Registered Nurse-Quality Management Consultant

Veterans Health Administration • Fort Wayne, IN

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Nurse Quality Management Consultant provides leadership and applies experience and creative approaches to improving quality-of-care outcomes. The consultant is responsible for documented outcomes at the program or service level and supports broad, complex programs that affect patients and/or employees. The role covers assigned quality management program activities for the Medical Center and all off-site locations, including collecting data, monitoring staff compliance with policies and standards, reporting trends, and supporting services in planning, designing, integrating, implementing, modifying, and administering quality management activities. The consultant also participates in facility councils, committees, and workgroups and contributes to the administrative management of the health care delivery system. The position is located at the Fort Wayne, Indiana Facility and is accountable to the Chief of Quality Management.

Key areas include accreditation program oversight, preparation, response, and sustainment of survey activities, as well as organizational High Reliability efforts. The consultant collaborates with staff across the organization and practices professional nursing using the nursing process for complex patients, with occasional supervision. The role supports patient-driven care, patient experience, satisfaction, safety, interprofessional collaboration, staff learning, evidence-based practice, and quality improvement. The consultant provides courteous, consistent service to patients, visitors, volunteers, and staff and ensures care and staff training reflect patients’ age-related, developmental, cognitive, emotional, and lifestyle needs.

This is a full-time position scheduled Monday through Friday, 0730–1600. Telework and virtual work are not available. Relocation or recruitment incentives may be authorized; permanent change of station is not authorized. Occasional travel may be required when providing off-site training.

Requirements

• Graduate of an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, or qualifying equivalent education under VA requirements.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registered professional nurse license in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; a specified Graduate Nurse Technician temporary-appointment exception may apply to candidates pursuing licensure.
• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Meet the applicable education, experience, and practice-dimension criteria for the assigned Nurse grade and level.
• Ability to perform the position’s physical requirements, including visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity.
• Ability to tolerate potentially long periods of walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing.
• Ability to work effectively in stressful situations and shift priorities based on organizational needs.
• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Pass required pre-employment screening, including drug testing for testing-designated positions, background/security investigation, and physical evaluation/examination; comply with seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Complete the required onboarding and application requirements; males born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated experience in program oversight and accreditation.
• Background in Quality Management or performance improvement within a healthcare or related setting.
• Proven ability to lead and engage multidisciplinary teams to achieve organizational goals.
• Strong program management skills and ability to drive initiatives independently.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with staff at all levels of the organization.
• Commitment to fostering and sustaining a culture of High Reliability.
• Highly self-motivated, with a track record of proactive leadership.

Responsibilities

• Oversee assigned quality management program activities for the Medical Center and all off-site locations.
• Collect data, monitor staff compliance with applicable policies, directives, and standards, and report trends.
• Provide direct staff support in planning, designing, integrating, implementing, modifying, and administering quality management programs.
• Manage accreditation program oversight, preparation, response, and sustainment of survey activities.
• Support work to improve High Reliability across the organization, including the Medical Center and off-site clinics.
• Participate in facility councils, committees, and workgroups.
• Apply the nursing process to care for complex patients and provide or direct patient-driven care focused on experience, satisfaction, and safety.
• Communicate and collaborate as an effective interprofessional team member, demonstrating leadership responsibilities as appropriate.
• Share knowledge and learning opportunities that enhance nursing practice and support team self-evaluation.
• Apply evidence-based practice and research, considering patient preferences, to improve quality of care and resource utilization, and participate in improvement activities.
• Provide courteous, respectful, and consistent customer service, communicate information in accordance with established policies and procedures, and handle conflicts constructively.
• Assess patient status and provide age-appropriate care and support, accounting for cognitive, emotional, developmental, chronological, and lifestyle-related needs.
• Ensure staff receive training related to age-specific and other patient needs.
• Occasionally travel to provide off-site training.

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 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
• Education Level: Associate degree