Nurse Manager Nursing Education and second line supervisor for staff and professional oversight for registered nurses assigned to the Nursing Education Service.

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: 7:30am - 4:00pm with flexibility
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers 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

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 masters level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelors 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.)

• 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: Masters 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 Masters 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.

• DNP preferred or PhD preferred
• At least one year in expanded leadership to Chief Nurse and/or Associate Chief Nurse leadership experience.
• Programmatic Oversight preferred (examples include but are not limited to residency programs continuing education etc)
• Building academic curricula preferred
• Active membership/collaboration with academic institutions preferred
• Participation in local regional national healthcare boards/committees preferred.