Chief Nurse (Acute Care Service)

Veterans Health Administration; California; On-site; USD 179,000 - 228,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Federal pension

Federal health insurance

Job summary

Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Nurse IV, Chief Nurse for Acute Care, VN-0610-IV, to provide executive leadership across Acute Care units, ICU, and Emergency Department. The role supervises Nurse Managers, aligns policies with standards of practice, and guides interdisciplinary operations in coordination with Patient Care Services and partners.

Responsibilities include staffing analyses, competency development, and leveraging performance data to improve patient care and efficiency.

Qualifications

• Executive nursing leadership over multi-service programs.
• Experience overseeing nursing policies, procedures, and standards of practice.
• Ability to plan, organize, direct, and control service-wide operations.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive oversight for Acute Care nursing operations including Acute Care Units, ICU, and Emergency Department.
• Exercise supervisory authority over Nurse Managers and administrative support personnel; ensure policies and standards are implemented.
• Apply management theory and interdisciplinary collaboration to guide service operations with Patient Care Services and partners.
• Develop and sustain comprehensive interdisciplinary programs across the service and medical center to promote integration and coordination.
• Assess, plan, and evaluate daily clinical and administrative processes to ensure safe patient care.
• Perform staffing analyses and adjust based on acuity and workload; use NHPPD models when appropriate.
• Oversee recruitment, retention, competency assessments, and professional growth of nursing staff.
• Use performance data to identify trends and drive corrective actions with Nurse Managers and the Nurse Executive Team.
• Develop scopes of practice for RNs and APRNs; serve as Associate/Deputy ADPCS when needed.

Job description

• Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

The Nurse IV demonstrates executive leadership that reflects substantial, continuous responsibility and accountability for managing population groups or integrated clinical programs spanning multiple services and disciplines. This leadership directly influences the organizational healthcare mission and advances strategic goals in patient care.

Key Responsibilities

The Chief Nurse for Acute Care, VN-0610-IV, provides executive oversight for all Acute Care nursing operations, including the Acute Care Units, Intensive Care Unit, and Emergency Department. They exercise full programmatic and supervisory authority over Nurse Managers and administrative support personnel, ensuring that nursing policies, procedures, and standards of practice are uniformly implemented.

Serving as an administrator, educator, and consultant, the incumbent applies contemporary management theory, evidence-based leadership, and interdisciplinary collaboration to guide service operations in coordination with Patient Care Services and other healthcare partners. Duties for the position include but are not limited to: Maintains ongoing responsibility for planning, organizing, directing, and controlling service-wide operations.

Key functions include establishing effective communication systems, maintaining expertise in current nursing and regulatory standards, and developingprocesses that support high-quality patient care and operational efficiency. Design, implement, and sustain comprehensive interdisciplinary programs across the service and medical center, promoting organizational integration and the seamless coordination of care.

Operational oversight encompasses assessing, planning, and evaluating daily clinical and administrative processes to ensure the delivery of safe and effective patient care. Performs staffing analyses, recommends and implements adjustments based on patient acuity, workload, and organizational needs, and utilizes models such as Nursing Hours Per Patient Day (NHPPD) when appropriate.

Responsibilities include allocating human and material resources, managing overtime utilization, and actively supporting recruitment and retention initiatives. Ensures completion of annual competency assessments and fosters professional growth and engagement among all nursing staff. In the domains of quality, safety, and regulatory compliance, the incumbent applies comprehensive, systematic, and innovative problem-solving methods to analyze patient care issues.

Using performance data such as nursing-sensitive indicators, Veteran satisfaction metrics, and other quality measures, the incumbent identifies trends, implements proactive solutions, and collaborates with Nurse Managers and the Nurse Executive Team on follow-up actions. Oversight includes conducting audits and reviews of nursing care, ensuring alignment with professional and regulatory standards, and driving corrective actions as indicated.

Oversee development and maintenance of scopes of practice for registered nurses, advanced practice nurses, and unit-based scopes of care to ensure consistency with current standards and regulations. Functions in the role of Associate Director for Patient Care Services (ADPCS) or Deputy ADPCS in their absence when assigned. Performs other duties as assigned, which support the overall mission, operations, and priorities of the organization.

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, 8:00 a.m.

- 4:30 p.m., Subject to change to meet the needs of the Agency Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Which agency is hiring for this position?

This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

What is the salary for this position?

The posted pay range is $179376 – $228000/yr.

What security clearance is required?

This position requires a Other security clearance.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-11-13.

Who is eligible to apply?

This position is open under the 'Fed Competitive' hiring path.