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Nurse-QIS-Mental Health

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Saint Louis VA Health Care System
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Quality Improvement Specialist is a registered nurse with experience and expertise in Mental Health focused quality improvement and care delivery.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
10/20/2021 to 10/29/2021
Salary
$58,158 to - $116,381 per year
Pay scale & grade
VN 00
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Saint Louis, MO
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
3
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBSS-11251852-21-JMM
Control number
617995100

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Duties

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The incumbent is directly responsible to the Director, Quality, Safety, Value & High Reliability. (S) He is responsible for the promotion of optimal patient care consultation and a highly reliable, LEAN management, expert implementation of the facility Quality, Safety, Value & High Reliability programs and processes. (S)He is a pivotal person in ensuring that the Health Care System is in compliance with established criteria, accreditation and performance standards. (S)He will be instrumental with performance improvement activities throughout the Services and Health Care System.

  • Duties include but are not limited to:
    • Functions in a variety of roles which improve the impact patient care consultation to the Services, organizational processes, performance metrics, and systems-think to improve overall outcomes to quality of care and patient/employee safety. The Joint Commission standards, CARF standards, OIG/CHIP, RCA, HFMEA, and performance improvement teams are just a few of the required duties of the Quality Improvement Specialists.
    • Recognized and consulted by interdisciplinary teams to share their unique knowledge and clinical expertise regarding Quality, Safety, Value & High Reliability processes, issues, performance improvement in the various setting, OIG-CHIP, ethics, VHA, VISN and local performance standards and compliance with national and local policy.
    • Demonstrates understanding and application of existing regulations and policies regarding quality, safety & Value & High Reliability, performance measures, infection control, risk management, credentialing and privileging, patient safety, lean principles and high reliability activities.
    • Serves as a consultant for internal and external regulations, standards and requirements. In addition, incumbent will serve as a consultant and facility point of contact for the primary process or other performance improvement processes/system redesign.
    • Consultant may facilitate a team, serve as a team leader, or act as a liaison between the team and the service chiefs or process owners as well as Executive Leadership Team.
    • Knowledgeable and involved with implementation of VHA Directives/Handbooks and the facility's policies to ensure quality assurance/improvement, compliance and promote ethical operations.
    • Provides back-up coverage for other designated programs in the Quality, Safety Value & High Reliability Service. The demands of oversight compliance and performance improvement have required more than one individual to fulfill the health system's needs.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm or 7:30 am to 4:00 pm or 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Telework: Adhoc
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • 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 a background/security investigation
  • Must be proficient in written and spoken English
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
  • Must pass pre-employment physical examination
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccination programs are requirements for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/29/2021.
Basic Requirements:

  • United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
  • Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate State-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). In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. OR The completion of coursework equivalent to a nursing degree in a MSN Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration constitutes the completion of an approved course of study of professional nursing. Students should submit the certificate of professional nursing to sit for the NCLEX to the VA along with a copy of the MSN transcript. (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.
  • 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.
Preferred Experience:
1. 3 - 5 years experience of progressive experience focused on Mental Health and Behavioral Health processes, systems, and care management required.
2. MSN Preferred
3. CPHQ Preferred
4. System Redesign Certification and Experience Preferred
5. Quality Improvement/Performance Experience Preferred

Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade:
  • Nurse II - A BSN with approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing or meets basic requirements for appointment and has doctoral degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience required.
  • Nurse III - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree.
Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-6 Nurse Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

Physical Requirements:
Work is primarily sedentary. Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as papers, books, small parts; driving an automobile, etc. No special physical demands are required to perform the work. The work involves moderate risks or discomforts which require special safety precautions, e.g., working with risk of exposure to contagious disease, radiation, or infection or in working with emotionally disturbed patients. Precautions are routine for nearly all situations. Nurses may be required to use protective clothing or gear.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

Testing Designated Position: 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.
Annual leave shall accrue for full-time Nurses, and Nurse Anesthetists at the rate of 8 hours for each full biweekly pay period.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

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

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

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.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

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, résumé, 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 by a Nurse Professional Standards Board 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 four dimensions of nursing: Practice, Professional Development, Collaboration and Scientific Inquiry. 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.

Veterans' Preference Note: Preference eligible candidates and other Veterans will be given preference when qualification of candidates are approximately equal for Title 38 positions in VHA. When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

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