Summary

The Nurse Falls Prevention Program Coordinator - Registered Nurse focuses on individual growth and development of a Falls Prevention and Management Program in practice with increased levels of self-direction and responsiveness. The nurse brings basic Falls Prevention principles and theory with application of critical thinking skills and implementation ability. Responsible for producing and disseminating an evidenced-based - cost-effective Fall Prevention Program based upon the Veteran population.

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/12952311
• 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: You must be able to perform work that requires regular and recurrent bending - lifting 30 pounds or more - stooping - climbing - twisting and/or bending - standing and/or walking almost constantly during the course of the day - reaching above the shoulder - stretching - and similar activities supporting various weights
• walking and standing for 8 hours
• frequent pushing medication carts - wheelchairs - litters - beds
• use of fingers - both hands and both legs
• emotional stability (you must be able to care for Veterans with various medical and psychiatric illnesses who at times may exhibit unpredictable behavior and may have the potential to be physically or verbally assaultive)
• near vision correctable at 13" to 16" / far vision correctable in one eye to 20/50 and to 20/100 in the other / both eyes required with ability to distinguish basic colors
• hearing aid permitted in order to sufficiently hear various alarms and respond immediately

Duties

• The Falls Prevention Coordinator is a Registered Nurse responsible for the development - implementation - evaluation - and ongoing enhancement of a comprehensive - system-wide Falls Prevention and Management Program at Tennessee Valley Healthcare System
• This role serves as a subject matter expert in fall prevention practices and is dedicated to improving patient safety - clinical outcomes - and staff education related to falls and mobility safety across the care continuum
• The incumbent serves as the subject matter expert and facility lead for all fall prevention and post-fall management processes
• The coordinator collaborates with nursing leadership - interdisciplinary teams - Quality Management - Patient Safety - and unit-based champions to analyze trends - identify system gaps - and implement sustainable interventions that reduce fall-related injuries among Veterans
• The Falls Prevention Program is based on national standards - evidenced-based practice and outcomes research in accordance with the scope of practice
• Primary responsibilities for this position: Coordinates and leads a comprehensive falls prevention program across inpatient - outpatient - long-term care - and specialty areas
• Analyzes fall data trends and completes root cause analyses (RCAs) for significant events
• Chairs or co-chairs the Falls Prevention Interdisciplinary Committee
• Develops evidence-based protocols - risk assessments - and interventions to mitigate fall risk
• Educates and consults with staff regarding fall prevention strategies - mobility safety - and safe patient handling practices
• Developing patient/caregiver education programs for fall and injury prevention
• Collaborates with nursing leadership - patient safety - physical therapy - environmental services - and other departments to ensure a safe environment of care
• Participates in performance improvement initiatives - quality reviews - and accreditation readiness efforts
• Supports post-fall huddles and debriefings and ensures timely and accurate reporting in accordance with VHA policy and regulatory bodies
• Establishing and maintaining a facility Fall Prevention policy and fall clinical practice guidelines based on evidence
• Maintains flexibility with a high degree of interpersonal skills - effective communication - leadership - motivation - self-direction and ongoing evaluation of activities
• Preferred Experience: Minimum of 3-5 years of progressively responsible professional nursing practice - including clinical - administrative - and/or quality improvement roles
• Master's Degree in Nursing or relevant field preferred Previous experience in patient safety - quality improvement - or risk management roles Demonstrated experience coordinating or leading hospital fall prevention programs or related safety initiatives Strong knowledge of fall risk assessment tools (e.g. - Morse Fall Scale - Wilson-Sims Fall Risk Assessment (WSFRAT and evidence-based fall prevention strategies Experience conducting root cause analyses and contributing to performance improvement plans Familiarity with regulatory standards related to patient safety - such as those from The Joint Commission and CMS Proven ability to educate and engage interdisciplinary teams on fall prevention practices and policy adherence Experience collecting - analyzing - and reporting data to monitor trends and drive quality outcomes Excellent communication - facilitation - and leadership skills to collaborate across nursing - therapy - and ancillary departments Certification in Patient Safety - Quality Improvement - or related specialty (e.g. - ANCC Nursing Professional Development - CPHQ - or similar) 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 Pay Schedule: NY67 Work Schedule: Full-time
• Based on the needs Telework: Available - ad-hoc only Virtual: This is not a virtual position Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized