RN - Associate Chief of Infection Prevention and Control

Veterans Health Administration • Palo Alto, CA

16h • Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Chief of Infection Prevention and Control at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System reports to the Chief of the Office of Quality, Safety and Value. The role oversees the system-wide Infection Prevention and Control program, a comprehensive multidisciplinary program designed to monitor, prevent, and control infections and their adverse effects on patients, employees, trainees, volunteers, and visitors. The Associate Chief develops and implements infection prevention and control strategies, promotes problem-solving among staff, and collaborates with other Quality, Safety and Value chiefs and executive leadership to integrate QSV functions across the health care system. This leadership role carries substantial and continuous accountability for population groups or integrated programs spanning services or disciplines and influencing the organizational health care mission.

The position is at the Nurse IV level. Qualification pathways require a master's degree in nursing and four years of professional nursing experience, including one year of specialized experience equivalent to Nurse III; a master's degree in a related field with a BSN and the same experience; a doctoral degree in nursing and three years of professional nursing experience, including one year of specialized experience equivalent to Nurse III; or a doctoral degree in a related field with a BSN and the same experience. Candidates must meet the applicable Nurse IV dimensions. The position requires a current, full, active, and unrestricted RN registration in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia, and proficiency in written and spoken English.

The work schedule is 0800–1630, with on-call duty when necessary. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. Physical requirements include visual acuity, keen hearing, clear speech, manual dexterity, and potentially long periods of walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Patient or object transfers may be required. The employee may encounter infected patients and contaminated materials, need to wear protective clothing, and occasionally encounter combative patients. Annual employee health requirements, including TB screening or testing, must be completed.

Requirements

• Graduate of an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, or meet the stated qualifying education provisions for bridge-program or foreign-school graduates.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted RN registration in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Meet one Nurse IV education and experience pathway: MSN plus four years of professional nursing experience; a master's degree in a related field with a BSN plus four years; a doctoral degree in nursing plus three years; or a doctoral degree in a related field with a BSN plus three years. Each pathway requires one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meeting Nurse IV dimension requirements.
• Meet the applicable Nurse IV dimensions, including leadership, business acumen, shared decision-making and workforce development, communication and relationship management, and professional and social responsibility.
• Pass the pre-employment physical evaluation and complete annual employee health requirements, such as TB screening or testing.
• Meet applicable employment conditions, including U.S. citizenship except where VA policy permits non-citizen appointment, background/security investigation, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement Infection Prevention and Control strategies.
• Support efforts to foster problem-solving among staff at all levels.
• Collaborate with other Quality, Safety and Value chiefs and executive leadership to integrate QSV functions across the health care system.
• Provide leadership and accountability for population groups or integrated programs that cross services or disciplines and influence the health care system's organizational mission.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• 50 days of paid time off per year, comprising 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 up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Regular salary increases and potential performance awards.

What This Job Offers

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