Summary The Nursing Officer of the Day (NOD) is a registered professional nurse, responsible for maintaining safe patient care by providing leadership and support to the unit staff for clinical, administrative, and bed placement functions. The NOD has delegated authority for the Associate Director, Patient Care / Nursing Services for nursing decisions regarding workload placement and management. Responsibilities The Nursing Officer of the Day assumes the following major duties and responsibilities: Works closely with the Admission Clerk/Administrative Officer of the Day (AOD)/Utilization Management group to assure that admission criteria are met, and appropriate bed placement occurs. Responsible for the placement of all medical and surgical admissions throughout the hospital. Coordinates assignments directs hospital activities and deploys staff appropriately taking into consideration the competency of the staff. Responsible and oversight of Centralized Nurse Staffing Office staff (registry/contracted) and VA Float pool. Receives all reservations for admission from OR, Cardiology, and other procedural areas. Assists specialty care clinic physicians in bed utilization pre and post-procedures. Handles all transfers from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to the wards and vice versa. Works closely with the Transfer Coordinator Nurse to find placement for our Veterans returning to VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS) from Non-VA Care community facilities. Chairs the daily bed huddle which is attended by nurse managers/charge nurses from inpatient units, procedural area representatives (OR, Cardiology, etc.), transfer coordinator nurses, social work, environmental services, and utilization management to discuss bed availability versus bed need. Bed Control Coordinator carries a cell phone for continual access to up-to-date bed information. Utilizes the Bed Management System (BMS) to update status during rounds. Circulates throughout the hospital, constantly evaluating all needs for patient placement. Maintains and communicates global pictures of hospital's capacity at all times. Responsible for safe and adequate staffing throughout the hospital during non business hours (off-tours) and in collaboration with the inpatient & perioperative nurse managers, Associate Nurse Executives (ANE) and Deputy Associate Director Patient Care Services (D-ADPCS) for 24/7 operations of inpatient and outpatient areas. Manages and resolves bed control issues. Communicates with executive leadership, chief residents and AOD about high census and potential diversion status. Participates in projects data collection and other activities designed to enhance bed operations. Interfaces regularly with support departments to facilitate timely/appropriate care, e.g., prioritizing bed cleaning, after-hours prosthetic procurement, accessing/moving hospital and personnel resources where needed for patient care. Communicates with Nurse Managers, the Associate Nurse Executives (ANE) the Deputy Associate Director Patient Care Services (D-ADPCS) and Associate Director Patient Care Services (ADPCS) to trouble shoot and/or to assess operational issues that may potentially lead to large-scale events and/or unusual events that would potentially portrait the VA negatively in the public domain. Assigns patient care responsibilities based upon patient needs, competencies of staff and whenever possible in collaboration with off-tour charge RNs. Organizes and completes own assignments in a safe and timely manner, assisting team members as necessary. Actively develops and manages collaborative partnerships with physicians and other clinicians. Provides fair input for the evaluation process for the managers regarding off-tour nursing staff. Identifies developmental and training needs of subordinates and provides or makes provision for such development and training as well as providing input for evaluation of off-tour staff. Responsible for performance improvement, customer service/patient satisfaction, patient, and employee safety, interviewing applicants, employee relations, standards of care and practice, the work environment, and adherence to accreditation and regulatory standards. Directly reports to the Nurse Manager of CNSO & UM and/or designee. Performs other duties as assigned. 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: Full Time; Day Shift 0630-1900, Mid shift, 1030-2300, NOC Shift 1830-0700, Mon-Sun, weekends/holidays, flexible to work all shifts to fulfill the needs of the NOD office 24/7. Compressed/Flexible: N/A Telework: N/A Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment 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. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. 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. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications 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/13023504. 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: Flexibility and adaptability to work in a rapidly changing environment, including working variable shifts. Minimum 3 years acute care clinical experience within the last 5 years. Preferred: in-depth knowledge of critical care. Preferred Education: Masters prepared BLS/ACLS certified. Strong knowledge of relevant healthcare and clinical operations including information technology (preparing reports, MS Office Suite and computer knowledge), patient care workflows and processes. Strong leadership, fiscal, and operations management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with physicians, management, and staff from all points of entry. Demonstrate organizational and project management skills, with the ability to lead a team, prioritize tasks, and see projects through from inception to completion. Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to quickly analyze problems, determine appropriate level of intervention, and develop and apply effective solutions. Strong interpersonal skills for effective information exchange and problem solving with all levels of management and staff, consultants, and outside agencies. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: In accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 5019Physical Requirements: Heavy Lifting and Carrying (45 lbs. and over); Straight Pulling, Pushing, Walking, Standing, Kneeling, Repeated bending, Keyboarding, Viewing computer screen (8 - 12 hours); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands and legs required; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and 20/40 in the other; Depth perception; Ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of colors; Hearing (aid permitted); and Emotional/Mental stability. Education Note: Only education or degrees 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); 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. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
