Summary
The Registered Nurse - Associate Director for Patient Care Service (ADPCS)/Nurse Executive (NE) is an advanced healthcare executive who executes responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches in the guidance and direction of a variety of complex patient care services and programs. The ADPCS is a member of the VA Salem Health Care System Executive Leadership Team and is responsible for the practice of nursing throughout the Health Care System.
Duties
Duties of the Associate Director Patient Care Services (ADPCS)/ Nurse Executive (NE) include but are not limited to: Serves as an advanced healthcare executive responsible for leading, administering, educating, and consulting across complex patient care services and programs. Influence policy development and organizational decisions to improve care for Veterans at local, regional, state, and broader levels. Provide complex leadership and administrative oversight associated with critical health care issues and activities that influence the organizational mission, health care, and policy. Reports to the Health Care System Medical Director and serves as a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT). Functions as the highest-ranking nursing executive and chief spokesperson for organized nursing services. Promote collaboration between nursing and other professional disciplines to achieve Veteran-centered organizational goals. Leads or contributes to strategic planning, organizational assessment, program development, and facility decision-making. Establishes health-system nursing practice standards and ensures the continuous availability of timely, high-quality nursing services. Is accountable for nursing practice 24/7, including registered nurses, advanced practice nurses, licensed practical/vocational nurses, nursing assistants, and other allied health staff, regardless of reporting structure. Has line authority over the Deputy ADPCS/Deputy Nurse Executive, Sterile Processing Service, and Education and Learning Resources. Provides oversight to the Associate Chief Nurses for Ambulatory Care, Mental Health, and Geriatrics. Holds final approval authority for job descriptions; policies and procedures; patient care, treatment, and service standards; nursing practice standards; staffing plans; functional statements; and measures for assessing and improving patient outcomes. Delegates responsibilities appropriately to service lines under the ADPCS/NE's authority. Ensures nursing personnel are properly licensed, certified, and/or registered at hire and throughout their employment. Maintains processes for evaluating individual competency and reviewing annual performance ratings. Promotes a healthy nursing work environment through shared decision-making, inquiry, evidence-based practice, education, and research. Supports an academic environment that advances the nursing profession. Champions a High Reliability Organization culture based on collective mindfulness, prevention, patient safety, and evidence-based healthcare solutions. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory Work Schedule: Monday- Friday, 7:45am-4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc, as determined by the agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized
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. 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.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
How you will be evaluated
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. NOTE: Candidate's education, scope, and length of nursing practice (experience) will be considered in determining the grade and salary of the applicant selected. The recommended salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy. Experience as an RN will be evaluated to determine if the experience is of an acceptable level of quality with regard to the following five dimensions of nursing: Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development, and Evidence/Based Practice/Research. Each dimension of practice has criteria that demonstrate essential core competencies for VHA Nursing Personnel. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.