Registered Nurse Chief Nurse (Acute Care)

The Chief Nurse Acute Care provides senior leadership within nursing as directed by the Associate Director for Patient Care Services (ADPCS). They are responsible for the practice of nursing 24/7 and ensuring compliance with policies and procedures standards of patient care treatment and services nursing practice standards staffing plans functional statements and standards to measure assess and improve patient outcomes.

Functions or scope of assigned duties include but are not limited to:

• Provides executive input in the strategic planning budget mission operational planning and policy development for the specified service.
• Collaborateswith Chief Nurses across the health care system Deputy Nurse Executive and Associate Director for Patient Care Service to develop goals and objectives that support the strategic plan meet the needs of veteran patients satisfy staff and result in positive clinical and administrative outcomes.
• Demonstrates substantial and continuous responsibility for directing supervision and managing the specified Service.
• Aggregates data and demonstrates leadership in the budget process to plan for current emerging and future resource requirements (financial human material and/or informational) for the specified Service.
• Identifies outcomes and stop gates that can be improved and leads the performance improvement process to improve and/or sustain clinical and administrative outcomes.
• Identifies and develops and/or initiates programs to ensure a safe and therapeutic environment for patients and staff.
• Manages time and leave as well as knowledge and oversight of FMLA Advanced leave and other special leave.
• Models the Veterans Customer Experience Ease Effectiveness and Emotions of the VA Way. (The VA Way combines our ICARE Values WECARE behaviors the SALUTE service recovery model and the Own the Moment Guiding Principles).
• Supports VHAs High Reliability Journey as a leader.
• Provides leadership in maintaining standards of nursing and initiatives for system improvements
• Assists with initiatives for transforming and sustaining the culture of the health system to a culture of safety.
• Responds to internal and external communications to ensure a high level of patient satisfaction.
• Promotes and contributes to an environment that is free from discrimination.
• Knows understands ensures and consistently complies with VA information security and privacy policies procedures rules and regulations individually and within the specified service.
• Leads the development and administration of service-related administrative and clinical programs utilizing the nursing process as appropriate.
• Executes collaborative leadership 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 healthcare.
• Ensures all staff under their supervision understand and follow accreditation and regulatory compliance.

• 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.
  • As a condition of employment for accepting this position you will be required to serve a 2-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public determining if your employment advances the public interest we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

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.