Quality Management Consultant Nurse Coordinator

Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The New Mexico VA Health Care System is seeking a Quality Management Consultant Nurse Coordinator to lead quality and patient safety initiatives in the Quality and Patient Safety Service. The role requires strong nursing leadership, accreditation readiness, and data-driven performance improvements.

Candidates must hold an RN license and meet the education requirements outlined by VA standards, with pathways for bridge programs and licensure in the United States.

Qualifications

• Graduate of a nursing program approved by ACEN or CCNE
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registered nurse license in a U.S. state or territory
• Bridge program pathway available for master's level nursing candidates
• Foreign nursing graduates require degree equivalency validation
• GNT exception allows temporary appointment while pursuing licensure

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate quality management initiatives for patient safety and care outcomes
• Monitor compliance with policies and standards; provide trend reports and staff support
• Collaborate with facility councils, committees, and workgroups
• Support accreditation readiness and regulatory compliance activities
• Analyze quality metrics and maintain dashboards to guide performance improvement

Skills

English proficiency

Nursing leadership

Quality improvement

Education

RN license + nursing degree

BSN or MSN preferred

Job description

Summary

The New Mexico VA Health Care System is looking for a Quality Management Consultant Nurse Coordinator for our Quality and Patient Safety Service!

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/13097677
• 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting (45 lbs
• and over)
• Heavy carrying (45 lbs
• and over)
• Straight pulling and pushing
• reaching above shoulder
• use of fingers
• both hands required
• walking and standing up to 8 hours
• repeated bending
• Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously
• hearing aid permitted.

Duties

• The Quality Management (QM) Consultant Registered Nurse (RN) demonstrates leadership - experience - and creative approaches to improvement in quality-of-care outcomes
• The QM Consultant demonstrates performance and leadership that is broad enough to improve the care for a group of patients
• The QM Consultant is 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
• Program is defined as a substantial coordinated group of activities impacting patients and/or employees
• The QM Consultant is assigned responsibility for their assigned quality management program area activities for the Medical Center and all off-site locations
• The QM Consultant collects data - monitors staff compliance with relevant policies - directives - and standards - provides reports detailing trends - and provides direct staff support to all services in planning - designing - integrating - implementing - modifying - and administering - a comprehensive quality management program area
• They participate in several facility councils - committees - and workgroups
• Executes the position responsibilities that demonstrate effective leadership - detailed planning - professional communication - creative and innovative approaches to the improvement of safety/healthcare program development and possess an ability to organize priorities
• The QM Consultant works in concert with leaders and others to sustain safety - modeling High Reliability Organization (HRO) practices - maintaining regulatory preparedness - and leading action plan responses to applicable findings at the service or program level
• The QM Consultant performs duties directly contributing to high quality and safe patient care within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to include computer-based and in person auditing and routing
• Duties require the ability to apply specialized principles and practices to ensure a systems approach to healthcare delivery
• The QM Consultant directly supports facility leadership in areas of planning - organization - development - direction - and evaluation of the quality program within the facility
• The QM supports accreditation readiness activities focused on standards compliance - education of staff on standards - VHA requirements - and customer satisfaction for internal and external stakeholders
• Supports performance improvement initiatives by identifying quality metrics - trending data - maintaining the quality metric dashboard - and acts as a subject matter expert in data analysis and data display
• Assumes a supportive role in facilitating regulatory compliance for internal and external oversight bodies such as - Joint Commission (JC) - Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) - Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Directives and Handbooks - etc.) - Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) - Office of the Medical Inspector (OMI) - Office of the Inspector General (OIG) - and VHA performance measures - supporting performance improvement work - and supporting and guiding the work of committees
• 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: 8:00am to 4:30pm M-F Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized