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Registered Nurse - Chief, Office Of Performance & Quality (Opq)

Veterans Health Administration | Erie, PA

Posted Date 2/03/2025
Description The Erie VA Medical Center is current recruiting for a Nurse IV, Registered Nurse - Chief, Office of Performance & Quality position to function as an administrator, educator, and consultant utilizing management theory in collaboration with Patient Care Services and other services. This position reports directly to the Medical Center Director and is accountable to the Associate Director, Patient Care Services for nursing specific practice and standards.



Erie VA Medical Center located on a 20-acre site in an exclusive residential area, overlooking the city and Presque Isle Bay. The Medical Center is a general medical and surgical facility that provides a full range of primary care services. An outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic provides individual and group counseling services, PTSD, substance abuse, suicide prevention, and chronically mental illness treatment. The Medical Center supports a Geriatrics & Extended Care program with Community Living Centers, respite, inpatient hospice, rehabilitation, home based primary care, care coordination home telehealth, geriatric and evaluation management services. Additional information can be found on our internet site https://www.erie.va.gov/.

The Chief Performance and Quality Registered Nurse will be responsible for coordination and leadership in all performance and quality activities (to include but not limited to, Accreditation, Utilization Review/Management, Infection Control, Green Environmental Management Systems (GEMS), Risk Management, Safety & Occupational Health; Veteran Experience Officers; Systems Redesign, Data Analyst and Patient Safety) throughout the facility. Duties include but are not limited to the following:
  • Provide leadership and direction for the quality control and assurance program that continually assesses and improves compliance with the requirements, standards, and guidelines.
  • Responsible for facilitating a facility quality management program that continuously assesses and strives to improve health care processes, outcomes, patient experience, and employee engagement; identifies and anticipates critical incidents and sentinel events for mitigation, analysis, and action.
  • Drives continuous improvement in risk management, professional staff reviews, healthcare inspections and external reviews, and care outcomes monitoring including Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program), Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning, SYMPHONY, Veteran Signals, COMPARE, Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set and Inpatient Evaluation Center, as well as change and innovation across the care continuum while realigning scarce resources in care delivery and optimization.
  • Through the integration of clinical appropriateness, operational, and patient preference feedback data, the Chief will utilize nursing knowledge and the nursing process to identify, improve, and optimize care delivery to influence patient outcomes in a cost-effective manner.
  • The focus of this position is to apply strong evidence based practice optimization and operational efficiency principles to supply and preference sensitive issues.
  • The incumbent is broadly acquainted with all organizational and program areas involved in operational management across the healthcare continuum.
  • Responsible for providing clinical and administrative recommendations relative to the quality management function and is a key leader in the organizations approach to assess and improve the quality of healthcare services.
  • Dedicated to the pursuit of higher facility-wide performance in each domain of value (quality, satisfaction, efficiency) though application of expertise, influence, management and leadership.
  • Ensures the facility overall performance, quality programs and cascading annual plans are coherent and consistent with the network and system wide goals and strategic objectives.
  • Aligns and integrates quality performance management with leadership roles, strategic planning and organizational culture.
  • Establishes and maintains a quality measurement system which assesses clinical processes and outcomes and identifies critical incidents and sentinel events for action.
  • Creates a culture and environment that utilizes evidence-based practice as the pathway to improved outcomes.
  • Supports and actively participates in initiatives such as Systems Redesign/Lean, Patient Centered Care, Advancing Excellence, I CARE, HRO and Cultural Transformation. Duties will be performed as required throughout the facility and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs).
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 to Friday, 8:00 am-4:30 pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): May be AuthorizedBasic Requirements:
  • United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
  • 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 Culture. Employs an industry leading, shared decision-making culture. Cultivates a diverse and inclusive workforce that serves Veterans, families and caregivers of all backgrounds and builds trust, cultural 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 culture 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.
Preferred Experience:
  • Nursing leadership and quality management experience
  • Excellent communication analytical, organizational, and interpersonal skills to work vertically and horizontally across the organization.
  • The ability to identify statistical deviations/variances or process patterns/trends that may impact care outcomes.
  • The ability to use principles of risk management to identify and evaluate system issues which impact patient care.
  • Able to work collaboratively and use influence to accomplish work across departments.
  • Proven leadership ability and facility operational expertise
Preferred Certification: Certified Professional in Health Quality (CPHQ) certification preferred.

Preferred Education: Master's degree in a related field and a bachelor level degree in nursing and four years of professional nursing experience, one of which is specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse III and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse IV.

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 a combination of walking, standing, stooping, kneeling, bending, pulling, and pushing with potentially long periods of sitting. Transferring patients and objects may occasionally 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 during patient procedures and care. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. Use of fingers, both hands, and near and far vision is required.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.
Salary117,283.00 - 155,981.00 Annual

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