Assistant Chief Nurse SCI

Veterans Health Administration • Tampa, FL

8d • Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant Chief Nurse for Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) provides executive leadership and is responsible for integrated programs that cross service and discipline lines. The role helps shape organizational mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities, and functions as an administrator, educator, and consultant using change-management theory and systems thinking to advance high-reliability principles.

At James A. Haley VA Medical Center and Clinics, the Assistant Chief Nurse supports the Chief Nurse in leading and supervising the SCI Outpatient Clinic, SCI Nurse Coordinators, SCI clinical nurse specialists, clinical nurse leaders and nurse educators, and nurse managers. The position also directs five SCI Home Care Service programs: Comprehensive Home Care, SCI Hospital in Home, SCI Home Telehealth, SCI Long Term Care-Coordination, and Home Care Progressive Rehab.

The role collaborates with Patient Care Service and other services, contributes to educational and administrative programs, supports budget and resource planning, and promotes high-quality, patient- and family-centered care. The Assistant Chief Nurse builds effective relationships with medical center personnel, customers, families, community members, and program and service leaders at local and network levels. The position uses clinical expertise and evidence-based practice to address concerns and improve care for veterans, adheres to ethical principles, and engages in professional organizations to support leadership and career growth.

The position is scheduled Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with flexibility for department needs. Telework and virtual work are not available. Relocation or recruitment incentives are not available.

Requirements

• Graduate from a professional nursing school approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by ACEN or CCNE, or meet the stated equivalent education provisions for bridge-program or foreign-school graduates.
• Hold current, full, active, and unrestricted professional nurse registration in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia, subject to the stated Graduate Nurse Technician exception.
• Demonstrate basic written and spoken English proficiency.
• Meet the education and specialized nursing experience requirements applicable to the assigned Nurse grade and level.
• Meet the applicable Nurse III grade requirements, including a qualifying master's or doctoral degree and specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II, if assigned at Nurse III.
• Be a U.S. citizen, except that non-citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Complete required pre-employment testing, background/security investigation, onboarding, and physical evaluation; participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program and annual Employee Health requirements.
• Meet physical requirements including visual acuity, keen hearing, clear speech, manual dexterity, and ability to perform extended periods of walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing; patient or object transfers may be required.
• Work effectively in stressful situations, shift priorities according to patient needs, and tolerate possible exposure to infected patients, contaminated materials, isolation or procedural settings, and occasionally combative patients.
• For care in home or other off-site settings, be able to drive and/or ride in government vehicles if required.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the announcement.

Nice To Haves

• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or higher degree.
• Progressive leadership experience.
• Spinal cord injury nursing experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and supervision to the SCI Outpatient Clinic, SCI Nurse Coordinators, SCI clinical nurse specialists, clinical nurse leaders and nurse educators, and nurse managers.
• Direct the five programs under the SCI Home Care Service: Comprehensive Home Care Program, SCI Hospital in Home, SCI Home Telehealth, SCI Long Term Care-Coordination Program, and Home Care Progressive Rehab.
• Collaborate with Patient Care Service and other services as a self-directed clinical leader, educator, and consultant.
• Demonstrate leadership at the service or hospital level and delegate appropriately.
• Assist the Chief Nurse with administrative functions, including educational programs, medicine specialty areas, and procedural areas.
• Assist with aggregate data and participate in budget processes to plan for current, emerging, and future operational resource requirements.
• Help determine resource allocation based on patient care systems that produce high-quality outcomes.
• Support and role-model patient- and family-centered care.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with medical center personnel, customers, families, the community, and program and service leaders at local and network levels.
• Assist Nurse Managers in carrying out their functions and activities.
• Contribute ideas and recommendations for standards of care, policies, and objectives that enhance nursing organization-wide.
• Assist with policy-making related to customer service and the functioning of administrative and clinical programs.
• Collaborate with health care staff to establish and maintain programs that cross service or discipline lines and support organizational mission and health care.
• Engage in professional organizations to enhance leadership and career growth.
• Adhere to ethical principles in decision-making and foster accountability at personal, organizational, and staff levels.
• Use clinical expertise and evidence-based practice to develop innovative approaches to concerns and improve care quality for veterans.

Benefits

• 50 days of paid time off per year, consisting of 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting.
• Federal 401(k), with VA contributions of up to 5%.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Competitive salary, regular salary increases, and potential performance awards.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior