Clarification from the agency

Current permanent employees of the Veterans Health Administration including permanent Veterans Canteen Service employees, current permanent full-time Hybrid Title 38 and permanent full-time Title 38 employees. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The Nurse Manager (NM) with supervisory duties and responsibility and accountability for the 24/7 operation of their designated units. They provide coverage for other NMs and Nursing supervisors as needed. The NM has responsibility and accountability for the direction and supervision of specific orientation, training, development of staff, and provides input into the evaluation of individual staff performance. They function as a role model, educator, practitioner, and supervisor providing leadership to the team. They enhance care outcomes by collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team to remove barriers and implement new evidence-based cutting-edge programs/processes. The NM engages in professional organizations to enhance leadership and career growth. They adhere to ethical principles in decision-making, fostering accountability at personal, organizational, and staff levels. They promote a culture of accountability for high-quality, cost-effective outcomes. They cultivate alliances across the care continuum, building trust through active listening, engagement, and emotional intelligence. The NM contributes to the development of care delivery models and environmental design, ensuring evidence-based, accessible, affordable, and equitable patient care. Ensures compliance with accreditation and regulatory standards. Aligns nursing/clinical objectives with organizational strategic outcomes, participating in strategy planning and execution. They promote an inclusive workplace to achieve the organizations vision and mission. The NM maintains knowledge and ensures compliance with all regulatory and accreditation standards, Directives, policies, and standard operating procedures (SOP). The duties of the NM include but are not limited too-Duties include:

• Applies the nursing process to systems or processes at the unit/team/work group level to improve care
• Manages the care of patients, while organizing and prioritizing patient care needs, and ensuring assigned tasks are completed
• Provides leadership in the application of the nursing process to client care, organizational processes and/or systems, improving outcomes at the program or service level
• Provides leadership in identifying and addressing ethical issues that impact clients and staff
• Serves as a resource for clients and staff in addressing ethical issues
• Manages program resources (financial, human, material, and informational) to facilitate safe, effective and efficient care
• Actively contributes to the collaboration process and clearly communicates ideas to promote team success. Makes meaningful and challenging contributions for the betterment of the work group
• Demonstrates knowledge over a wide range of job responsibilities, effectively communicating with individuals and groups to build a strong sense of teamwork and purpose

Work Schedule: to be discussed with hiring official
Compressed/Flexible: May be Authorized
Telework: Ad-hoc may be authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Notifications:

• Current employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.
• This position is in the Excepted Service.
• For internal selectees being promoted, the grade and step will be determined in accordance with policy.
• Veterans preference does not apply for other current permanent Federal agency employees.
• May be subject to satisfactory completion of our credentialing process.

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

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.
• 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.)

Preferred Experience:

• BSN is highly preferred; Masters' Degree is preferred.
• Prior Operating Room experience highly preferred
• Leadership/management experience highly desirable.
• Peri-operative certification preferred.
• Demonstrated conflict management and staff development skills and the ability to work effectively with the interdisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated team building and coaching skills.
• Self-directed in seeking out learning opportunities and utilizes critical thinking skills to identify, analyze and resolve system and process problems at the unit level.
• Demonstrated time management and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to implement planned and imposed change.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with professional and administrative staff.
• Experience with quality improvement programs/activities is preferred.

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/12928040.

Grade/Level	Scope	Education
Nurse I, Level I	Delivers fundamental, knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies.	An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional professional nursing required.
Nurse I, Level II	Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex.	An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 1 ;OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional professional nursing experience required.
Nurse I, Level III	Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations.	An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I, Level 2; OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I, Level 2; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience.
Nurse II	Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others.	A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with no additional professional nursing experience.
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.


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

Physical Requirements: All applicants must be physically able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position. A pre-placement physical examination shall be completed prior to appointment.

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.

Resumé Reminder: Your resumé must include the following information for each job listed:

1. Job title
2. Duties (be as detailed as possible)
3. Month & year/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
4. Full-time or part-time (include hours worked per week)
5. Education (include name of school and date degree conferred)

Please be aware that your answers well be verified against information provided on your resumé. Be sure that your resumé clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.

Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.

An incomplete application will receive a rating of IFFM (ineligible due to missing forms). Requests for reconsideration will not be considered for applicants who fail to submit a complete application package. We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software or fax transmissions.

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.