Registered Nurse - Nurse Manager Community Living Center

Veterans Health Administration • Washington, DC

5d

About The Position

The Nurse Manager for the Community Living Center provides leadership, management, and first-line supervisory oversight of nursing operations within assigned Community Living Center units, including hospice, rehabilitation, short-term care, and long-term care. The role is accountable for 24/7 nursing operations and for safe, timely, efficient, high-quality, Veteran-centered care that complies with professional nursing standards, VA policies, and regulatory requirements.

The Nurse Manager plans, organizes, directs, implements, and evaluates nursing care delivery, staffing, personnel resources, and unit operations. The position oversees patient flow and discharge planning; staff performance, competency, education, and development; fiscal and equipment resources; and continuous accreditation readiness. It collaborates with physicians, nursing leaders, interdisciplinary professionals, and other Nurse Managers to coordinate care and improve operations. The Nurse Manager also leads quality and performance improvement, applies evidence-based practice, and promotes patient safety, advocacy, ethical decision-making, and respect for Veterans' rights and dignity.

The work schedule is determined by service needs and may require flexibility, including rotating tours or non-administrative tours. Telework is ad hoc based on agency needs; this is not a virtual position. The position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear speech, manual dexterity, and potentially prolonged walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required.

Requirements

• Be proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduate from an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, subject to the stated provisions for qualifying bridge-program candidates and foreign nursing education.
• 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.
• Meet the education, specialized nursing experience, and dimension criteria for the assigned Nurse grade and level. Requirements vary by grade and may include an ADN or diploma, BSN, MSN or related master's degree, or doctoral degree, along with applicable professional or specialized nursing experience.
• Meet U.S. citizenship requirements, except that non-citizens may be appointed when recruitment of qualified citizens is not possible under VA policy.
• Register for Selective Service if applicable to males born after December 31, 1959.
• Pass applicable pre-employment drug screening, background/security investigation, and physical evaluation; complete onboarding and required application documentation.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Possibly serve a probationary period.
• Meet the physical demands of the position, including visual acuity, hearing, speech, manual dexterity, potential prolonged periods of walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing, and possible patient or object transfers.

Nice To Haves

• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Leadership.
• Three or more years of experience as a Nurse Manager.
• Completion of ELNEC training.
• Unit-based experience leading Ascellon, LTCI, and CARF surveys.
• Experience with staffing methodology, unit budgets, and Accustaff.
• Change Management Certification.

Responsibilities

• Provide first-line supervisory leadership and oversee nursing personnel and daily operations in assigned Community Living Center units.
• Maintain accountability for 24/7 nursing operations and ensure safe, timely, efficient, Veteran-centered care in accordance with nursing standards, VA policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Plan, organize, direct, implement, and evaluate nursing care delivery, continuity of care, patient throughput, access to services, and discharge planning.
• Manage staffing requirements, nursing assignments, employee schedules, and personnel resources to meet patient-care needs.
• Oversee fiscal and human resources, including FTEE management, resource requests, and strategies to recruit and retain qualified nursing staff.
• Supervise and evaluate nursing personnel through performance appraisals, competency assessments, coaching, counseling, and professional development.
• Address employee conduct and performance concerns, facilitate conflict resolution, and promote teamwork, accountability, and engagement.
• Identify staff education, orientation, training, and competency needs and coordinate educational opportunities.
• Support student nurses' clinical learning and assist with orientation and development of new Nurse Managers and nursing staff.
• Collaborate with physicians, nursing leadership, interdisciplinary healthcare professionals, and other Nurse Managers to coordinate care, resolve barriers, and improve operations.
• Provide clinical leadership in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating care for Veterans with complex healthcare needs.
• Ensure care is individualized to Veterans' age-specific, physical, psychosocial, developmental, and lifestyle needs.
• Monitor admissions, transfers, discharges, throughput, and care coordination to support timely patient movement.
• Oversee the utilization, maintenance, and availability of equipment, supplies, and other resources needed for safe care.
• Lead and participate in developing, implementing, evaluating, and revising nursing policies, procedures, protocols, and evidence-based care models.
• Monitor patient-care outcomes, patient satisfaction, employee safety, and quality indicators to identify improvement opportunities.
• Lead unit-based, service-level, and organizational performance improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, efficiency, and Veteran satisfaction.
• Apply advanced clinical knowledge, nursing standards, and evidence-based research to improve nursing practice and outcomes beyond the immediate practice setting.
• Promote high reliability, patient advocacy, ethical decision-making, accountability, and protection of Veterans' rights, safety, and dignity.
• Maintain accreditation readiness and ensure compliance with Joint Commission, regulatory, VA, and organizational standards.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, regular salary increases, and potential performance awards.
• 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 and 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: Associate degree