Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. AREA OF CONSIDERATION: 1. CURRENT PERMANENT EMPLOYEES OF THE AGENCY FOR WHICH THE POSITION IS BEING ADVERTISED 2. ALL OTHER CANDIDATES

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Duties:
The Nurse Manager/Head Nurse (NM) position available on the 4C Hematology/Oncology Medicine Unit within the Acute Care Inpatient Division, is the designated first-line supervisory authority responsibility and accountability for the 24/7 operations of the unit, ensuring that the staff provide timely and high-quality nursing care with complies with accepted standards of clinical practice. The position is full-time, Monday-Friday, with 24-hour accountability and expectation that the manager will be both visible and available to the off-tour staff. The NM is responsible and accountable for the direction and supervision of specific orientation, training, development of staff, and evaluation of individual staff performance. Other duties include, but are not limited to:

Principle duties and responsibilities include:

• Direct and lead the interdisciplinary team, effectively communicate with clinicians and administration on all aspects regarding the Hematology/Oncology-Med/Surg-Med program.
• Coordinate the day-to-day clinical direction of patient care and nursing service.
• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate standards of nursing care and clinical practice within the program area in a manner that speaks to ICARE values.
• Implement and evaluate initiatives that improve the delivery of patient care.
• Monitor documentation, competencies, and performance measures.
• Participate in team conferences, daily discharge huddle, interdisciplinary conferences, in-services, staff meetings and shared governance council meetings to support staff and patient outcomes.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with Medical Center, Nursing policies, accreditation bodies.
• Gather and analyze data to make programmatic, staffing, and patient care decisions.
• Evaluate staff performance and collaborate with labor partners in a proactive manner.
• Contribute to professional nursing practice in the Division and VA Medical Center.
• • Function as role model, educator, practitioner, and supervisor providing leadership to the team.
  • Collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team to remove barriers and implement new evidence-based cutting-edge programs/processes.
  • Engages in professional organizations to enhance leadership and career growth.
  • Equip staff with tools for culturally competent care and promote a culture of accountability for high-quality outcomes.
  • Contributes to the development of care delivery models and environmental design, ensuring evidence-based, accessible, affordable and equitable patient care.
  • Maintains knowledge and ensures compliance with all regulatory and accreditation standards, Directives, policies, and standing operating procedures (SOP).

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 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.)

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.