Nurse manager - ambulatory surgery unit (asu), post anesthesia care unit (pacu)

Summary

The Ambulatory Surgery Unit (ASU), Post Anesthesia Care Unit (ASU), Nursing Interventional Radiology (IR) Cardiac Catheterization and Electrophysiology (Cath/EP) Lab Registered Nurse Manager (NM) is a professional RN who is responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing and/or supervising direct patient care. The NM is accountable for adhering to established policies, standards of care, and practice.

Duties

The Nurse Manager for ASU, PACU, Interventional Radiology (IR), and Cath/EP Lab reports to the Associate Nurse Executive for Perioperative Services and serves as the designated first-line supervisor with 24/7 accountability for safe, efficient, high-quality patient care. The Nurse Manager plans, organizes, directs, and evaluates clinical and administrative operations across four procedural care areas: Ambulatory Surgery Unit (ASU), Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), IR, and Cath/EP Lab.

Responsibilities include coordinating nursing, technical, and support staff; managing patient flow and transitions of care; ensuring appropriate staffing based on patient acuity, complexity, and service needs; and optimizing use of personnel, supplies, equipment, and other system resources. The incumbent serves as a clinical and operational resource for staff and provides leadership grounded in evidence-based practice, current clinical recommendations, and applicable professional standards.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing clinical leadership in developing, implementing, revising, and enforcing nursing policies, procedures, standards of care, care-delivery models, clinical guidelines, and evidence-based protocols.
• Ensuring staff competence, completion of mandatory education and training, professional development, and ongoing assessment of educational needs and quality of nursing care.
• Supervising staff performance; completing performance appraisals; addressing performance concerns and disciplinary matters; maintaining competency records; and participating in recruitment, interviewing, reference checks, retention efforts, staffing methodology, and position-description development.
• Leading quality improvement, system redesign, Lean, rapid process improvement workgroups, peer reviews, and patient-safety initiatives to improve outcomes for Veterans.
• Monitoring and acting on quality and performance metrics, including SAIL, nurse-sensitive indicators, CAUTI, CLABSI, BCMA, workload data, patient event reports, and other operational and clinical measures.
• Analyzing occurrence reports, Joint Patient Safety Reports (JPSR), sentinel events, and other high-risk or problem-prone areas; implementing system improvements as appropriate.
• Collaborating with frontline staff and Unit Practice Councils to implement improvements based on staff feedback, including All-Employee Survey results.
• Maintaining compliance with VA requirements and applicable standards from The Joint Commission, CDC, AAMI, OSHA, ASPAN, AACN, ARIN, AMSN, ANA, and SICP.
• Managing daily operations, including timekeeping, labor maps, scheduling, emergency/disaster response, surgical scheduling, staff meetings, audits, Mock Tracers, TMS compliance, Environment of Care rounds, inspections, centralized temperature monitoring, reusable medical equipment oversight, and regulatory compliance.
• Overseeing supply and equipment needs, including supply-chain requests, implants, new equipment requests, and the department Equipment Inventory List.
• Supporting compliance with applicable union agreements in collaboration with Human Resources.
• Facilitating effective communication across departments and meeting regularly with medical staff to share information, resolve issues, and promote teamwork.
• Representing the department at required meetings and participating in professional-development activities aligned with VA mission, goals, and strategic priorities.
• Demonstrating ethical leadership, sound judgment, safe work practices, effective prioritization, proficient use of clinical and computer systems, and professional communication that promotes respect, cooperation, and teamwork.

The Nurse Manager is expected to independently manage multiple priorities, identify and mitigate patient-care, safety, staffing, and resource risks, and promote an environment of accountability, continuous improvement, and exceptional Veteran-centered care.

Work Schedule:

Monday - Friday 0630 - 1700; 8 hour tours

Financial Disclosure Report:

Not required

Requirements Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

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 than 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/13073972.

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:

MSN; Current BLS; ACLS optional; Must have 3-5 years current inpatient and/or periprocedural experience; Experience in a perioperative or procedural setting (Ambulatory Surgery, PACU, Interventional Radiology, Cath Lab, or EP Lab) preferred; Preferred experience as a Perioperative Nurse Manager or Assistant Nurse Manager; Preferred certifications: CAPA, CPAN, RCIS, or CNML; Experience as a charge nurse or clinical coordinator in a perioperative or procedural area; Educator experience (orientation, competency development, policy development) preferred; Administrative experience (time cards, staff evaluations; leave, disciplinary and recognition); and Experience with accreditation and regulatory readiness (Joint Commission, CMS), sedation standards, and radiation safety preferred.

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.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. 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 window Learn 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.