This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/486008000. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
The Kansas City VA is embarking on a journey of moving beyond performance measure and becoming the Healthcare System Veterans Trust and Choose. Our patients depend on us and we depend on professionals like you.
If you are interested in being a part of a LEAN organization and putting other's needs before your own this may be the organization for you. Yours might be the first face they see when they come through our doors. Yours might be the voice they hear right after a surprise diagnosis. Yours might be the eyes they look into as they are pushed in a wheelchair to a frightening procedure. Your attitude reflects us and everything we are proud of in this organization. By applying for this position you have chosen to help serve our patients and we appreciate you.
With the initiation of cultural change, along with knowledge and tools for change, the Kansas City VA will continue to move towards a practice of continuous improvement. In the endeavor, we recognize that this change will not occur suddenly, that dedicated individuals like yourself will be required, that leadership involvement is necessary, and employee engagement paramount.
As a 157 bed medical, surgical, and psychiatric facility, the Kansas City VA provides comprehensive health care through primary care and tertiary care in subspecialty medicine, surgery, psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation. It is also a teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Kansas and the University of Missouri Kansas City. Take a closer look at Kansas City at www.thinkkc.com.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
This announcement is open to external applicants. Internal applicants (VA or other Federal employees) should apply to announcement number CD-18-NLS-2026366.
The link for internal job announcement is http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/486007000
All applicants applying under this external announcement will be subject to veteran's preference.
Learn more about this agency12/13/2017 to 12/27/2017
$36,363 - $57,088 per year
GS 03 - 06
1 vacancy in the following location:
Not required
No
Permanent - Excepted Service Permanent
Full-time - Full Time
No
CD-18-NLS-2026370 BU
486008000
The LPN function is to provide quality nursing care to a culturally diverse veteran population of varying complexity in a variety of settings - acute inpatient care. The Licensed Practical Nurse works under the direction of an RN and is part of the Patient Aligned Care Team with a focus on patient centered care delivery.
The incumbent serves as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) at the point of care for the Kansas City VA Medical Center. The LPN function is to provide quality nursing care to a culturally diverse veteran population of varying complexity in a variety of settings acute inpatient care.
The LPN possesses the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively apply aspects of the nursing process within a collaborative, interdisciplinary practice setting. This broad based clinical knowledge enables the LPN to effectively implement health promotion and prevention interventions, manage acute and chronic illness states, assist veterans in the attainment of optimal levels of functioning through rehabilitation, and provide supportive measures for the dying patient and their significant others. The LPN possesses the knowledge and skills necessary to:
-Communicate and interact appropriately and courteously with internal and external customers.
-Maintain confidentiality of patient/employee information electronically, verbally, and written.
-Work and function within a safe manner including infection control and operation of equipment.
-Integrate and apply pertinent aspects of the Medical Center performance improvement program into his/her professional practice.
-Utilize nursing research, evidence based practice and literature in daily practice.
-Provide care appropriate to the bio-psychosocial needs of the population served. This knowledge includes an understanding of the changes associated with aging and principles of growth and development relevant to the adult and geriatric population. He/she must be able to assess and interpret data relating to the patient's current health status, which will facilitate the delivery of care appropriate to the age specific needs of the adult and geriatric patient.
-Provide culturally competent care to a diverse patient population.
-Practice requirements include BLS.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:45 am - 4:15 pm. This position potentially requires flexibility in schedule and assignments, as this is a 24/7 hospital. Some positions require rotation of tours or indefinite work on non-administrative tours as established by the immediate supervisor.
Functional Statement Title/#: Licensed Practical Nurse PACT Primary Care
Physical Requirements:
This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, pushing and reaching over head. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements; such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment. Incumbent may be exposed, on a short term basis to fumes, dust and other debris. The position must be able to occasionally lift, carry, and/or move 45 pounds or more. The position has repetitive motions, i.e. typing. The incumbent must perform CPR, and the ability to read 70% of the time on computers.
Basic Requirements:
Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
Education. Graduate of a school of practical 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.
OR
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 licensure will be accepted as meeting the education requirements for VHA employment.
OR
You are licensed in a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school, provided you have demonstrated successful practice as an LPN. 1 year of successful practice is considered the equivalent of graduation from an approved school of 12 months duration.
OR
You have graduated from a foreign school of professional nursing, and are in possession of a current, full, active, and unrestricted registration, meets the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing.
Licensure. Full, active, current and unrestricted licensure as a licensed practical nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or District of Columbia. You must maintain a full, active, current and unrestricted licensure to continue employment with the VA. An LPN who has or has ever had, any license(s) revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in VA Policy. You must maintain a full, active, current and unrestricted licensure to continue employment with the VA.
IV Certification. Current IV certification. An LPN must maintain a current IV certification to continue employment with the VA.
NOTE: Please provide certificates, transcripts, and/or licensures as appropriate.
English Language Proficiency. Licensed practical nurses appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in [both] spoken and written English as required by VA Policy.
Preferred Qualifications:
-BLS preferred.
-Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
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-3
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
-Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN.
OR
-Graduation from an approved school (which may be waived as provided in paragraph 4 of Section C) 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
-Graduation from an approved school of at least 24 months duration. LPNs at the GS-4 grade level perform all duties expected of employees at the GS-3 grade level; however, they are expected to exercise greater judgment, require less supervision, and to operate in accordance with all established policies, procedure, and techniques.
GS-5
-Completion of at least 1 year of qualifying experience at the GS-4 level or equivalent.
-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/ 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 ability to serve as a responsible member of the nursing team and interact in an appropriate manner with patients, family members, professional and other supportive personnel involved in the delivery of patient care, 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 as permitted by approved local facility policies and procedures. Observation and documentation will include patient's response to medication administered and the reporting of any noted change in patient's condition to RN or MD/DO.
-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.
-Recognizes and appropriately responds to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazards, and supply deficiencies, promptly reporting to appropriate personnel for corrective action.
-Completed work is under the general supervision of an RN or MD/DO. 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.
GS-6
-Completion of at least one 1 of additional qualifying experience at the GS-5 level or equivalent, fully meeting all performance requirements for the GS-5 LPN.
-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; to use judgment in selecting the appropriate order and sequence of procedures and treatments; and to accurately recognize, report and record 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 the patient's needs for care, including medication, equipment-assisted care and patient/family education. In organizing and delivering care, the LPN recognizes and considers emotional, cultural, spiritual, 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 physical and/or emotional changes in patient's condition from prescribed medications/treatments, promptly and accurately documenting noted changes, and reporting any deviations from normal to RN or MD/DO.
-Knowledge and ability to recognize urgent or emergent patient care situations, seek assistance of the RN and/or MD/DO, and initiate appropriate emergency interventions as directed.
-Knowledge and understanding of human behavior, patient motivations and reactions to situations, and ability to appropriately utilize this knowledge in working effectively with patients, family members, and other staff.
-Establishes constructive relationships with individual patients and their families to elicit feelings and attitudes, and to promote positive relationships, communication and socialization skills. Fosters an environment of respect for individual patient and family rights to privacy and dignity in all aspects of care delivery. Effectively incorporates knowledge and understanding of established customer service standards in all interactions with patients, family members, and/or other internal/external customers.
-Knowledge and skill in performing support duties for complex diagnostic tests and/or specialized practices or procedures, which include preparing the patient, 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 or NAs/HTs related to support duties for these more complex, specialized tests/procedures.
-Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills, sharing new knowledge gained with other staff to improve and advance nursing practice.
References. VA Handbook 5005/3, Part II, Appendix G13, dated April 10, 2003. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
Your application, résumé and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
If applicants are interviewed for the position, performance based interview questions will be used. For additional information regarding performance-based interviews, please review the following website on the Internet: http://www.va.gov/pbi. In addition, candidates may be interviewed by a panel.
NOTE: The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-03 to GS-06. The Professional Standards Board (a peer-review group) will recommend the grade and salary for new appointments. For internal selectees eligible for promotion the Professional Standards Board (a peer-review group) will review the selected candidate's education and experience and will determine grade and HR will determine step in accordance with policy.
All applicants are required to submit the following supporting document type(s):
·Resume
Applicants may also submit the following supporting document type(s),which may not be required for all applicants:
VA Form 10-2850c - Application for Associated Health Occupations. Available at the VA Forms website: http://www.va.gov/vaforms/search_action.asp?FormNo=10-2850&tkey=&Action=Search
Please use this checklistto make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, etc. You will not be contacted for additional information.
Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), or 10pt (CP/CPS, XPP, XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP), on the Occupational Questionnaire in the section(s) provided. A legible copy of your DD214(s) indicating character of service, disability certification, SF-15 (if claiming 10 pt. preference) or if you are currently serving on active duty and expected to be released or discharged within 120 days; documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), or dates of impending separation. Documentation is required for eligibility verification.
Faxing Applications or Supporting Documents: You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. If you are unable to apply online or unable to upload your supporting documents to your online application, follow the directions located at the following site: Fax Options. The Vacancy ID of the job opportunity announcement is 2026370.
NOTE: If you applied online and your application is complete, do not fax the paper application (1203-FX) as this will overwrite your prior online responses and may result in you being found ineligible.
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.
All applicants are encouraged to apply online.
To apply for this position, you must complete the View Occupational Questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Wednesday, December 27, 2017 to receive consideration.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. During our review, if your résumé and application package do not support your questionnaire answers, we will adjust your rating accordingly. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email (if provided); otherwise, applicants will receive a notification letter via the U.S. Postal Service. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USAJOBS account and clicking on "Application Status." For a more detailed update of your status, click on "more information." Information regarding applicant notification points can be found in the USAJobs Resource Center.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/486008000. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
Learn more about
Vacancy Identification Number (VIN): 2026370
OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans?