Associate Director for Patient Care Service/ Nurse Executive

Summary

The Registered Nurse - Associate Director for Patient Care Service (ADPCS)/Nurse Executive (NE) is an advanced healthcare executive who executes responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches in the guidance and direction of a variety of complex patient care services and programs. The ADPCS is a member of the VA Salem Health Care System Executive Leadership Team and is responsible for the practice of nursing throughout the Health Care System.

Duties

Duties of the Associate Director Patient Care Services (ADPCS)/ Nurse Executive (NE) include but are not limited to: Serves as an advanced healthcare executive responsible for leading, administering, educating, and consulting across complex patient care services and programs. Influence policy development and organizational decisions to improve care for Veterans at local, regional, state, and broader levels. Provide complex leadership and administrative oversight associated with critical health care issues and activities that influence the organizational mission, health care, and policy. Reports to the Health Care System Medical Director and serves as a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT). Functions as the highest-ranking nursing executive and chief spokesperson for organized nursing services. Promote collaboration between nursing and other professional disciplines to achieve Veteran-centered organizational goals. Leads or contributes to strategic planning, organizational assessment, program development, and facility decision-making. Establishes health-system nursing practice standards and ensures the continuous availability of timely, high-quality nursing services. Is accountable for nursing practice 24/7, including registered nurses, advanced practice nurses, licensed practical/vocational nurses, nursing assistants, and other allied health staff, regardless of reporting structure. Has line authority over the Deputy ADPCS/Deputy Nurse Executive, Sterile Processing Service, and Education and Learning Resources. Provides oversight to the Associate Chief Nurses for Ambulatory Care, Mental Health, and Geriatrics. Holds final approval authority for job descriptions; policies and procedures; patient care, treatment, and service standards; nursing practice standards; staffing plans; functional statements; and measures for assessing and improving patient outcomes. Delegates responsibilities appropriately to service lines under the ADPCS/NE's authority. Ensures nursing personnel are properly licensed, certified, and/or registered at hire and throughout their employment. Maintains processes for evaluating individual competency and reviewing annual performance ratings. Promotes a healthy nursing work environment through shared decision-making, inquiry, evidence-based practice, education, and research. Supports an academic environment that advances the nursing profession. Champions a High Reliability Organization culture based on collective mindfulness, prevention, patient safety, and evidence-based healthcare solutions. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards 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 Work Schedule: Monday- Friday, 7:45am-4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc, as determined by the agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

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. The following Scope, Education and Dimension criteria must be met to qualify for Nurse V: Scope: Practice of an executive nature, comprised of complex leadership and administrative components, associated with critical health care issues and activities that drive meeting the organizational mission, health care and policy. Education: Master's degree in Nursing (MSN) and 5 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse IV and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse V; OR Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and 5 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse IV and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse V; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing and 4 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse IV and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse V; OR a Doctoral 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 IV and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse V. *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees. Dimension Requirements: Leadership. Establishes the strategic direction for health care delivery, evidence-based practices, industry-leading research, and innovative care models. Creates a shared vision and successfully l