Career Center

Summary

The Registered Nurse (RN) - Risk Manager role is an integral part of risk mitigation - patient safety - and regulatory readiness through continuous purposeful service support. The Risk Manager responds readily to requests from providers daily - in addition to the daily work of reviewing medical records in response to occurrence screens - adverse events - and complaints.

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/12972066
• 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: 3-5 years clinical healthcare/patient care experience
• preferred
• 2-3 years healthcare management
• preferred
• Prior experience in healthcare risk management - performance improvement
• and/or quality management
• preferred
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Duties

• The Registered Nurse (RN) - Risk Manager executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership - experience - and creative approaches to management of complex patient care
• The RN demonstrates performance and leadership that is broad enough to improve the care for a group of patients
• Duties include but not limited to: Responsible for the documented outcomes at the program or service level
• Program or service level outcomes must be broad and complex and can be demonstrated at any organizational level within a facility - Veterans Integrated Systems Network (VISN) - or Veterans Affairs Central Office (VACO)
• Program is defined as a substantial coordinated group of activities impacting patients and/or employees
• Identifies and communicates to top management - opportunities to reduce and/or eliminate risks that will impact organizational performance and care outcomes
• Provides leadership in assessing - planning - designing - and implementing measures of performance - risk management - Fact Findings - Administrative Investigations Board (AIB) matters - and/or clinical performance improvement initiatives at the program or service level
• Demonstrates expertise in the interpretation and application of accrediting body of standards and other agency requirements
• Monitors compliance with various recognized accrediting bodies by analyzing findings and providing specific recommendations for improvement
• Performs clinical reviews and/or Tort Claims and recommends Peer Review when quality care issues are recognized
• Reviews patient incident reports in Joint Patient Safety Reporting (JPSR) system
• Collaborates with Medical Center (MC) Patient Safety
• Performs the Risk Management prioritization and tracking the actions with reports to MC leadership and the VISN
• Performs clinical reviews which may be for an Office of Inspector General (OIG) Hotline concern - a Joint Commission complaint - or a clinical Congressional Inquiry
• Completes Occurrence Screen clinical reviews and refers them for Peer Review - when applicable
• Prepares - coordinates - and tracks Peer Reviews
• Prepares the Peer Review Committee agendas - minutes - and related reports
• Works closely with providers to assist them with disclosures of Adverse Events and proper medical record documentation
• Coordinates - tracks - and prepares reports to MC leadership - and councils/committees as assigned
• Supports Veterans - providers - and attorneys in the Tort Claim process
• Works with the Chief of Staff and MC Credentialing & Privileging staff for National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) reporting - when indicated
• Completes all Tort Claim process in a timely manner in compliance with federal law
• Identifies issues - processes and situations that contribute to patient safety concerns
• Uses the performance improvement process and root cause analysis process with Patient Safety to determine root and contributing causes
• Collaborates with Patient Safety to design improvements to eliminate or control risk and monitors results of the process changes
• Coordinates provider reviews when requested by the Board of Veterans Appeals and Office of Medical Legal Affairs (OMLA)
• Prepares medical records - prepares letters to MC providers and the national contractor for Peer Reviews
• Tracks completion and notifies MC providers of the opportunity to discuss case at Peer Review Committee
• Acts as the Contracting Official Technical Representative (COTR) for contracts as needed
• Participates in the development and implementation of education plans for Medical Center employees based on findings of performance improvement - risk management - or results of performance measures
• Evaluates the outcomes of education and recommends/provides follow-up as needed
• Provides consultation - problem solving and leadership to members of the clinical and administrative staff to assist in the attainment of Medical Center - VISN wide goals - and Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Performance Measures
• 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 - Monday-Friday - Day Shift Telework: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.