Registered Nurse - Designated Education Officer

Executes leadership that is characterized by substantial and continuous responsibility and accountability for population groups or integrated programs that cross services and/or discipline lines and, influence the organizational healthcare mission. Functions as an administrator, educator, and consultant utilizing management theory in collaboration with Patient Care Service (PCS) and other facility services.

Major duties include, but may not be limited to:

The Nurse IV Designated Education Officer (DEO) functions as an advisor, administrator, educator, consultant, and mentor who possesses a wide range of clinical and educational experience and leadership ability.

The DEO establishes, maintains, and evaluates the quality of health professions training programs and the quality of care delivered by trainees at the Veterans Affairs (VA) facility. Provides direction and oversight of the Health Professions Education (HPE) service and education support for a full spectrum of paid and without compensation (WOC) Health Professions Trainees (HPT) and others associated with a complex healthcare system, which includes employees, upper-level facility management, affiliate schools, and trainees. Provides a wide range of program management and administrative duties supporting the HPE programs consisting of HPT academic levels that include undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students, externs, interns, residents, fellows, and VA advanced fellows; and pre-and post-doctoral fellows. Supports educational programs that may include medical and dental, nursing, associated health, advanced fellows and, limited non-clinical programs.

The DEO works collaboratively with Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) which serves as the focal point in VHA for the development, analysis, and evaluation of policies, guidelines, and programs related to academic affiliations and the professional education of HPTs. Assists the VHA in achieving its goals of providing oversight, funding, expansion, policies and guidance to VA's HPE programs as a DEO and nurse. Responsible for the oversight of all health professions training at a VA facility. Provides leadership, advice, and subject matter expertise in tasks, projects, and assignments related to HPE programs. Provides policy development, analysis, decision making, and implementation activities affecting the VA health care system as described in VHA Directives (OAA 1400
series). Maintains current membership and takes an active leadership role in professional
organizations within community, state, and/or nation to further professional growth and knowledge. Presents at national, VISN, facility, and professional meetings as appropriate. Prepares publications with partners in VHA to disseminate information about health professions training, practices, and outcomes.

The DEO supports the integration and collaboration of nursing with other professional disciplines and functional areas in the mutual achievement of patient-centered and organizational goals. They champion a High Reliability Organization (HRO) with a lifestyle of safety founded on a systems approach to developing evidence-based health care solutions based on prevention, not punishment, with collective mindfulness.

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: 8:00am -4:30pm Monday- Friday
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
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.

VHA Directives 1400.03, requires that the Designated Education Officer have a doctoral degree in a health profession.

Preferred Experience: Leadership experience in healthcare and education preferred.

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

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.