The Service Chief SPS is a direct report to the Associate Director, Patient Care Services (ADPCS). SPS is responsible for the processing/reprocessing of all critical and semi-critical reusable medical devices (RMD). The Chief of SPS provides direct supervision and serves as an advisor, administrator, educator, consultant, and mentor who possesses a wide range of experience and leadership ability.
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 IV: Scope: Executes leadership that is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for population groups or integrated programs that cross service and/or discipline lines and influence organizational mission and health care. Education: Master's degree in Nursing (MSN) and 4 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse IV; OR Master's 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 III and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse IV; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing and 3 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse IV; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and 3 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse IV. *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees. Dimensions: Leadership. Leads health care delivery by leveraging evidence-based practices, industry-leading research, and innovative care models. Drives a shared vision and successfully leads change to improve performance and attain measurable outcomes at the program or service level. Business Acumen. Transforms health care by implementing new processes, technology, informatics, and data analytics using business models and fundamental concepts of resource management at the program or service level. Inspiring an Industry-Leading Lifestyle. Employs an industry leading, shared decision-making lifestyle. Cultivates a workforce that serves Veterans, families and caregivers of all backgrounds and builds trust, lifestyle competencies and catalyzes dynamic teams at the program or service level. Communication and Relationship Management. Directs the effective use of relationship management principles to achieve positive customer service experiences that are consistent with professional organizational values, beliefs and practices at the program or services level. Professional and Social Responsibility. Operationalizes a lifestyle of holistic care, health advocacy and health equity. Applies ethical principles in decision-making at the program or service level. Advances nursing knowledge through health science research and the translation and dissemination of evidence into practice to maximize the value to Veterans and the community. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Preferred Experience: Three or more years as a Nurse Manager, or higher level responsibility in a highly complex environment (i.e., Surgical Operations, Sterile Processing Services). Physical Requirements: The population of male and female Veterans served ranges from the adult, age 18, to the elderly adult, age 65 and over. Age-related and cultural interventions appropriate to cognitive, physical, and emotional needs will be employed at all times, tailored to the individual patient, incorporating knowledge of changes associated with aging and principles of growth and development. The incumbent must be poised, articulate, adaptive, and respectful in communicating with and caring for people of varied educational, ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. Care will be provided to Veterans without discrimination and harassment, tailored to his/her needs, regardless of a Veteran's age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression. The incumbent knows how to obtain translation services for patient or families with limited English language proficiency or who need sign language services.
Duties include: -Provides health system-wide leadership for critical and semi-critical RMD, including sterile storage, reprocessing, standard operating procedures (SOP), competency assessment, selection, operation, and maintenance of reprocessing equipment, staff education program for RMDs, and quality management of SPS. -Assessing, monitoring, developing, and implementing corrective action plans for instrument processing, decontamination, sterilization, storage, biological monitoring, and high-level disinfection monitoring through an SPS Quality Management System. -Assesses the environment, analyzes trends, transmits data, communicates ideas, develops, and implements policies, initiates programs and systems, and collaborates in the management of resources. -Has responsibility and oversight of evidence based practice (EBP) infection control relating to sterile processing standards. -Collaborates in the development and implementation of policies and procedures relating to sterile processing and infection control practices throughout the healthcare system. -Collaborates with various surgical proprietary vendors that provide instrumentation that allow the agency to maintain inventory par levels that support the complex surgical cases. These arrangements also require the incumbent to forecast upcoming supply and demand of highly specialized surgical instrumentation especially when our facility competes with other healthcare systems in our region (private sector facilities). -Directs multi-service leadership and staff in the development and maintenance of SOPs for the sterilization and decontamination of all facility RMD. The Chief of SPS functions as an advisor, administrator, educator, consultant, and mentor who possesses a wide range of experience and leadership ability. -They assist the ADPCS with healthcare operations and the functions and activities expected of them. The incumbent contributes ideas and recommendations for the establishment of standards of care, policies, and objectives for the enhancement of nursing. 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: Rotational Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified individuals Payscale: N02T