Lead Nurse

The Indian Health Service; Kayenta (AZ); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing may be available

Job summary

The Indian Health Service's Kayenta Service Unit in Kayenta, AZ seeks a high‑caliber Emergency Department nursing leader to direct patient care operations and mentor staff. You will ensure safe, timely care, coordinate interdisciplinary services, and drive quality improvement in a busy ED.

Applicants should hold a professional nursing license, a BSN or higher, and have emergency/acute care experience with ability to lead teams, manage complex cases, and uphold regulatory standards.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in emergency/acute care settings.
• Ability to provide clinical leadership and coordinate care across teams.
• Knowledge of nursing standards, regulatory requirements and quality improvement.

Responsibilities

• Directs and manages Emergency Department operations and personnel to ensure safe, effective, and timely patient care.
• Provides advanced emergency nursing care and leadership during critical situations.
• Supports accreditation activities and implements quality improvement processes.
• Coordinates patient care services and interdisciplinary collaboration; advocates for patients.
• Mentors staff, conducts meetings, and oversees education and competency development.

Skills

Emergency nursing leadership

Clinical assessment

Quality improvement

Staff mentoring

Education

BSN or higher nursing degree

Job description

Summary

This position is located at Kayenta Service Unit, Nursing Services, Emergency Department, Kayenta, AZ. The primary purpose of this position is to direct and manage Emergency Department patient care operations, provide clinical leadership to nursing staff, ensure the delivery of safe, effective, and continuous emergency nursing services, and coordinate clinical, administrative, and logistical functions.

A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).

Duties

• Directs and manages Emergency Department operations and personnel, including assigning, coordinating, and evaluating the work of nursing and support staff to ensure safe, effective, and timely patient care.
• Provides advanced emergency nursing care and clinical leadership by assessing critically ill or injured patients, initiating emergency interventions, coordinating care, and supporting staff in managing complex patient situations.
• Ensures compliance with nursing standards, regulatory requirements, and performance improvement initiatives by supporting accreditation activities, reviewing policies and procedures, evaluating outcomes, and implementing quality improvement processes.
• Coordinates patient care services and interdisciplinary collaboration by facilitating patient transfers, communicating with healthcare providers and support departments, promoting continuity of care, and serving as a patient advocate.
• Provides supervisory support and staff development by mentoring nursing personnel, conducting meetings, promoting education and competency development, addressing performance concerns, and acting as the Supervisory Nurse/Unit Supervisor in their absence.

Total Compensation Package

Check out IHS's outstanding total compensation package for this job:

Registered Nurse Total Compensation | Pay (ihs.gov)

Requirements

• Conditions of employment
• Selectee may be subject to a probationary period
• U.S. Citizenship is required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• On-call hours or standby duty may be required.
• This position is covered by a Bargaining Unit.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.
• You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.

Background Investigation Requirement

This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment.

A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service.

Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance. Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.

Financial Suitability Requirement

This position requires a review of the applicant's financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying.

Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including, but not limited to, delinquent federal or state tax liabilities, defaulted federal student loans, court-ordered fines or fees, or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service.

Prior to the appointment, candidates must present two valid forms of identification. If one of the documents is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

Basic Requirement(s)

Education: A graduate or higher level degree, bachelor's degree, associate degree, or diploma from an accredited professional nursing educational program is required. This education must have been accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education, or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

Degree from Foreign Nursing School: Official certification from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools is required for individuals who graduated from foreign nursing schools.

Licensure: For all grade levels and positions, applicants must have passed the National Council Licensure Examination. In addition, they must possess a current, active, full, and unrestricted license or registration as a professional nurse from a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.

In addition, to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below-

Minimum Qualifications

Basic Requirements for the GS-11 Grade Level

• Successful completion of a PHD or equivalent doctoral degree from a professional nursing educational program or related medical science field; or
• At least one full year of professional nursing experience (equivalent to the GS-9 grade level) and possession of a diploma, associate degree, bachelor's degree, or master's degree from a professional nursing educational program.

Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks:

GS-11:

Progressive experience in emergency or acute care nursing that demonstrates the ability to independently assess and manage critically ill or injured patients; coordinate emergency patient care activities; provide clinical leadership and guidance to nursing staff; apply emergency nursing standards and practices; and support quality improvement, regulatory compliance, and multidisciplinary healthcare operations.

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.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 https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire CompetencyBased Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.

This position may have housing available.

The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), And The Health Resources And Services Administration (HRSA) Have Student Loan Repayment Programs For Qualifying Health Disciplines. This Is a Competitive Process Separate From The Hiring Process. Opportunities For LRP Are Based On Agency Hiring Priorities And Availability Of Funds. For Additional Information Please Visit

For IHS - http://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/

For NHSC - https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/

For HRSA Nurse Corps - https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/nursecorps

You will be evaluated for this position in accordance with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide short essay responses (200 words or less each) to the following four questions.

• How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government?
• In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness?
• In this role, you will be expected to professionally and efficiently implement executive direction. Provide an example where you implemented leadership direction on a strategy or policy decision that differed from your own recommendation.
• How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements?
• Your responses are optional and will not be scored.
• However, they may be reviewed by hiring managers and agency leadership (or designees) during the evaluation process.
• You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.