Career Center

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. 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. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part. Education: 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. License: 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. English Language Proficiency. Licensed practical or vocational nurses appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: GS-3None beyond basic requirements.GS-4Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN;ORGraduation from an approved school & 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 & sterile techniques & procedures;ORGraduation from an approved school of at least 24 months duration.GS-5Completion of at least 1 year of qualifying experience at the GS-4 level or equivalent.AND1) Demonstrates knowledge & ability to provide full range of practical nursing care to patients w/ a variety of physical &/or behavioral problems. Works w/ RN &/or MD/DO to appropriately orient/train less experienced LPNs/LVNs &/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 &/or family members in relation to common disease processes, medication, &/or prescribed treatment regimes.2) Demonstrates ability to serve as a responsible member of nursing team & interact in an appropriate manner w/ patients, family members, professional & supportive personnel involved in the delivery of patient care, incorporating acceptable, established customer service standards into practice.3) Knowledge & skill sufficient to prepare, administer, & appropriately document actions taken specific to commonly prescribed oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular, &/or intravenous medications as permitted by approved local facility policies & procedures. Observation & documentation will include patient's response to medication administered & the reporting of any noted change in patient's condition to RN or MD/DO.4) Knowledge & ability to recognize the need for & to institute emergency measures when indicated, promptly seek the assistance of RN or MD/DO, & assist in resuscitation procedures in cardiac &/or pulmonary arrest.5) Recognizes & appropriately responds to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazards, & supply deficiencies, promptly reporting to appropriate personnel for corrective action.GS-6Completion of at least one year of additional qualifying specialized experience at the GS-5 level or equivalent, fully meeting all performance requirements for the GS-5 LPN/LVN.AND1) Technically proficient in initiating, performing & completing assigned duties in providing care to variable patient populations.2) Knowledge & ability to appropriately carry out assigned patient care based on the patients' conditions; to use judgment in selecting the appropriate order & sequence of procedures and treatments; & accurately recognize, report & record relevant patient information. Completed work should need only a general review by a RN or a MD/DO, for appropriateness & conformity w/ established policies/procedures.3) Ability to observe, identify & respond to the patient's needs for care, including medication, equipment-assisted care & patient/family education. In organizing and delivering care, the LPN/LVN recognizes & considers emotional, cultural, spiritual, socio-economic, & age-related factors.4) Prepares & administers prescribed medications (oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular &/or intravenous) & performs treatments according to established policies/procedures. Observes for physical &/or emotional changes in patient's condition from prescribed medications/treatments, promptly & accurately documenting noted changes, & reporting any deviations from normal to RN or MD/DO.5) Knowledge & ability to recognize urgent or emergent patient care situations, seek assistance of the RN &/or MD/DO, & initiates appropriate emergency interventions as directed.6) Knowledge & understanding of human behavior, patient motivations & reactions to situations, & ability to appropriately utilize this knowledge in working effectively w/ patients, family members, & staff.7) Establishes constructive relationships with patients & their families to elicit feelings & attitudes, & to promote positive relationships, communication & socialization skills. Fosters an environment of respect for individual patient & family rights to privacy & dignity in all aspects of care delivery. Effectively incorporates knowledge & understanding of established customer service standards in all interactions w/ patients, family members, & other internal/external customers.8) Knowledge & skill in performing support duties for complex diagnostic tests & specialized practices or procedures, which include preparing the patient, assisting in the diagnostic examination, preparing and handling specialized instruments or other specialized equipment, & monitoring the patient's condition before, during, & following the procedure. Serves as a preceptor in orienting, educating, & training less experienced LPNs/LVNs or NAs/HTs related to support duties for these more complex, specialized tests/procedures.9) Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills, sharing new knowledge gained w/ other staff to improve & advance nursing practice. References: VA Handbook 5005/3, Part II, Appendix G13. The full performance level of this vacancy is a GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of a GS-3 to a GS-6. Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5005, Part III, Chapter 2, paragraph 7, and VA Handbook 5019, Occupational Health Services. All applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the duties of the position. Must be able to lift (30 lbs or more); twisting and/or bending, standing and/or walking almost constantly during the course of the day. ["Knowledge and ability to recognize the need for 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. Collects data relevant to patients learning needs, learning preference and readiness to learn. Teaches patients and families principles of health, self-care, and treatments related wellness. Participates in selection of appropriate teaching materials to instruct patients on equipment, medications, disease processes, weight management, diet, and smoking cessation. Demonstrate the ability to articulate PACT programs and how it is utilized. Demonstrates effective communication skills in working with patients and/or families who present a communication challenge that may have difficulty with self-control, resistant behavior. Utilizes VA Core Values in the performance and delivery of care to patients, families and co-workers. Communicates effectively and appropriately when transferring patients to different levels of care-ISBAR handoffs. Communicates information to Nurse Managers/designee in a timely manner regarding assigned patients throughout tour of duty. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: $6,000 recruitment incentive with a 2 year commitment is authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\\ PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Pay Schedule: VA73"]

Return to Search Results