Deputy Associate Director for Patient Care Service

Veterans Health Administration • Saint Louis, MO

21d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Nurse V Deputy Associate Director for Patient Care Service (DADPCS) is an advanced healthcare executive who provides leadership and creative approaches to ensure continuous, timely availability of quality nursing practice across complex patient care services and programs. The DADPCS serves as an executive administrator and consultant to the Associate Director for Patient Care Service (ADPCS)/Nurse Executive, collaborating on decisions at local, regional, and network levels to improve care for Veterans. The role is part of the senior leadership team and is accountable to the ADPCS/NE. It includes complex leadership and administrative responsibilities related to critical healthcare issues, organizational mission, care, and policy.

The DADPCS represents organized nursing services and supports integration and collaboration between nursing, other professional disciplines, and functional areas. Working closely with the ADPCS/NE, the incumbent contributes to strategic planning, organizational assessment, program development, and standards for nursing practice. The position is responsible for nursing practice 24/7 across registered nurses, advanced practice nurses, and allied health staff, regardless of line authority, and has line authority over Associate Chief Nurses and assigned service chiefs. The incumbent may receive additional duties from the ADPCS/NE and exercises preliminary approval of job descriptions, policies and procedures, patient-care standards, nursing-practice standards, staffing plans, functional statements, and measures for assessing and improving patient outcomes.

The DADPCS delegates activities to assigned services, ensures processes for competency evaluation and annual performance review, and promotes shared decision-making, a healthy nursing work environment, inquiry, evidence-based practice, education, and research. The incumbent champions a High Reliability Organization approach based on collective mindfulness to develop evidence-based healthcare solutions that promote prevention and safety.

This is a full-time, permanent position, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with availability to work weekends and holidays as needed. The schedule may change based on healthcare-system needs. Telework is ad hoc under agency policy; the position is not virtual. Recruitment or relocation incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized.

The role requires a graduate degree in nursing or a qualifying combination of nursing and related-field education, current unrestricted U.S. nursing registration, English proficiency, and experience meeting Nurse V qualification requirements. Physical duties may include prolonged walking, standing, and sitting; lifting, bending, and kneeling; and possible exposure to infected patients, contaminated materials, or combative patients. Protective clothing may be required.

Requirements

• Graduate of an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, or qualifying foreign nursing education with required degree-equivalency validation where applicable.
• Current, full, active, unrestricted registered professional nurse license in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• For Nurse V: Master's degree in Nursing and five years of professional nursing experience, including one year of specialized experience equivalent to Nurse IV; or a master's degree in a related field with a BSN and the same experience; or a doctoral degree in Nursing and four years of professional nursing experience, including one year of specialized experience equivalent to Nurse IV; or a doctoral degree in a related field with a BSN and the same experience.
• Meet Nurse V dimension requirements in leadership, business acumen, inspiring an industry-leading lifestyle, communication and relationship management, and professional and social responsibility.
• U.S. citizenship is required unless qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Pass required pre-employment screening, including a physical evaluation and, for testing-designated positions, urinalysis for illegal drug use.
• Comply with the seasonal influenza vaccination program and applicable Employee Health requirements.
• Physical capacity may be required for lifting or carrying 45 pounds and over, walking or standing for eight hours at a time, and repeated bending and kneeling.
• Be able to work effectively in stressful situations and shift priorities according to patient needs.

Nice To Haves

• Experience as a service chief for a nursing service.
• Doctoral degree.
• Five or more years of management experience.
• Advanced Nurse Leader Certification.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the ADPCS/NE to co-lead transformation of established practices and cultivate inquiry and innovation.
• Objectively analyze strategic plans and actions related to healthcare, quality, and safety across the organization.
• Apply economics, cost-benefit analysis, and business models to establish priorities and measurable goals.
• Uphold professional and ethical principles in building a workforce serving Veterans, families, and caregivers from diverse backgrounds.
• Build credibility and sustain collaborative relationships with healthcare constituents at all organizational levels.
• Advocate for healthcare policy that supports reliable, accessible, and affordable care.
• Integrate advocacy and equity models into care practice.
• Lead and translate evidence-based research into practice.
• Help establish standards for nursing practice and ensure continuous, timely availability of quality nursing services.
• Exercise preliminary approval of job descriptions, policies and procedures, patient-care and nursing-practice standards, staffing plans, functional statements, and patient-outcome measures.
• Delegate activities to assigned services and ensure competency evaluation and annual performance review processes.
• Promote shared decision-making, a healthy nursing work environment, evidence-based practice, education, and research.
• Champion a High Reliability Organization focused on collective mindfulness, prevention, and safety.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, regular salary increases, and potential performance awards.
• 50 days of paid time off annually, including 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• 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: Executive