Registered Nurse-Chief Quality and Patient Safety

Veterans Health Administration • Albuquerque, NM

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Nurse Chief of Quality and Patient Safety reports to the Chief of Staff and provides senior leadership and oversight for the daily clinical and administrative operations of the Quality Management (QM) Program. The role carries substantial and continuing responsibility for population groups or integrated programs spanning services and disciplines, with influence on the organization’s health care mission.

The Chief serves as an advisor, administrator, educator, consultant, and mentor. They foster effective relationships with Veterans Integrated Services Network (VISN) and medical center personnel, staff, customers, families, and the community. The role works with program and service leaders at local, network, and national levels to improve care quality and resolve staff or patient-care issues.

The position contributes recommendations on standards of care, policies, and objectives for organization-wide quality management, and assists with policy-making related to customer service and the functioning of administrative and clinical programs. It supports collaboration between nursing and other disciplines, builds partnerships with clinicians, physicians, and administrators, and champions a systems-based, evidence-informed High Reliability Organization focused on safety and patient-centered goals.

The position is primarily sedentary, with some walking, lifting, and standing. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework and virtual work are not available. Relocation or recruitment incentives are authorized for highly qualified candidates; permanent change of station is not authorized.

Requirements

• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduation from an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, subject to the stated education exceptions for bridge-program candidates and foreign-school graduates.
• 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.
• For Nurse IV: meet the scope, education, and dimension criteria, including one of the specified combinations of graduate degree and professional nursing experience: a master's degree in nursing and four years of professional nursing experience; a master's degree in a related field with a BSN and four years of professional nursing experience; a doctoral degree in nursing and three years of professional nursing experience; or a doctoral degree in a related field with a BSN and three years of professional nursing experience. Each path requires one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meeting Nurse IV dimension requirements.
• Demonstrate Nurse IV dimensions in leadership, business acumen, an industry-leading shared decision-making lifestyle, communication and relationship management, and professional and social responsibility.
• Meet U.S. citizenship requirements; non-citizens may be appointed only when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Undergo required pre-employment drug screening, background/security investigation, and physical evaluation; participate in seasonal influenza vaccination; and complete onboarding and application requirements.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• A probationary period may be required.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior leadership and oversight for the daily clinical and administrative operations of the Quality Management Program.
• Lead programs and population groups that cross service or discipline lines and influence the organizational health care mission.
• Advise, administer, educate, consult, and mentor in matters related to quality management and patient safety.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with VISN and medical center personnel, VA staff, customers, families, and the community.
• Contribute recommendations for standards of care, policies, and objectives that enhance quality management.
• Assist with policy-making related to customer service and the functioning of administrative and clinical programs.
• Support integration and collaboration between nursing and other professional disciplines and functional areas.
• Develop collaborative partnerships with clinicians, physicians, and administrative counterparts to achieve shared goals.
• Promote a systems-based, evidence-informed High Reliability Organization focused on safety.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members and facility and VISN program and service leaders to improve care quality and resolve staff or patient-care issues.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, 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 VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many programs can be carried into retirement.
• Relocation or recruitment incentives authorized for highly qualified candidates.

What This Job Offers

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