Career Center

Carl Vinson is seeking a Registered Nurse (RN) to serve as Chief of Sterling Processing Service, (SPS). The RN of Sterile Processing Service (SPS)/Reusable Medical Equipment (RME), is a supervisory employee who is responsible and accountable for decontamination and other duties. Recruitment/Relocation Incentives/PCS has been approved This announcement will remain open until a candidate has been selected. Certificates will be sent to the selecting official every two weeks beginning March 22, 2022 Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic 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. 7402(d), 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 State-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). In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. OR The completion of coursework equivalent to a nursing degree in a MSN Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration constitutes the completion of an approved course of study of professional nursing. Students should submit the certificate of professional nursing to sit for the NCLEX to the VA along with a copy of the MSN transcript. (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. 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. Preferred Experience: Applicant MUST possess 1-2 years of leadership experience and sterile processing and/or operating room experience. Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade: Nurse I Level I - An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse I Level II - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 1 year of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a bachelor's degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience; OR a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse I Level III - An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a BSN with approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) or related field with a BSN and no additional nursing practice/experience. Nurse II - A BSN with approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience; OR ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a related field and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Master's degree in nursing or related field with a BSN and approximately 1-2 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree in nursing or meets basic requirements for appointment and has doctoral degree in a related field with no additional nursing practice/experience required. Nurse III - Master's degree in nursing or related field with BSN and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience; OR a Doctoral degree and approximately 2-3 year's of nursing practice/experience. Preferred Experience: Applicant MUST possess 1-2 years of leadership experience and sterile processing and/or operating room experience. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-6 Nurse Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing 2. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated and/or hazardous materials and will be required to don personal protective clothing/equipment. 3. The position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, manual dexterity, and fine motor skills. 4. The position requires ability to work on computers for extended periods of time. 5. Requires the ability to frequently respond to multiple demands and priorities. 6. Self-care skills to maintain physical, psychological, and emotional health. 7. Heavy lifting of 45 pounds and over, heavy carrying of 45 pounds and over, straight pulling, pushing, reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking, standing, kneeling, repeated bending, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously. 8. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on situational need ["The position incumbent is responsible for oversight of the following reprocessing areas: SPS, GI, Specialty Clinics and OR, as well as system-wide RME. The SPS Chief has 24/7 accountability, authority, and assumes responsibility for the management, operation, quality assurance, and outcomes of the Sterile Processing Service and its staff. Multiple professional disciplines use different types of RME across the spectrum of clinical services in the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center.\nListed below are some of the duties but not all: The SPS Chief maintains patient safety by providing standards and processes for distribution, cleaning, and pick-up/return of instrumentation; customer service; education; consultation, and oversight of SOPs and competencies for RME. The SPS Chief supports and enhances VISN and national VHA standards and goals for sterile processing service, as well as the organization's goals, VA's mission, vision, and values. The Chief, SPS provides health system-wide leadership for critical and semi-critical RME, including reprocessing, SOPs, competency assessment, selection, operation, and maintenance of reprocessing equipment, staff education program for RME, and quality management of SPS. SPS Chief maintains oversight and consultation for non-critical RME. The position incumbent assesses the environment, analyzes trends, transmits data, communicates ideas, develops and implements policies, initiates programs and systems and collaborates in the management of resources. The incumbent has knowledge in areas of patient care practices, asepsis, disinfection/sterilization process, adult education, infectious diseases, communication, and program administration. The Chief, SPS, demonstrates expertise and comprehensive understanding of the decontamination/sterilization process in accordance with VA directive. Ensures practices are consistent with external standards including TJC, AORN, ANSI/AAMI, IAHCSMM, and APIC. The Chief of SPS is a member of several facility committees. Serves as co-chair, with the Associate Director, Patient Care Services, of the facility Reusable Medical Equipment Committee. Serves on VISN SPS Management Board and is a liaison to the VISN SPS Coordinator as well as VHA's Office of Infection Control and NPOSP. The SPS Chief plays a leadership role in ongoing systematic evaluation and improvement of quality and effectiveness of patient care and outcomes. The incumbent assesses educational needs of clinical staff in the use of RME and implements an educational plan to meet those needs. The SPS Chief is responsible for assessing, monitoring, developing and implementing corrective action plans for instrument processing, decontamination, sterilization, biological monitoring and high-level disinfection monitoring throughout this Healthcare System. Incumbent has authority to carry out established personnel functions and practices and keep employees informed about important aspects of personnel management and programs. The incumbent supervises all SPS operational staff and will collaborate with consultative staff. The Chief SPS collaborates with the clinical Chiefs of this Healthcare System in the purchasing and utilization of RME. Experience: Applicant MUST possess 1-2 years of leadership experience and sterile processing and/or operating room experience. Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm\nCompressed/Flexible: NA\nTelework: NA\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]