Chief Nurse - Ambulatory Care

Veterans Health Administration • West Haven, CT

8d • Onsite

About The Position

The Chief Nurse position is in the Ambulatory Care unit at the West Haven campus. It is a full-time position at 40 hours per week. The role provides substantial and continuous leadership and accountability for population groups or integrated programs that cross service or discipline lines and influence the organization’s mission and health care. The position is classified as Nurse IV and is in the Excepted Service. It is not a virtual position.

The Chief Nurse leads health care delivery using evidence-based practices, research, and innovative care models; leads change to improve performance and measurable outcomes; applies business models, technology, informatics, data analytics, and resource-management concepts; cultivates effective, diverse teams and shared decision-making; directs relationship management to support positive customer service; and advances holistic care, health advocacy, health equity, ethical decision-making, and nursing knowledge through research and evidence translation.

Candidates must meet the applicable nursing education, licensure, experience, and Nurse IV dimension requirements. The position requires a pre-employment physical and medical examination and involves the physical and work demands described in the announcement.

Requirements

• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduation from an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, or an applicable education pathway described in the announcement.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted RN registration in a U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• For Nurse IV: a master's degree in Nursing and four years of professional nursing experience, including one year of specialized experience equivalent to Nurse III; or a listed qualifying combination of a related master's or doctoral degree, BSN, and professional nursing experience, including specialized experience equivalent to Nurse III. All Nurse IV dimension requirements must also be met.
• U.S. citizenship, except where non-citizen appointment is permitted under VA policy.
• Pass required pre-employment screening, including a physical and medical examination, and comply with applicable security, onboarding, and influenza vaccination requirements.
• Meet the physical demands of the position, including lifting, carrying, reaching above shoulder, finger use, walking and standing for up to eight hours, repeated bending, working alone, irregular or extended work hours, and occasional emotional strain.

Nice To Haves

• 3–5 years of specialized primary care or ambulatory care experience.
• Progressive clinical leadership, management, and supervisory experience.
• Competence in regulatory compliance, budgeting, and workflow optimization.
• Advanced nursing degree.
• Board certification with executive credentials.

Responsibilities

• Lead health care delivery using evidence-based practices, research, and innovative care models.
• Lead change to improve performance and achieve measurable outcomes at the program or service level.
• Implement processes, technology, informatics, and data analytics using business models and resource-management concepts.
• Cultivate a diverse workforce and dynamic teams that serve Veterans, families, and caregivers, using shared decision-making and trust-building.
• Direct relationship management to achieve positive customer service experiences consistent with organizational values and practices.
• Promote holistic care, health advocacy, and health equity, and apply ethical principles in decision-making.
• Advance nursing knowledge through health science research and the translation and dissemination of evidence into practice.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, regular salary increases, and potential performance awards.
• 50 days of paid time off per year, including 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.

What This Job Offers

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