Nurse Practitioner (Deputy Chief) Huntsville

The Birmingham VA Health Care System is recruiting for a Nurse Practitioner - Deputy Chief Mental Health Service Line (MHSL) located at the Huntsville Clinic with supervisory responsibility of staff at multiple locations. The incumbent reports to the Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) Mental Health the MHSL for all clinical, administrative, and quality performance matters. The incumbent provides direct supervision to a group of staff who provide support to the MHSL.

The Nurse Practitioner - Deputy Chief Mental Health has programmatic responsibilities for the delivery of mental health services at the Huntsville Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) and additional outpatient sites of care and for supporting and executing the mission and vision of the Chief (ACOS) of Mental Health for the Birmingham VA Health Care System (VAHCS).

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Provides support to the ACOS, MHSL in all areas of management, leadership and oversight of mental health clinical, educational, and research activities at the Birmingham VAHCS.
• Ensures observance of federal, national, and local regulatory policy and accreditation requirements governing the medical center.
• Supports strategic planning, budget oversight, staff recruitment and management, and quality assurance.
• Functions as a liaison to the ACOS, MHSL for Education and affiliated health professional schools for undergraduate and graduate education issues.
• Ensures that mental health practitioners demonstrate effectiveness in teaching and comply with necessary trainee supervision requirements.
• Maintains all necessary credentials in his/her respective discipline to provide clinical care approximately ten percent (10%) of the time.
• Assists the ACOS in planning, organizing, developing, implementing, coordinating, and refining a comprehensive patient management/clinical support/administrative program which provides services and technical counsel necessary to meet clinical, procedural, legal and administrative requirements relating to the care and treatment of inpatients and outpatients.
• Provides a climate in which clinicians can care for patients with an awareness of administrative implications of his/her actions, without feeling he/she is working under unnecessary constraints.
• Contributes in implementing VA Headquarters policies and regulations governing broad administrative aspects of the medical center.
• Serves on a variety of medical center planning committees, advisory groups and chartered action teams.
• Oversees clinical and administrative performance measures.
• Assists with service line strategic planning and resource management.
• Assists with developing formal, systematic improvement plans for quality measures, access and medical services delivery.
• Supports liaison with affiliated schools regarding medical teaching issues and provider appointments.
• Oversees the establishment of program monitors and outcome measurements using programs using data-driven quality assurance processes.
• Assures all Mental Health programs are compliant with applicable Federal and State laws.
• Oversees the management of Veteran complaints and issues.
• Contributes to the development of program goals and objectives to meet VHA Mental Health requirements.
• Participates in performance appraisals of staff and addresses disciplinary issues.
• Participates in clinical teaching as assigned.
• Assists in overseeing appropriate training related to MH issues is completed for all Birmingham VAHCS staff involved in patient care activities.
• Contributes to the development of Mental Health Service policies and procedures consistent with VA Directives, VA required accreditation by the Joint Commission, CARF and other MH accrediting organizations.
• Supervises the hiring of professional mental health staff.
• Directly supervises both clinical and administrative personnel.

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, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (subject to change based on agency needs)
Telework: Available. Ad-hoc only.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment) Authorized: This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. Learn more. Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.
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.

Grade Determinations: The following Scope, Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade. The Dimension requirements (Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12968358. Grade/Level Scope Education Nurse I, Level I Delivers fundamental, knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies. An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional professional nursing required. Nurse I, Level II Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex. An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 1 ;OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional professional nursing experience required. Nurse I, Level III Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations. An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I, Level 2; OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I, Level 2; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience. Nurse II Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others. A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with no additional professional nursing experience. Nurse III Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting. MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Master's degree in *related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III. *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees.

Preferred Experience:

1. Previous experience as a Mental Health Section Chief or Program Manager at a VHA Facility.
2. Management experience of a mental health program in an integrated health care system.
3. Experience with quality improvement, including but not limited to lean management, change management, and high reliability organization implementation.

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

Physical Requirements: ???????This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs.