Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent employees of the Western New York VA HealthCare System.

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The VA Surgery Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) Quality Consultant Registered Nurse (RN) Functions as a clinical expert and executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches to the management of complex surgical patient care that is broad enough to improve the care for surgical patients. The incumbent will demonstrate sound decision-making, judgment, possess excellent interpersonal skills that allows them to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate delivery of surgical care based on specific quality components.

The VASQIP Consultant comprehends and effectively analyzes the clinical contents of medical records and associated documents in terms of quality and appropriateness of care issues such as adherence to or deviation from accepted diagnostic and treatment protocols, including drug therapies, and the presence or absence of expected outcomes. he/she will possess clinical knowledge of medical care processes and the analytical ability to correlate clinical diagnosis and symptoms with established diagnostic and treatment modalities, and maintain current knowledge of research and incorporates the findings into the measurement and evaluation of clinical practice.

The incumbent will perform duties directly contributing to the administrative management of the surgical health care delivery system, provide clinical expertise and perspective necessary to integrate the NSO and Veterans Health Administration (VHA) directives and regulations into the local surgical department and surgical quality review process. The VASQIP Consultant works in concert with leaders and others to sustain a culture of safety, modeling High Reliability Organization (HRO) practices by performing duties directly contributing to high quality and safe patient care within the VHA.


The duties include, but are not limited to:

• Provide a basis for change in practice through findings from research and quality assessment studies.
• Collaborate with members of the interdisciplinary team, leading to process improvement initiatives related to surgical quality.
• Collect eligible surgical data in accordance with standardized data definitions for designated surgical procedure types based upon probability of postoperative mortality and morbidity. Follows procedures per established policies, guidelines, and the National Surgery Office (NSO).
• Ability to apply specialized principles and practices to ensure a systems approach to healthcare delivery.
• Support the facility leadership in areas of planning, organization, development, direction, and evaluation of the surgical quality program within the facility.
• Responsible for the documented outcomes at the program and/or service level, with the documented outcomes being broad and complex, but can be demonstrated at any organizational level within a facility.
• Communicate and collaborate with the interdisciplinary team on any findings to analyze care trends and identify opportunities for improved quality of care.
• Participate in other quality-related initiatives within the Surgery Service and throughout the medical center.
• All other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Full-time. Days (8:00 am - 4:30 pm)
Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized
Telework: Ad-Hoc authorized based on agency policy
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

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

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.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• 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 dentification 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).

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.


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/12772999.

Grade/Level	Scope	Education
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:

• Operating Room experience preferred
• Operating Room Nurse Management experience is highly preferred
• Surgical setting and/or ambulatory surgery center preferred

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


Physical Requirements:
The position requires the incumbent to have visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. The incumbent must be mature, flexible, and sensible, capable of working effectively in stressful situations and able to shift priorities based on patient needs. This position requires limited periods of standing, stooping, bending, pulling, pushing, walking, and be able to lift up to 35 pounds. Transferring patients and objects may be required. This position also requires sitting for long periods typing on computer keyboard, looking at computer monitor, and using the telephone. The incumbent maybe exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials requiring the incumbent to don protective clothing and equipment in isolation situations or during invasive patient procedures. The incumbent may be exposed to patients who are combative or aggressive related to neurologic or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must meet the required screening/testing and be medically cleared by Employee Occupational Health as a condition of employment.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

NOTE: Candidate's education, scope, and length of nursing practice (experience) will be considered in determining the grade and salary of the applicant selected. The recommended salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.

Experience as an RN will be evaluated to determine if the experience is of an acceptable level of quality with regard to the following five dimensions of nursing: Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development, and Evidence/Based Practice/Research. Each dimension of practice has criteria that demonstrate essential core competencies for VHA Nursing Personnel.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.