Deputy Associate Director for Patient Care Services

This is a dynamic and innovative leadership position within the Department of Veterans Affairs, where you will contribute to the advancement of the nursing profession across the healthcare system. As a Deputy Associate Director for Patient Care Services, you will be responsible for ensuring the continuous and timely availability of quality nursing services, providing senior leadership and oversight for daily clinical and administrative operations within nursing, and championing a High Reliability Organization with a culture of safety founded on a systems approach to developing evidence-based health care solutions.

• Ensure that all APRNs, registered nurses, and LPNs are licensed, certified, and/or registered upon employment and thereafter.
• Aid the ADPCS in guiding the overall management of the profession and practice of nursing within OVAHCS, as well as across divisions and services.
• Ensure solid processes are in place that ensures timely competency validations and performance evaluation, reviews and consults on all disciplinary action involving conduct and professional practice of nursing personnel.
• Participate fully in upper-level management decisions on behalf of nursing and is a member of all Medical Center Councils and Committees, when applicable, that govern and influence the operations of the medical center.
• Hold self and others accountable for mutual professional expectations and outcomes, helping to educate team members on the financial implications of patient care decisions.
• Participate in and fully support workforce and succession planning, and employment decisions.
• Support efforts to promote systems-thinking amongst all levels of staff across the health care system to involve nurses and other staff in decisions that affect their practice to improve employee engagement, performance, and staff satisfaction and retention.
• Promote a healthy work environment through shared decision-making, sustaining a spirit of inquiry, and an academic environment.

• 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.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• 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).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See Additional Information below for details.

• 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)

• 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 leads change to improve performance and attain measurable outcomes at the organization or enterprise level.
• Business Acumen. Transforms health care through the application of new processes, technology, informatics, data analytics, business principles, systems thinking and resource management at the organization or enterprise level.
• Inspiring an Industry-Leading Culture. Establishes an industry leading, shared decision-making culture; a diverse and inclusive workforce that serves Veterans, families, and caregivers of all backgrounds; builds trust and cultural competencies and catalyzes dynamic teams at the organization and enterprise level.
• Communication and Relationship Management. Drives the effective use of relationship management principles to achieve positive customer service experiences that are consistent with professional and organizational values, beliefs, and practices at the organizational or enterprise level.
• Professional and Social Responsibility. Sets the standard for a culture of holistic care, health advocacy and health equity. Applies ethical principles in decision-making at the organization or enterprise level. Advances nursing knowledge through health science research and the translation and dissemination of evidence into practice to maximize the value to Veterans, the community, and the health care industry.

• A minimum of five (5) years of full-time professional nursing practice in a variety of nursing settings, including previous supervisory positions in progressively more responsible leadership assignments required.
• Current knowledge and understanding of VA Performance Measures required.
• Evidence of previous active leadership in system re-design initiatives to continue Orlando transition to a more tertiary care delivery model.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively as both a team member and leader, with excellent interpersonal skills, strong organizational skills, and excellent oral communication and writing skills, as demonstrated in previous assignments.

This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, kneeling, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual, capable of working effectively in stressful situations, and able to shift priorities based on patient needs.