Nurse IV, Sterile Processing Services Chief

The Sterile Processing Services (SPS) Chief is a highly collaborative nurse expert who will be responsible for planning, organizing, developing, implementing and controlling the SPS Division at the Iron Mountain VAMC. SPS is the central point from which Veteran care related medical and surgical supply inventories and reusable medical equipment (RME) are received, processed, decontaminated, packaged and sterilized for distribution throughout the Medical Center

This Supervisory Nurse Path provides opportunities to influence procedural care, by assisting in the implementation and sustainment of strong infection control practices, in relation to equipment and instrumentation, throughout the facility. The SPS Chief has oversight supervisory oversight of licensed and non-licensed staff. The SPS Chief position reports directly to the Associate Director for Patient and Nursing Services.

• Responsible for identifying and maintaining SPS standards in accordance with AAMI and AORN standards for the practice of all services and contributing to the fulfillment of the mission in surgical and clinical areas.
• Leads the establishment of effective relationships, working in a collaborative manner with other disciplines throughout the medical center.
• Responsible for assessing, monitoring, developing and implementing corrective action plans for instrument processing, reprocessing Reusable Medical Equipment (RME), decontamination, sterilization, biological monitoring and high-level disinfecting monitoring.
• Influences and implements changes concerning the decontamination and high-level disinfection/sterilization processes both within and outside of SPS to enhance productivity and/or standards compliance.
• Responsible for ensuring the availability and control of a large number of separately recurring reusable medical/surgical supplies and equipment, which have difficult supply and demand patterns due to the mission of the facility.
• Assures compliance with accreditation standards.
• Actively contributes to major policy decision of personnel, budget, position management, public and community relations, program and organizational changes, patient care, and implications.
• Responsible for the recruitment, hiring and placement, counseling, disciplinary actions, promotions and terminations of nursing, technical, administrative and clerical staff assigned within the Division.
• Solicits assistance from, or responds to, inquiries from outside regulatory agencies such as Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Association of Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), The Joint Commission (TJC), Association of Operating Room Nurses, Center for Disease Control (CDC), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). when necessary.
• Maintains a detailed in-service training program to ensure staff receives the minimum continuing education units to maintain certification and or competency.
• Uses supervisors to direct, coordinate, and oversee work. Exercise significant responsibility in dealing with service chiefs of other departments and in advising management officials in high rank.
• Finds and implements ways to eliminate or reduce significant barriers to production, promotes team building, and improves business practices.

Preferred Experience:

• Knowledge of sterile processing workflows
• Knowledge of infection control prevention
• 2 years or greater of management experience

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards

Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards
Paid Time Off: Up to 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: Day Shift, 0700-1530
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Basic Requirements:

• 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: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification.



The following Scope, Education and Dimension criteria must be met to qualify for Nurse IV:

• Scope: Executes leadership that is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for population groups or integrated programs that cross service and/or discipline lines and influence organizational mission and health care.
• Education: Master's degree in Nursing (MSN) and 4 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse IV; OR Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and 4 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse IV; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing and 3 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse IV; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and 3 years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse IV. *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees.
• Dimensions:
  • Leadership. Leads health care delivery by leveraging evidence-based practices, industry-leading research, and innovative care models. Drives a shared vision and successfully leads change to improve performance and attain measurable outcomes at the program or service level.
  • Business Acumen. Transforms health care by implementing new processes, technology, informatics, and data analytics using business models and fundamental concepts of resource management at the program or service level.
  • Inspiring an Industry-Leading Lifestyle. Employs an industry leading, shared decision-making lifestyle. Cultivates a workforce that serves Veterans, families and caregivers of all backgrounds and builds trust, lifestyle competencies and catalyzes dynamic teams at the program or service level.
  • Communication and Relationship Management. Directs the effective use of relationship management principles to achieve positive customer service experiences that are consistent with professional organizational values, beliefs and practices at the program or services level.
  • Professional and Social Responsibility. Operationalizes a lifestyle of holistic care, health advocacy and health equity. Applies ethical principles in decision-making at the program or service level. Advances nursing knowledge through health science research and the translation and dissemination of evidence into practice to maximize the value to Veterans and the community.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Preferred Experience:

• Knowledge of sterile processing workflows
• Knowledge of infection control prevention
• 2 years or greater of management experience

Physical Requirements: Walking, bending, stooping, and some lifting. There may also be extended periods of sitting.