Chief Nurse (Sterile Processing Officer)
What you'd do
The Nurse lV VISN Chief, Sterile Processing Officer (CSPO) plays a leadership role in ongoing systematic evaluation and improvement of quality and effectiveness of sterile processing program outcomes. The VISN CSPO formulates, builds upon, and sustains key relationships with the members of the Assistant Under Secretary for Health (AUSH) for Patient Care Services, specifically, the Office for Sterile Processing (OSP) and the Office of Nursing Services (ONS), when called upon.
Major duties
Assigned Duties: DIMENSIONS OF NURSING PRACTICE LEADERSHIP: Inspires individual and organizational excellence, creates a shared vision, and successfully leads change to improve organizational performance & attain measurable performance outcomes. Expectations: Develops, organizes, and directs Sterile Processing programs operational aspects with an added emphasis on delivering critical and semi-critical RMD services to all areas where it is needed. Utilizes multiple sources of data ensures reliability and validity of data in completing quarterly SPAT and annual audits of all reprocessing RMD and storage of RMD. Utilizes multiple sources of data in creating plans and actions related to practice, quality and safety issues to identify and improve performance and sustain outcomes for Veteran healthcare. Able to inspire individuals to build consensus and cooperation that creates a shared vision and advance goals. BUSINESS ACUMEN: Uses business models and applies fundamental concepts of economics to programs under their leadership. Expectations: Provides guidance and oversight of Sterile Process program management to ensure proper resource utilization to include staffing, SPF funding, annual budget needs, preventative maintenance, and replacement of RMD. Participates in continuous learning to successfully promote and apply economic concepts and business models to set priorities. Assesses and evaluates facility-wide patient care delivery policies that impacts the SPS program and the facility to support senior leadership goals. INSPIRING AND INDUSTRY LEADING LIFESTYLE: Employs an industry-leading, shared decision-making lifestyle. Cultivates a workforce that serve Veterans, families and caregivers of all backgrounds and builds trust, lifestyle competencies and catalyzes dynamic teams at the program or service level. Expectation: Assists with the creation of a workforce to serve Veterans, at the organizational level. Seeks and utilizes healthcare policy and practices as chair of the RMD committee, to enable the delivery of reliable and accessible RMD within the facility. Recognizes, and supports the use of technology such as instrument tracking to impact care delivery, extracts operational data to improve patient care outcomes. Contributes to visionary thinking that advances quality patient outcomes. 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. Expectations: Establishes and maintains highly effective relationships at all levels of the organization. Relates effectively with front-line staff, customers, and leaders at the program and service level to achieve common goals for the SPS program. Communicates with transparency, clarity, and integrity, integrates HRO principles. Sustains relationships at all levels to advance strategic action plans. PROFESSIONAL AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: Operationalizes 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. Expectation: Creates a quality management system within the SPS program to manage processes with continuous improvement and quality assurance measures for an environment of safety. Acquires required knowledge and certification for SPS training and completion pf level 2 per SPS directives. Advances one's knowledge through the continual application of evidence-based research, specifically translating manufactures instructions for use and integrating quality and safety measures for patients and staff. Translates evidence into practice throughout the organization. Develops and supports an environment for ethical decision-making throughout the organization. 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 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
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. Preferred Experience: Sterile Processing or Operating Room and Quality Management experience. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: This position includes a level of physicality normally associated with duties performed by nurses such as direct patient care, and potentially long periods of walking, standing, sitting, moderate lifting, repeated bending, or kneeling.
Before you apply
Federal applications are different: your resume should be 3–5 pages and mirror the language of this announcement. Read our federal resume guide first — it's the #1 reason qualified people get screened out.
Don't miss the next one.
Get an email the moment a similar federal job opens — postings can close in as little as 5 days.