Advanced Practice Nurse (Clinical/Administrative Leader) - Chief, Diagnostics Service

The Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) IV Clinical/Administrative Leader provides a full range of services emphasizing quality, timeliness, and advancing the Veterans Affairs (VA) mission. The APN Clinical/Administrative Leader executes leadership that is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for population groups or integrated programs that cross services and/or disciplines and influence the organization's mission and health care.

Major duties

Duties include, but are not limited to: The Service Chief of Diagnostics Service reports to the Deputy Chief of Staff or designee. Licensed independent practitioner with advanced education and national certification who is a senior level leader. Displays executive leadership characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for population groups or integrated programs that cross services and/or discipline lines and influence organizational mission and health care. Responsible for leadership of service and programmatic operations, both clinical and administrative. Function as an administrator, educator, and consultant in collaboration with all clinical services/programs at the facility or network level, interdisciplinary service leaders, and executive leadership. Establishes and maintains effective relationships with all levels of medical center personnel and relates effectively with customers, families, and the community. Assists Nurse Leaders, APNs, and interdisciplinary clinicians in carrying out the functions and activities expected of them. Contributes ideas and recommendations for the establishment of standards of care, policies, and objectives for the enhancement of clinical practice. Leads and collaborates in policy-making activities as related to customer service and the overall functioning of administrative and clinical programs. Collaborates with other health care staff to establish and maintain programs that cross services and/or disciplines that influence organizational mission and health care. Provides leadership role to the Diagnostics Service including being responsible for operations, safety, quality, affordability, and accessibility within the department. Is readily available to the Diagnostics Service team members for collaboration when medical or other problems arise. Advocates for the Diagnostics Service with VHA leadership and the medical community while balancing the needs of the Diagnostics Service with those of Veterans and the greater Healthcare System. Meets with the Deputy Chief of Staff as necessary to ensure that the goals and objectives of the VAMC are met. Participates in the education/training of personnel as requested. Supervises medical residents and acts as liaison with residency and university 3 training programs at VAMC as appropriate. Plans and directs the educational and clinical experience of any trainees assigned to the Diagnostics Service. Other duties as assigned.

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 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM OR 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
• Telework: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications

Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner) Basic Requirements Education: A post-master's certificate or master's or doctoral degree as a Nurse Practitioner. (Applicants pending the completion of educational requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until the education requirements are met.) Must be a 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). NOTE: Foreign Education. Graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing programs, the nurse practitioner degree equivalency must be validated through an Agency recognized degree equivalency evaluation agency, such as the International Consultants of Delaware (ICD). Candidates with equivalent nurse practitioner masters or doctorate level degrees who possess current, full, active, and unrestricted registration and certification will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant appointment.

License and Certification:

• License. All APN (NPs) must possess and maintain an active, current, full, and unrestricted APN license to practice as an NP in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
• Basic Certification. All APN (NPs) must maintain full and current board certification in an area of clinical specialty from one of the following: the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB), or other nationally recognized certifying body in the area in which the Nurse Practitioner is academically prepared.

NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and an APN (NP) assignment that are also 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 Determination: VN-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 and Experience Requirement. Meets basic education requirement for an APN (NP) AND Four years of APN (NP) experience, one of which is specialized experience equivalent to Nurse III AND Meets all Nurse IV dimension requirements.

Dimension Requirement. APNs (NPs) at Level IV must meet ALL the following dimension requirements:

• Practice. Practices at an associate executive level, utilizing clinical, leadership and administrative skills, demonstrating continuing responsibility that influences the organizational mission, health care delivery and policy at the local and/or regional level.
• Outcome Focus. Leads the application of clinical/business models, incorporating research/evidence-based practices, designed to achieve and sustain excellence in the delivery of health care at the service and organization levels.
• Leadership. Creates and implements a shared vision and successfully leads change to improve organizational performance and attain measurable performance outcomes.
• Professional Development. Establishes innovative, current and future healthcare delivery models, policy/regulation and governance to cultivate a healthy lifestyle, improving health outcomes.
• Professionalism/Collegiality. Facilitates effective relationship management, communication, customer service experiences and negotiation across lifestyles using a broad range of technology platforms to influence, inspire and motivate others within their program/service or beyond.

Preferred Experience: If not ACLS certified upon selection, will need to become ACLS certified within 90 days of hiring (and maintain ACLS certification)

Physical Requirements: This position includes a level of physicality normally associated with duties performed by advanced practice nurses such as physical assessment, and potentially long periods of walking, standing, sitting, moderate lifting, repeated bending, or kneeling.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Requirements

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. English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. 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 evaluation. 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.