Mr. Mathews presents award to Sharon Ford

The Phoenix VA Health Care System Director, Mr. Bryan Matthews, presented an award to Sharon Ford on behalf of Dr. Shereef Elnahal, the Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Health.

Sharon was not able to be in attendance when Dr. Elnahal toured the Phoenix VA, and presented awards to employees during an all-employee meeting via Teams.

Good Catch Award

Litzy Medina and Theresa Gonzalez were recognized for stopping the line for patient safety in order to provide the best care for our patients. Litzy and Theresa noticed that processes for collection and patient care were not followed appropriately, and reported this concern, not allowing them to continue without verifying first. Both of these Good Catches resulted in corrections that improved patient care, and demonstrated not only an attention to proper processes, but a real concern for the welfare of our patients.

The Good Catch/Great Catch recognition program is a Patient Safety continuous improvement initiative to improve the Culture of Safety through recognition of staff involved in reports of near miss/close call events. Patient Safety aims to reinforce a Just Culture through a positive response to reporting of events, encouraging proactive intervention and process improvement toward the prevention of error. Feedback to those reporting events establishes trust in the system and helps create an environment with psychological safety, transparency, and willingness to report close calls.

In This Issue

• Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
• March is Social Work Month
• Education & Training

Quick Bites

Rheumatology clinic

The Rheumatology clinic has moved to a new location on the fourth floor of the Midtown VA Clinic.

All Rheumatology patients will be seen a the location beginning Today.

Benefit to patients:
1. Expanded appointment availability
2. Larger clinic spaces
3. Improved parking
4. Ability to grow clinic staff

2023 Maricopa County StandDown

Mark your calendars for the Maricopa County StandDown event, scheduled for Friday, April 28, at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. This year the event will run 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Through Our Eyes Exhibit

The Through Our Eyes exhibit will be on display by the Coffee shop during Women’s History Month, from Monday, March, 20^th, 2023 through Friday, March 31^st, 2023.

This exhibit is in collaboration with the My Life, My Story project (MLMS), which is integrated within the VA’s Department of Whole Health and one of many programs offered to support veteran’s health and wellness.

The MLMS process is pretty simple: we ask veterans to tell us about themselves. Specifically, we try to find out what is important to them – this could be military history, health, family or even hobbies. The only stipulation is that the veteran receives some medical care through the VA. Interviews are limited to one hour as a two-page narrative must be distilled from that. We keep the stories to around 1,500 words so that, once it’s uploaded into a patient’s confidential medical record, providers will take the time to read it. The value in this project is that providers get to know their patients as human beings and not simply as a medical diagnosis which leads to better care. Additionally, the experience offers patients the opportunity to have their voice heard within their medical record.  

This exhibit serves to not only honor the shared stories and lived experiences of our female veterans but ensures they receive the same recognition as their male counterparts. More importantly, the exhibit will increase awareness of the contributions female veterans have made to the military.

For more information about this or any other Phoenix VA Whole Health opportunities, please contact Rebekah Leigh at 602-725-3066.

32nd Street Clinic holds multi-floor St. Patrick's Day Feast

The staff at the Phoenix 32nd Street VA Clinic celebrated St. Patrick's Day with a culinary event that went across three floors and lasted from Breakfast on past lunch. Breakfast was available on the 5th floor, followed by lunch on the 4th floor, and for those who were still hungry, or skipped one of the other meals, deserts  were available on the 3rd floor. Employees enjoyed the event all day thanks to KT Garron, Marilyn Tabamo and their St. Patrick's team who organized this on their own time.

Some other staff who contributed décor/food to make this such a special event: Christina Stalder, RN 4th floor and Phillip Sullivan, RN 3rd Floor, and others who helped make this possible and fun.

The Maricopa County TRP Annual Survey is back

The annual survey, which began March 1st and runs through March 31st, is one of the most important steps of the TRP cycle. The survey is quick and easy for employees to complete and focuses on our commuting habits through non-identifying information.

The TRP survey is short and should only take a few minutes to complete. To complete the survey simply click on the site Phoenix VA Health Care System USVETC-1-32. It's also as easy as using you smartphone/tablet! Just scan the QR Code below.

A few FAQs:

1. Should employees that telework complete a survey?

Yes, if the employee is assigned to a site in Maricopa County that they would otherwise be traveling to if they were unable to telework. On the survey, they should indicate the number of days they telework as ‘Telecommute’ for their mode of travel (Question 3) and the number of one-way miles they would have traveled from their home to the site (Question 6).

2. Where can I get more information?

Please visit the Maricopa County Travel Reduction Program website or call (602) 506-6750.

Blood Drive at Carl T. Hayden

The Bloodmobile will be at the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center Thursday March 23 from 6:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Advance appointments are encouraged to help maintain social distancing. To schedule and appointment, visit donors.vitalant.org (use sponsor code: 10053581), or contact Jennifer Morton (Jennifer.Morton@va.gov) or Cynthia Gonzalez-Teninty (Cynthia.Gonzalez-Teninty@va.gov).

Clinics Moving

Three clinics will move from March to May. All three clinics will be moving to the Phoenix Midtown VA Clinic at 5040 North 15th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ. • The Rheumatology Clinic is now located on the Fourth Floor • The Endocrinology Clinic will move to the Third Floor on April 10th • The Dermatology Clinic will move to the Third Floor on May 8th

Accelerating High Reliability Across the Enterprise

• 5-Whys Tool
• Cause & Effect (Fishbone Diagram)
• Root Cause Analysis (RCAs) - Safety Culture

As VHA advances along its Journey to High Reliability, the goal across all levels of the organization is to integrate high reliability into the fabric of our operations, culture and systems. By incorporating HRO Principles and practices into daily processes and behaviors, we can help ensure that HRO simply becomes the way we do business across the enterprise.

The commitment to high reliability starts with leadership. VA’s Under Secretary for Health, Dr. Shereef Elnahal, has selected “Accelerating VHA’s Journey to High Reliability” as one of six VHA priorities to drive its mission forward in FY 2023-2024. What can local VHA leaders do to support this priority? First, facility, VISN
and program office leaders can add at least one cultural and one operational HRO action into their own operating plans. Review the VHA HRO Enterprise Operating Plan Guidance for strategies and examples. Second, leaders at all levels can focus on spreading and strengthening their use of the four Foundational HRO Practices and model HRO activities and behaviors. These practices help promote transparency, organizational learning and Clear Communications.

This focus on HRO as a VHA priority highlights the importance of everyday actions and ongoing  improvements to deliver the safest care for Veterans

LGBTQ+ Health Awareness Week

National LGBTQ Health Awareness Week, created by the National Coalition for LGBTQ Health, was held March 23-27. The theme for the week was “Turn OUT for LGBT Health”, this encouraged the community to advocate for LGBTQ+ policy and mobilize voter turnout in support of LGBTQ+ health equity. The coalition wants to thank all those who participated in Awareness Week and helped promote LGBTQ+ health.

GI Nurses and Associates Week

GI Nurses and Associates Week is a time of inspiration, celebration, and recognition for all the hardworking nurses and associates in the GI field.

The annual celebration of GI Nurses and Associates Week (this year from  March 19-25) marks a special milestone this year. The 2023 GI Nurses & Associates Week is the 10th anniversary of honoring nurses in this specialty and all the work they do.

Gastroenterology (GI) nurses  specialize in the gastrointestinal tract. Patients who have disorders or symptoms related to the digestive tract will seek out GI specialist teams to help them navigate what can be elusive and sometimes debilitating symptoms.

Nurses interested in this specialty will help patients in many ways. They can assist with upper and lower GI diagnostic procedures and surgeries including endoscopy and colonoscopy, stomach emptying studies, cancer surgery, and more. GI nurses frequently work with patients who have liver and pancreas problems and also with patients who have hernias.

Gastroenterology nurses are an important resource for patients who are managing GI symptoms. As a GI nurse, you’ll be well informed of how varied factors impact a person’s digestive tract.

Women's History Month

Celebrating women who tell our stories

VA dedicates Women’s History Month in March to honoring and celebrating women who made history at VA. This includes sharing the story of those who advocated for the care of women Veterans and VA’s 100-year history of advancing women Veterans’ health care.

In the last decade, VA focused on further advancing women’s health care services and improving women Veterans’ experiences at VA facilities. Through Congressional legislation, VA enhanced fertility services, newborn care, childcare, sexual assault and trauma support, homelessness services, LGBTQ+ gender affirming care, readjustment assistance, and legal and supportive services. VA launched the White Ribbon campaign and anti-harassment programs including communications campaigns aimed at improving women Veterans’ experiences at VA.

This Women’s History Month, we honor the contributions and achievements of the women who stepped up to advocate for equality – to make VA a place where women Veterans belong and where they can receive the best care anywhere.

National Nutrition Month

In 2023, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics celebrates Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day on Wednesday, March 8th. As the nation's food and nutrition experts, RDNs are committed to improving the health of their patients, families and communities.  Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day and National Nutrition Month® promote the Academy and RDNs to the public and the media as the most valuable and credible source of timely, scientifically-based food and nutrition information

This year, the National Nutrition Month® theme is “Fuel for the Future.” This theme encourages people to engage in their future health by considering the importance of nutrition. By partnering with a VA Dietitian, Veterans can learn to eat in a way that helps them meet their individual goals while planning for future health. We plan for the future in many ways but not always with consideration for how good nutrition can impact that.  We can fuel our future health and that of our families to ensure that we enter into the next phase of our life feeling our best.  Contact a VA Registered Dietitian Nutritionist at your facility today to learn more. Check out your local VA to learn about more ways to personalize your plate and embrace other cultures.

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

CRC Awareness Resource Event Today! Monday Morning, from 8  - 11 a.m. at the South ACC Entrance of the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center. There will be information, music, cooking demos, lots of giveaways, and to walk through the inflatable colon.

If colorectal cancer is highly preventable with screening, and it’s highly treatable when caught early, then why is colorectal cancer the second deadliest cancer in the U.S.? 

It’s a great question with a complicated answer. A lack of knowledge about prevention and limited access to screening has a lot to do with it, and a third of people who could get checked don’t. A missed or delayed screening gives colorectal cancer a chance to grow and become more dangerous long before symptoms appear.

Routine screening is cancer prevention because Colorectal Cancer doesn’t always have symptoms. If you’re 45 or older, talk to your doctor about screening options. FIT Kit drop-off box available or samples less than a week.

March is Social Work Month

Each day, social workers break barriers in a plethora of innovative ways that help millions of Americans live their best lives. Social workers also work in politics and in communities to improve living conditions for all. During Social Work Month we urge you to educate yourselves about our amazing profession, thank the social workers in your lives, and help support the profession.

Social work began more than a century ago. The profession can trace a large part of its origins to Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Star, who in 1889 opened Hull House in Chicago to provide social services to the area, which had a large immigrant population. People become social workers because they have a strong desire to help others and make society a better place. Social work is one of the fastest growing professions in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). More than 700,000 professional social workers are hard at work nationwide, but that number is expected to rise to almost 800,000 by 2030.

Maricopa County Travel Reduction Program

The Maricopa County Travel Reduction Program (TRP) Annual Survey is back!  Our Survey will begin today, 3/1/2023 and conclude on 3/31/2023.

The annual survey is one of the most important steps of the TRP cycle.  The survey is quick and easy for employees to complete and focuses on our commuting habits through non-identifying information.

The survey is available here and should only take a few minutes to complete.

FAQs:

1. Should employees that telework complete a survey? Yes, if the employee is assigned to a site in Maricopa County that they would otherwise be traveling to if they were unable to telework. Do not include employees that telework in another county or state. On the survey, they should indicate the number of days they telework as ‘Telecommute’ for their mode of travel (Question 3) and the number of one-way miles they would have traveled from their home to the site (Question 6).

2. Where can I get more information?  Please visit the Maricopa County Travel Reduction Program website or call us at (602) 506-6750.

Employment Opportunities

Lead Program Specialist GS-0301-11

USAJOBS - Job Announcement

Supply Technician GS-2005-05

USAJOBS - Job Announcement

Patient Prosthetics Clerk (GS-303-5)

The Phoenix VA Health Care System is recruiting for one (1) Prosthetics Clerk (Office Automation), in the Prosthetics & Sensory Aid Service. This position provides clerical and administrative support to the Prosthetics Service, to ensure Veterans receive the appropriate medical equipment. The position specializes in data entry, and administrative tasks. This is a temporary position, with a Not To Exceed time of 2 years.

USAJOBS - Job Announcement

Program Support Assistant GS-0303-07

The Phoenix VA Health Care System is recruiting for 2 Program Support Assistant. The PSA assists the Department with administrative support functions to include ADPAC responsible for coordinating business processes and software functions and ensures processes are in place to support the implementation of new and updated information technology systems and a variety of software programs integral to the overall administration and operations of the Veteran Experience (VE) service.

USAJOBS - Job Announcement

Supply Technician GS-2005-05

USAJOBS - Job Announcement

Food Service Worker WG-7408-02

Food Service Workers perform tasks with several steps or a sequence of tasks that requires attention to work operations. They follow set procedures in accomplishing repetitive assignments and follow an established sequence of work such as working in the dish room, passing trays, portioning cold foods and dipping hot foods.

USAJOBS - Job Announcement

Controlled Substance Inspectors Needed

These are collateral duty/protected time positions with no experience necessary. A clinical background is not required, but it includes a time commitment of one-day per month (approximately 2-3 hours).

Open to wage grade, Title 5 and Title 38.

For more information or to apply, contact the controlled substance coordinator: Maritza Zuniga-Jasso

PMDB is Recruiting

The PMDB Team is searching for a motivated individual based out of main campus to join the PMDB team in 2023. We are looking for an individual who wants to teach PMDB at least once a month with us - that's 12 classes/year at minimum.

Employees under ANY service line can apply, and you do NOT need to teach PMDB 3/Therapeutic containment to join the team.

Please contact Lauren Rush is your are interested!

Recruiting: Veterans with and without MS to test a fall prevention intervention

Dr. Peterson is conducting a study to assess the effects of step training on balance in Veterans with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) as well as healthy adults. For more information, please contact Dr. Peterson's team at 602-277-5551, Ext: 6094, or see the attached flier with study details and contact information if you are interested.

Education & Training

Supervisor Training Series

Supervisor Training assists supervisors in improving their leadership and management skills.  This program is designed to provide a strong first step toward building supervisory and leadership capabilities of new VA supervisors.  It is competency-aligned training that aims to help supervisors improve performance, productivity, and employee satisfaction within their team and the organization.

This training is the live version for New Supervisor Essentials (NSE) and can be also taken as a refresher course for seasoned supervisors.

Part I

Thursday April 27th, 2023 to April 28th, 2023

MS Teams, 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Part II

Thursday May 11th, 2023 to Friday May 12th, 2023

MS Teams, 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Part III

Friday June 16th, 2023

MS Teams, 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM

TMS Registration required

Lean Training open for Lean Leaders 

Green Belt Training

April 4-6 from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Yellow Belt Certification is required for application and must be uploaded in the portal at the time of the request.

Yellow Belt Training

May 23-25 from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Both are a three day training with a mandatory process improvement project.

The classes train change agents on the Lean methodologies to improve clinical and administrative efficiencies, to support state of the art health care services for Veteran in the most cost and time efficient manner while maintaining quality and safe outcomes.   

Contact the Phoenix Systems Redesign Team with any questions: VHAPHOSR&I@va.gov

Upcoming FRTIB TSP Webinar Schedules

The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB) has announced their upcoming webinars on Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) topics for the months of February, March and April. 

Participants can register by going to tsp.gov/webinars in the Online Learning section. FRTIB only uses Microsoft Teams for their webinars now.  The webinars are open to the public and can be attended via any internet connected device.  Participants can register using any email address.  It is often better to use a personal email address to avoid any agency/service blocks of Teams.  Participants can also register by visiting the Benefits and Retirement SharePoint site Training Opportunities (sharepoint.com).

These webinars are not intended to replace any of the valuable live events or hosted webinars that already occur throughout the year by VA.  TSP hosted webinars are intended to reach those participant’s that aren’t being reached by VA or who were unable to access to VA’s hosted webinar events.  

TSP Webinar February Schedule

TSP Webinar March Schedule

TSP Webinar April Schedule

HR Worklife Benefits Forums

VISN 22 HR Worklife Benefits will host open benefits forums every two weeks for current and new employees effective February 8, 2023 to provide training on the various benefits for Federal Employees and to answer any benefit questions you may have.  We will provide one-hour benefit forums via Microsoft Teams on the second Wednesday of the pay period at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST).

Topics include:

1. Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB)
2. Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI)
3. Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP)
4. Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS)
5. Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP)
6. Retirement - Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS)/Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)
7. Military Service Deposit
8. Service Deposits/Redeposits
9. Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
10. Disabled Veteran Leave (DVL)
11. Leave Programs
12. Child Care Subsidy Program (CCSP)
13. Professional Liability Insurance
14. myPay
15. Worklife Benefits Contact Information and Submission of Benefits Forms for Processing to V22 HR Help Desk: Worklife Benefits

Useful Links

PVAHCS Intranet (Internal)

PVAHCS Website (External)

PVAHCS LEAF Homepage

Veterans Affairs

yourIT

TMS

Human Resources SharePoint

Education Resource Center

eOPF

myPay

VATAS

JPSR

BENEFEDS

My HealtheVet

VHA's Journey to High Reliability

Useful Numbers

Main Menu
602-277-5551

Occupational Health x7317

Human Resources x7594

Police x6420

Privacy x2740

Veteran Canteen Services x6421

Community Care x6049

Communications Department x2667

Mental Health
Department x2752

Patient Advocate x2774

Caregiver Support x7777

Veteran Benefits
(Claims) 800-827-1000

National Cemetery of
Arizona 480-513-3600

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