Nurse Chief Quality Management

Veterans Health Administration • Poplar Bluff, MO

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Nurse IV Quality and Patient Safety Chief provides senior leadership and oversight for the daily clinical and administrative operations of the Quality Management Program at John J. Pershing VA Medical Center. The role carries substantial and continuous responsibility for integrated programs that cross service and discipline lines and influence the organization's healthcare mission. The Chief serves as an advisor, administrator, educator, consultant, and mentor, and builds effective relationships with Veterans Integrated Services Network (VISN) and medical center personnel, customers, families, and the community.

The Chief plans, designs, integrates, implements, modifies, and administers a Quality and Performance Management Program to evaluate and continuously improve services for Veterans. The role contributes recommendations on standards of care, policies, and organizational objectives; supports policy-making related to customer service and clinical and administrative programs; and advances collaboration among nursing, clinicians, physicians, administrative counterparts, and other professional disciplines. The Chief champions a High Reliability Organization safety approach grounded in systems thinking and evidence-based healthcare solutions.

The position supervises staff and programs covering healthcare quality, patient safety, risk management, credentialing and privileging, peer review, infection control, and accreditation compliance. It coordinates surveys and maintains readiness for accrediting bodies, including The Joint Commission and the OIG Combined Assessment Program (CAP). The Chief also oversees VHA performance measures, performance monitors, and utilization review to support healthcare quality objectives and successful performance and process-improvement outcomes.

This is an onsite, non-virtual position with a Monday–Friday schedule of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Ad hoc telework is available. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized.

Requirements

• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduation from an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, or qualifying foreign nursing education as specified in the announcement.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registered professional nurse licensure in a U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; a temporary Graduate Nurse Technician exception is described for qualifying candidates pursuing licensure.
• 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 master's degree in a related field with a BSN and the same experience; or 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.
• Meet the Nurse IV scope and dimension requirements, including leadership, business acumen, workforce and team development, communication and relationship management, and professional and social responsibility.
• Meet U.S. citizenship requirements, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Selected applicants must complete applicable pre-employment screening and onboarding requirements, including urinalysis for testing-designated positions, background/security investigation, and a pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA healthcare personnel.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Applicants may be required to serve a probationary period and must complete application requirements in the announcement's Required Documents section.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior leadership and oversight for daily clinical and administrative operations within the Quality Management Program.
• Plan, design, integrate, implement, modify, and administer a Quality and Performance Management Program to evaluate and continuously improve services to Veterans.
• Supervise staff and programs in healthcare quality, patient safety, risk management, credentialing and privileging, peer review, infection control, and accreditation compliance.
• Coordinate surveys and ensure ongoing survey readiness for accrediting bodies, including The Joint Commission and the OIG Combined Assessment Program (CAP).
• Oversee VHA performance measures, performance monitors, and utilization review to achieve healthcare quality objectives and performance and process-improvement outcomes.
• Contribute recommendations for standards of care, policies, and objectives that enhance quality management across the organization.
• Assist with policy-making related to customer service and the overall functioning of administrative and clinical programs.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with VISN and medical center personnel, customers, families, the community, and local and network program and service leaders.
• Develop collaborative partnerships with clinicians, physicians, administrative counterparts, and interdisciplinary team members to achieve shared goals.
• Champion a High Reliability Organization safety culture using systems approaches and evidence-based healthcare solutions.
• Continuously improve quality of care and help resolve staff and patient-care issues.
• Support nursing integration and collaboration with other professional disciplines and functional areas in pursuit of patient-centered and organizational goals.
• Serve as an advisor, administrator, educator, consultant, and mentor.

Benefits

• Competitive salary with regular salary increases and potential performance awards.
• 50 days of paid time off per year: 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 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: Senior