This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Licensed practical or vocational nurses appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in both spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Licensure: Must possess a full, active, current, and unrestricted licensure as a licensed practical or vocational nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or District of Columbia. EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED): Graduate of a school of practical or vocational nursing approved by the appropriate State agency and/or accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) at the time the program was completed by the applicant. Verification can be obtained from the State approving agency or the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, 61 Broadway, 33rd Floor, New York, NY 10006. Additional information may also be obtained from the NLNAC Website. TRANSCRIPTS WITH CONFER DATE REQUIRED. Exceptions include: Health care education in the military service or training in the military service which is accepted by the licensing body in the jurisdiction in which the individual is licensed as qualifying for full LPN/LVN licensure will be accepted as meeting the education requirements for VHA employment. VHA employees who were converted to appointments under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) in implementation of Public Law 98-160, enacted November 21, 1983, and for VHA employees converted to appointments under 38 U.S.C. 7405 in implementation of Public Law 99-576, enacted October 28, 1986; and for their future personnel actions under this authority. The waiver will not apply to persons appointed under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) or 7405 after these conversions. Individuals are granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school. See paragraph 4, section C. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade. GS-03 Level: None beyond the basic requirements. LPNs at this grade level are expected to perform all duties within the scope of their license (e.g., medication administration); however, completed work may require routine or detailed higher level review depending upon the complexity of the duties involved. GS-4 Level: At least six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN. At this level LPN/LVNs are expected to exercise greater judgment, require less supervision, and to operate in accordance with all established policies, procedures, and techniques. OR Graduate of an approved school AND one year of experience that involved nursing care work in a hospital, outpatient clinic, nursing home, or other supervised medical, nursing, or patient care facility that provided a practical knowledge of human body structure and sterile techniques and procedures. OR Graduate from an approved school of at least 24 months duration. GS-5 Level: At least one year of qualifying experience equivalent to the GS-4 level under the general supervision of an RN or MD/DO that has provided you with the following: Individuals at this grade level are expected to have a broad working knowledge of practical nursing procedures; however, completion of more complex practices or procedures may be subject to closer higher-level review. Demonstrated knowledge and ability to provide a full range of practical nursing care to patients with a variety of physical and/or behavioral problems. Works with the RN and/or MD/DO to appropriately orient/train less experienced LPNs/LVNs and/or Nursing Assistants (NAs)/Health Technicians (HTs) in relation to acceptable standards of practice in promoting optimal patient care delivery. Provides effective education to patients and/or family members in relation to common disease processes, medication, and /or prescribed treatment regimes. Demonstrated knowledge and ability to serve as a responsible member of a nursing team and interact in an appropriate manner with patients, family members, professional and/or other support personnel involved in the delivery of patient care and incorporating acceptable, established customer service standards into practice. Knowledge and skill sufficient to prepare, administer, and appropriately document actions taken specific to commonly prescribed oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular and/or intravenous medications. This includes observing and documenting patient responses to medication and reporting noted changes in the patient's condition. Knowledge and ability to recognize the need for and to institute emergency measures when indicated, promptly seek the assistance of the RN or MD/DO and assist in resuscitation procedures in cardiac and/or pulmonary arrest. Recognize and appropriately respond to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazards, and supply deficiencies, promptly reporting to appropriate personnel for corrective action. GS-6 Level: At least one year of qualifying experience equivalent to the GS-5 level that has provided you with the following but not limited to: Technically proficient in initiating, performing, and completing assigned duties in providing care to variable patient populations. Knowledge and ability to appropriately carry out assigned patient care based on the patients' conditions, using judgment in selecting the appropriate order and sequence of procedures and treatments, and accurately recognizing, reporting, and recording relevant patient information. Completed work should need only a general review by a registered nurse (RN) or physician (MD/DO) for appropriateness and conformity with established policies/procedures. Ability to observe, identify, and respond to a patient's needs for care including medication, equipment-assisted care, and patient/family education. In organizing and delivering care, the LPN/LVN recognizes and considers emotional, socio-economic, and age-related factors. Prepares and administers prescribed medications (oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular and/or intravenous) and performs treatments according to established policies/procedures. Observes for, documents, and reports physical and/or emotional changes in the patient's condition from prescribed medications/treatments. Knowledge and ability to recognize urgent or emergent patient care situations, seeking assistance of the RN and/or MD/DO, and initiating appropriate emergency interventions as directed. Knowledge and understanding of human behavior, patient motivations and reactions to situations and the ability to appropriately utilize this knowledge in working effectively with patients, family members and other staff. Knowledge and skill in performing support duties for complex diagnostic tests and/or specialized practices or procedures, which includes preparing the patient and assisting in the diagnostic examination, preparing, and handling specialized instruments or other specialized equipment, and monitoring the patient's condition before, during, and following the procedure. Serves as a preceptor in orienting, educating, and training less experienced LPNs/LVNs or NAs/HTs related to support duties for these more complex, specialized tests/procedures. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The LPN works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Primarily responsible for patient and clinic flow, efficiency of the clinic, customer service, and teamwork. Maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary team, VA medical centers, and other agencies. Duties will vary based on grade. At the GS-6 level, duties will include, but are not limited to: Checking vitals, processing reminders, reviewing and processing alerts appropriately, administering medication, participating in team huddles and meetings to manage and plan patient care; setting priorities and deadlines; adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs; may work with the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions and entering appropriate information into the electronic record; monitoring pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure; participating and providing input in problem solving on operational issues or procedures in team meetings; participating in and independently following up on team huddles by sharing information and collaborating with the medical team to assure continuity of care; evaluating patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether patient is vested; educating providers about shared patients and bringing to the attention of the provider. Deliver accurate and timely information to meet the needs of our Veterans and their families. CPRS Notes entered and signed within 24 hours. CPRS Alerts addressed and signed within 72 hours. Promote patient trust by accurately documenting messages and routing them appropriately. (Systems Thinking). d. Standard - Recognizes the importance of teamwork and cooperation and voluntarily helps other teams during staffing short-falls. Assists with other assignments and tasks to take care of the Veterans. Attend monthly meetings as an active participant; Read meeting notes in times of absences. With minimal supervision, plan and carry out assignments following VHA directives and local Numbered Memoranda. Provide appropriate patient and family education regarding disease condition, procedures, tests, and health maintenance. Observe and appropriately respond to subtle changes in patient's behavior by providing emotional/physical support/intervention to prevent a problem. Participate in Medication Review by reviewing with patient/care giver medication list, annotate changes on the list for PCP's review, enter non-VA meds in CPRS. Provide ambulatory nursing care to patients with acute and chronic healthcare needs, including responding to triages as appropriate. Respond to medical emergencies such as "medical urgencies" and nursing alerts as appropriate. Use the 6 Rights of Medication Administration, including the use of two patient identifiers. Serve as preceptor or mentor for newly assigned health technicians, LPNs, and interns. Perform other duties as assigned VA Careers - Licensed Practical Nurse: https://youtube.com/embed/Ae85IP1Oiz4 Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM PDT. Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: Not authorized. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases are available. Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. NOTE: Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. 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) Functional Statement #: 000000