Supervisory Assistant Nurse Manager-Gastroenterology Department

Veterans Health Administration • Columbia, SC

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Supervisory Assistant Nurse Manager (ANM) supports the Nurse Manager in overseeing operations of a nursing unit or patient-care area. The role fosters team development, ensures compliance with clinical practice standards, and serves as a liaison between staff and leadership. It combines clinical knowledge with leadership responsibilities and may be part of a succession plan for future Nurse Manager positions. The position is 80% clinical and 20% administrative.

The ANM supports the Nurse Manager with unit operations and provides coverage for other ANMs as needed. The role provides direction and oversight for staff orientation, training, development, and performance evaluation, and serves as a role model, educator, practitioner, and leader. The ANM collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to improve care outcomes, remove barriers, and implement evidence-based programs and processes. The role assists the Nurse Manager rather than routinely carrying out the Nurse Manager’s responsibilities independently.

As a first-line supervisor of nursing personnel in the patient-care area, the ANM directs work and assigns duties; approves or recommends schedules and leave as applicable; participates in hiring, performance appraisal, awards, discipline, and grievance processes; and provides information and recommendations to the Nurse Manager. The ANM also supports clinical education for Gastroenterology staff by assessing learning needs, developing and delivering training, orienting new employees, evaluating progress, and helping address identified deficiencies. The role collaborates with Gastroenterology leadership and interprofessional teams to evaluate practices, support competency assessment, review nursing literature, and propose practice or documentation changes based on evidence and outcomes.

The work schedule is 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and may change depending on agency needs. This is not a virtual position. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change-of-station authorization are not available. The position requires a nursing education and unrestricted U.S. nursing registration, subject to the stated qualification provisions. Physical duties include lifting, standing, sitting, walking, bending, climbing, reaching, pushing, pulling, and potentially transferring patients or objects. The incumbent may use protective equipment, operate technological equipment, and work in a changing, sometimes noisy environment with multiple priorities and customer interactions.

Requirements

• Meet the basic education requirement through graduation from an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, subject to the stated provisions for 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.
• Demonstrate basic written and spoken English proficiency.
• Meet the education, experience, and dimension criteria for the applicable Nurse grade and level, as detailed in the posting.
• Be a U.S. citizen, unless appointment of a non-citizen is permitted under VA policy when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Complete required pre-employment screening and onboarding, including a drug test and physical evaluation; the position is subject to random drug testing and security investigation.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Meet Selective Service registration requirements if applicable.
• Be able to meet the physical demands of the position, including lifting up to 45 pounds, prolonged standing and sitting, frequent bending and walking, climbing, reaching, pushing, pulling, repetitive motion, and stooping.
• Be able to perform required mental and sensory tasks, including recall, reasoning, problem-solving, hearing, clear speech, manual dexterity, writing, keyboarding, reading, critical thinking, and visual acuity.
• Be able to transfer patients and objects if required, wear protective clothing and lead aprons as appropriate, use personal protective equipment, and set up, manage, and operate highly technological equipment.

Nice To Haves

• Previous supervisory experience of 3 or more years.
• At least 2 years of recent Gastroenterology experience.
• At least 2 years of RN education, training, or professional development experience.
• At least 2 years of acute-care or medical-surgical nursing experience.
• Experience with moderate sedation.
• Strong computer skills and knowledge of computer applications.

Responsibilities

• Support the Nurse Manager with the operation of designated nursing units or patient-care areas and provide coverage for other Assistant Nurse Managers as needed.
• Direct and oversee staff orientation, training, development, and evaluation of individual staff performance.
• Serve as a role model, educator, practitioner, and leader for nursing staff.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members to remove barriers to care and implement evidence-based programs and processes.
• Exercise supervisory authority to direct work, assign duties, evaluate employee performance, recommend awards, approve or deny leave, recall employees to duty, propose discipline, and adjust grievances or recommend adjustments.
• Serve as the first-line supervisor of nursing personnel in the patient-care area, including supervising nursing assistants and/or licensed practical or vocational nurses as applicable.
• Approve schedules and leave for directly supervised employees where authorized; draft schedules and leave for final approval by the Nurse Manager.
• Appraise performance, recommend performance standards and awards, and provide input to employee evaluations completed by the Nurse Manager.
• Serve as a hiring official during recruitment for directly supervised employees and assist with candidate selection recommendations.
• Provide clinical knowledge and judgment to lead staff participation in planning, decision-making, and evaluation of outcomes, and provide feedback to the Nurse Manager regarding timely, standards-compliant nursing care.
• Oversee work assignments and provide reports of contact or assist with fact-finding to inform the Nurse Manager’s counseling or disciplinary recommendations.
• Provide competent, evidence-based education to Gastroenterology staff; assess learning needs and develop and deliver clinical training.
• Assist with new-employee orientation, evaluate progress, and develop and implement learning plans to address deficiencies.
• Develop coaching and mentoring skills and collaborate with Gastroenterology leadership to evaluate practices and formulate outcomes for patient groups or organizational processes.
• Collaborate with interprofessional teams on in-services, training, competency assessment, and evaluations of current and new nursing staff skills.
• Review nursing literature for trends and evidence-based changes and propose practice or documentation revisions based on outcome evaluations.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• Potential for 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 5-year vesting.
• 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: Manager