Registered Nurse - Patient Safety Manager

Veterans Health Administration • Lexington, KY

35d • Onsite

About The Position

The Lexington VA Health Care System's Quality Department is looking for two dedicated Patient Safety Manager (PSM) Registered Nurse to join our team. In this critical role, you will advance the safety and quality of care for our Veterans. As the facility's lead for patient safety, you will promote a culture of safety, implement key policies, and collaborate across disciplines to improve patient outcomes throughout the continuum of care.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.
• Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
• English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE); OR Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor's level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program. Upon achievement of a State license, the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program. (Reference VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G6); OR In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of a current, full, active, and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement for graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program. Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD).
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia.
• Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements, but do not possess the required licensure, may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.)
• Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees.

Nice To Haves

• Active, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Nursing (BSN or MSN) preferred
• Experience in patient safety, quality improvement, or program management strongly preferred
• Demonstrated leadership skills and experience managing interdisciplinary teams
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills
• Familiarity with VA processes, NCPS directives, RCA methodology, and regulatory compliance standards

Responsibilities

• Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate beginning leadership skills and participates in specific program experiences.
• Demonstrates creative approaches to the management of program aspects of complex patient care.
• Functions as the lead manager and implementer of patient safety policies and activities developed by the National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS) and is the facility's key person to help build and implement patient safety systems and promote the culture of safety within Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities and for VA patients in all healthcare settings.
• Provides direct support to the development, maintenance, and operation of the VHA's patient safety process at the facility level.
• Works with all levels of staff within the facility, including top-level management, Root Cause Analysis (RCA) team members, RCA team leaders, and RCA recorders.
• Responsible for a facility wide program for all services within the organization that meets the requirements of National Directives.
• Oversees the provision of staff education, orientation, competencies and providing quality improvement consultation related to the program specifically.
• Continuously evaluates the program, collecting and submitting facility performance measures.
• Demonstrates knowledge of and appropriate response to requirements, reviews, and findings of regulatory agencies (i.e.: National Center for Patient Safety, The Joint Commission, the Office of Inspector General, VISN 9 Offices.
• Provides support to the agency and to all regulatory and inspection teams in preparation for and during site visits.
• Delivers knowledge-based, patient-centered care while continuously developing technical and leadership skills.
• Assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates care with consideration for age-specific and population-based needs.
• Coordinates and documents program outcomes that demonstrate broad, complex impact at the facility and VISN level.
• Demonstrates sound decision-making, judgment, and excellent interpersonal communication with patients, staff, and leadership.
• Leads the facility implementation of patient safety systems and initiatives developed by the National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS).
• Drives process improvement initiatives in collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, Root Cause Analysis (RCA) members, and organizational leadership.
• Oversees and delivers staff education, orientation, and competencies related to patient safety, fostering ongoing learning and compliance.
• Collects, evaluates, and submits facility performance measures to track program effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
• Ensures program activities and outcomes are in compliance with National Directives and meet regulatory agency requirements, including The Joint Commission and the Office of Inspector General.
• Supports the organization and regulatory inspection teams in the preparation for, and participation in, all relevant site visits.
• Promotes patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction as integral components of care delivery.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• regular salary increases
• potential for performance awards
• 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting)
• federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

What This Job Offers

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