The selected candidate serves as the VISN 3 Palliative Care Program Manager and will be responsible for the management, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the VISN 3 Palliative Care Program quality initiatives, educational programs and partnership with the community. The VISN 3 Palliative Care Manager ensures collaboration and communication among interdisciplinary palliative care teams at all facilities VISN 3 that will lead to measurable improvement in palliative care across the system.  Develops, manages and coordinates VISN-wide Palliative Care program in accordance with VHA National Hospice and Palliative Care Comprehensive End of Life Care (CELC) Program initiatives, VHA directives, VHA regulatory requirements and National Consensus Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care and Preferred Practices of the National Quality Forum and National Quality Forum’s Framework and Preferred Practices for Palliative and Hospice Care Quality.  Monitors and shares best palliative care practices both within VHA and in the community.  The VISN 3 Palliative Care Manager will support the development and implementation of statewide hospice veteran partnerships activities and ensure the facilitation of local and regional hospice veteran partnerships to promote access to hospice and palliative care. Develops and promotes staff development and expertise in palliative care.  Develops and implements Palliative Care quality improvement program for the VISN annually and reports plan to VISN leadership. Collects, analyzes, evaluates and reports data in the VISN Palliative Care Report Card.  Reviews, analyzes and reports quality improvement data from the VISN 3 Bereaved Family Survey. Monitors proper utilization of palliative care resources and facilitates appropriate palliative care workload capture. Prepares VISN Palliative Care Reports and updates VISN Palliative Care Standards of Care and Outcomes, VISN Geriatrics and Extended Care, VISN Executive Leadership Council and VHA National Hospice and Palliative Care Program.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship
• Full unrestricted Licensure, Certification, or Registration required.
• Must pass pre-employment examination.
• Designated and/or Random Drug Testing required.
• Background and/or Security Investigation required.
• English Language Proficiency required.

Veterans' Preference:

When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference on their application or résumé. Applicants claiming preference based on service-connected disability, or based on being the spouse or mother of a disabled or deceased Veteran, must complete an SF 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference. Veterans who are still in the service may be granted tentative preference on the basis of information contained in their applications, but they must produce a DD Form 214 or other proof prior to appointment to document entitlement to preference.  For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/veterans.aspx.

Qualifications

• Citizen of the United States. 
• 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 National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). 
• 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.  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.    
• Must be proficient in spoken and written English.

NOTE: Applicant's education and length of nursing practice (experience) will be considered by a Nurse Professional Standards Board in determining the grade and salary of the applicant selected.   Experience as a RN will be evaluated to determine if the experience is of an acceptable level of quality with regard to the following four dimensions of nursing: Practice, Professional Development, Collaboration and Scientific Inquiry. Each dimension of practice has criteria that demonstrate essential core competencies for VHA Nursing Personnel. The criteria are as follows: Practice: practice, ethics and resource utilization, Professional Development: performance, education/career development, Collaboration; collaboration, collegiality, Scientific Inquiry: quality of care, research.    

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application, résumé and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.   You may also be evaluated based upon the question responses you provide during a structured interview. In responding to structured interview questions you should be sure to cite specific examples of experience, explain exactly what you did, and the outcome.