Registered Nurse (Associate Chief of Staff of Community Care)

This position is in Office of Community Care VA San Diego Healthcare Systems (VASDHS) This position provides support to the Community Care Program. This position is responsible for assisting with authorization and clinical care coordination of care that is being referred to the community.

This position provides executive leadership and direct supervision for Community Care Service (CCS) and is the clinical and administrative coordinator for all aspects of Community Care internal and external including policies and practice budgetary and administrative oversight of compliance with VHA Directives. This position provides oversight for the Service to include: Administrative Supervisors Program Support Analyst Budget Analysts Contract Nursing Home Coordinator State Veterans Home Liaison Administrative Assistant Administrative staff for review of eligibility authorizations and scheduling etc. Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses for care coordination and if applicable all processes related to review and approval of Community Care consult requests (for justification and medical necessity) and/or denial of Community Care consults unauthorized/Mill Bill and traditional VA Community Care claims based on eligibility criteria.

The Chief CCS is a senior nursing leadership position directly aligned under the Chief of Staff. This individual assumes direct responsibility and authority for the administrative and clinical operations as well as personnel within Community Care Service. This individual executes leadership that is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for population groups or integrated programs within Community Care and coordinates areas that cross service and/or discipline lines influences the organizational mission and facilitates care coordination with both internal and external providers and demonstrates nursing leadership clinical expertise and responsibility for outcomes.

Duties include but not limited to the following:

• Serves in management of all Community Care consults and requests for additional services as directed.
• Demonstrate sound decision-making skills both clinical and administrative which bring credit to the profession and serve to enhance the distinctive and contributory role of physicians.
• Participates in multidisciplinary activities involving the treatment plan and discharge plans of patients admitted to the bed services as assigned.
• Utilizes problem solving methodologies to resolve problems that impact on patient care.
• Ability to review patients both clinically and administratively to determine eligibility for Community Care services.
• Provides guidance to all staff assigned to Office of Community Care.
• Assists in the training of staff and other stakeholders in the use of Community Care.
• Assists in the coordination of care with outside providers using knowledge of the resources and specialty care available in the VA.
• Facilitates ongoing communication between Community Care staff and leadership to evaluate data and review workload demands.
• Fosters team-oriented environment among staff to work collaboratively with administrative staff and other clinical staff within the Office of Community Care; building trust relationships.
• Participates in and attends medical center committees as assigned.
• Revises work schedule and assignments on short notice to meet frequent abrupt and unpredictable changes in prescribed workload and deadlines.

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.

• Demonstrated leadership experience as a Section or Service Chief or similar experience.
• Significant demonstrated administrative leadership skills mentoring and management experience.
• Knowledge of Community Care or similar purchased care programs.
• Substantial experience ensuring adherence to performance measures and compliance with internal and external standards.
• Ability to assess needs and support others through a leadership role and in a highly professional and collaborative manner throughout all levels of the organization.
• Experience working in a VA 1A complexity facility or similar academic health center.