Summary
This position is located within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), Office of Deputy Assistant Director of Clinical Services (DAD-CSU). The Nurse Manager (NM) will report directly to the Regional Nurse Manager (RNM) with the Chief Nurse (CN) as reviewing official. This is a supervisory position.
This position is open to current USPHS officers only. CADs or civilians will not be considered eligible.
Clarification from the agency
Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer.
USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates are not eligible for this position.
Duties
PROFESSIONAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Understanding theories, concepts, principles, and their relationships underlying the practices of professional nursing to improve the efficiency and quality of work performed or to protect the quality of life or healthcare services, as evidenced by the following:
- Knowledge of nursing care scope of practice, principles, and procedures in accordance with national, state, and local nursing laws and regulations.
- Maintains clinical professional skills via continuing education opportunities and clinical practice as needed.
- Demonstrates/leads culturally competent care in all clinical areas, ensuring needed interpretation and/or translations services are available. Reviews utilization and documentation of translation services within the medical record, provides corrective actions necessary to ensure appropriate use of translation services per IHSC policy.
- The correctional registered nurse practices ethically per the below:
- Uses the Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements (ANA, 2001) to guide practice.
- Delivers care in a manner that preserves and protects patient autonomy, dignity, rights, values, and beliefs.
- Recognizes the centrality of the patient, and when possible, the family as core members of any health care team.
- Upholds patient confidentiality within legal and regulatory parameters.
- Assists patients in self-determination and informed decision-making.
- Maintains a therapeutic and professional nurse-patient relationship within appropriate professional role boundaries.
- Contributes to resolving ethical issues involving the patient, nurse colleagues, health care providers, correctional personnel, and other stakeholders.
- Takes appropriate action regarding instances of illegal, unethical, or inappropriate behavior that could endanger or jeopardize the best interests of the patient or situation.
- Speaks up when appropriate to question health care practice when necessary for safety and quality improvement.
- Advocates for equitable patient care.
- Applying a range and depth of knowledge acquired specifically through an intensive learning regimen of the phenomena, theories, and concepts of a scientific body of nursing knowledge, as evidenced by the following:
- Knowledge of IHSC Directives and guides and accreditation standards.
- Thorough knowledge of/ability to access/utilize/mentor staff regarding use of agency SharePoint to include directives, guides, training, tools and resources pertaining to the Nursing Services Unit.
- Providing front line supervision of federal nursing staff (serving as reviewing official) to include registered nurses (RNs), licensed vocational nurses (LVNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and certified nurse assistants on daily clinic processes; monitors nursing processes/provides guidance to meet the standards related to those processes. Supervises between 11-40 federal and contract nurses.
- Serving as local technical monitor for oversight of contract nursing staff to include registered nurses, licensed practical/vocational nurses, and certified nurse assistants on daily clinic processes; monitors nursing processes/provides guidance to meet the standards related to those processes. Will also certify time worked by contract nursing staff in the IHSC Hours Worked Dashboard.
- Ensuring the annual nursing competencies and peer reviews are completed following IHSC policy; review and monitors findings and implements appropriate actions to support the safe delivery of nursing care.
- Creating, exploring, evaluating, designing, and sharing solutions and the validity of their predicted performance to resolve problems, conditions, and issues, as evidenced by the following:
- Adult learner teaching skills including the ability to communicate with strong written and oral skill noted during the performance of these duties:
- ability to conduct staff meetings effectively,
- provide nursing education to all staff as needed, and
- ability to share/communicate nursing information with local nursing staff in timely manner.
- conducting staff in-services on general/complex subjects and communicating expected outcomes related to improvement of nursing/medical care; documenting training appropriately per IHSC policy or accreditation standards
- providing and documenting appropriate health teaching/counseling to provide reinforcement/ guidance to minimize protocol deviations.
- assisting in the orientation of new healthcare and nursing personnel to guidelines, requirements, and the specifics of the patient population at the local site.
- participating as a primary or supportive professional nursing mentor in regular one-on-one or group mentoring activities. viii. contributing to support leadership role by developing /presenting two approved nursing education in-services with evaluation criteria annually
- Other duties as assigned.
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
- You must successfully pass a background investigation.
- You must successfully pass a drug screen.
- Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
- Requirements by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
- Probationary Period: This is a full-time permanent position (Career/Career-Conditional appointment). Upon appointment to this position, you may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
- Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer.
USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates are not eligible for this position.
Civilians are not eligible for this position.
Qualifications
TECHNICAL HEALTHCARE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Using and/or carrying out standard procedures for a specialized healthcare field.
- Conducts interviews on newly admitted detainees with empathy to accurately identify needs and minimize and alleviate fears and anxieties.
- Communicates and explains the institution's treatment programs to newly arrived detainees.
- May serve as medical escort of detainees as needed for domestic/overseas travel under the direction of the IHSC Special Operations Unit.
- Performs multiple complex tasks requiring advanced level of proficiency/independent functioning.
- Applying basic nursing knowledge acquired through practical experience and on-the-job activities of accepted processes, standards, methods, and their corresponding scientific principles and results.
- Plans and/or collaborates patient care interventions with other health care professionals using in-depth knowledge of the specific patient's status, anticipating physiological and/or psychological appropriate or adverse responses.
- Maintains patient and health record confidentiality.
- Demonstrates ability to work collaboratively, efficiently, and effectively with multidisciplinary healthcare team as evidence by improved patient outcomes and improved staff satisfaction.
- In addition to contacts with patients and patients' families in a clinical setting, and within immediate work environment, communicates and collaborates with outside the immediate work environment with the department, and other federal departments or outside the federal government (e.g., CDC, TB Net, state/local health department and other federal partners. Requires face to face contact and telephone dialogue on a routine basis. Work purpose is primarily to collaborate; supply advice; explain, interpret, and seek support for methods, policies and programs; or render a service of a moderately complex nature requiring a moderate amount of explanation and tact.
- Understanding and skill in applying predetermined procedures, methods, and standardized practices in a narrowly specialized healthcare field (nursing), or science, or in performing technical work requiring originality, initiative, and practical judgment in using and adapting standardized medical techniques and methods.
- Maintains non-involvement in correctional security/custody responsibilities.
- Coordinates the treatment and transport, if necessary, of acutely ill or injured patients with healthcare team; coordinates referrals to off-site providers as required.
- Reviews nursing documentation in identified patient records to assess treatment progress, adequacy of record keeping, and implementation of appropriate clinical nursing guidelines/documentation on on-going basis.
- Carrying out tasks, methods, procedures, and computations based on oral or written instructions and/or precedents, guidelines, and standards.
- Provides nursing services of a scope, quality, and quantity consistent with IHSC policies.
- Maintains security when administering medications; maintains cognizance at all times of the potential hazard of drug hoarding and trafficking among detainees.
- Collecting, observing, testing, and recording factual and scientific data to monitor care of patients:
- Differentiates between normal/abnormal findings, making appropriate notifications to higher level providers, and implementing appropriate interventions.
- Applies knowledge of treatments and drug actions when making observations/ reporting patient response to treatments.
- Foreseeing the effects of procedural changes or appraising the validity of results on the basis of experience and practical reasoning.
- Collaborates with CD and HSA in identifying/recommending needed modifications/improvements to multiple and complex clinical programs for improved efficiency of patient care.
- Collaborates with CD and HSA with developing new operating procedures or program plans.
- Staying abreast of existing and new practical methods and applications through on-the-job and classroom training.
- Serves as a team member for analyzing established protocol practices and identifying areas for improvement.
- Reviews newly issued national directives and guides to identify updates in nursing practice; and implements training and education needed for employing the required process changes.
- Knowledge of computerized data base, sources, and reporting methodologies.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
- This position is considered hazardous duty in a detention setting.
- Requires physical exertion such as lifting objects greater than 30 pounds.
- Must have the ability to assist sick, injured or aging detainees or staff exiting the building (may require lifting, dragging, wheeling or carrying someone who weighs significantly more than self).
- The work may necessitate some physical characteristics that will be required when responding to an emergency situation, such as running short distance, prolonged standing and working in an austere environment.
- Required to perform CPR/emergency care standing or kneeling.
Education
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Competencies required:
- Professional clinical nursing experience: 9 years
- 4 years in a specialty area (experience in correctional health care preferred)
- 4 years direct clinical patient care (e.g. inpatient) nursing experience preferred.
- Administrative experience in a supervisory capacity: 3 or more years.
- Maintains CPR/BLS certification.
- Obtain CCHP-RN within 2 years of assignment.
- Complete ICE Supervisory Leadership Training within 1 year of assignment and Advanced ICE Supervisory Leadership Training within 2 years of assignment.
- Cultural competency maintained through agency/other training.
- Qualifications-Degrees Required:
- Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing.
- Master's Degree in Nursing or related field preferred.
- Qualifications-Licenses and Certifications Required:
- Nursing License- Must be a Registered Nurse (RN).
- Maintains current/documented professional licensure. (It is the responsibility of the incumbent to fulfill the obligation(s) of their licensing or certifying body to maintain currency. This position may be required to perform clinical activities with the scope of clinical license in times of critical needs within and at the direction of the agency.)
- Professional credentials/certification appropriate to current job specialty.
- Graduate of a professional nursing school approved by the appropriate State accrediting agency.
- Knowledge of the Nurse Practice Act for the licensing state and the state in which one practices nursing.
- Knowledge of a wide range of complex nursing concepts, principles, and practices to perform nursing assessments of considerable diversity to include mental health, medical/surgical, ambulatory, and emergency nursing care.
- Comprehensive knowledge of managing non-compliant patients, special needs populations, and patients with significant deficits in coping skills, thereby requiring continuing professional clinical support.
- Knowledge of correctional nursing concepts and principles.
- Demonstrated evidence of knowledge of nursing management and leadership skills.
- Knowledge of team building principles.
- Knowledge of staff development and basic adult learner teaching skills.
- Flexibility and ability to adapt to sudden changes in schedules and work requirements.
- Follows supervisory chain of command.
- Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
- Some travel may be required.
Benefits
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.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. You may be selected for an interview at the hiring authority's discretion. You will be notified of selection or non-selection.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position.A complete application includes:
U. S. Public Health Service Officers
- Cover Letter/Letter of Interest. Please include location preference here.
- Degrees. (Place under "Diploma/GED")
- Professional license. (If applicable)
- Additional professional certificates. (If applicable)
- Three professional references. (i.e., name, title and contact information)
- A copy of your Certificate of Investigation (located in your eOPF).
- CV - e.g., relevant experience, education, training. (Place under "Resume")
- *Three most recent Commissioned Officer Effectiveness Reports (COER). (Place under "Performance Appraisal")
- For current IHSC PHS officers, IHSC Recruiting requires applicants to provide a copy of your current Service Remaining Requirements Agreement.
- Indicate if you have an Assignment Pay (AP) Agreement and the date of the end of your AP Agreement.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, you must submit the required documentation outlined under the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section below.
The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 01/05/2024.
PLEASE NOTE: If your materials are not received by the closing date, your application will be evaluated solely on the information available and you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. Also, if you do not provide a valid email address, you may not be notified of the outcome of your application.
To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.
Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.
Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. If you need further assistance, contact the Human Resources Office representative listed on this announcement at least one day prior to the closing date for further instructions.
Next steps
Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best-qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information." We expect to make a job offer within 60 days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment.
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