Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizen: Open to U.S. Citizen (Consideration Order - 1. CP/CPS; 2. XP; 3. TP; 4. SSP; 5. All others [NOTE: Non-Vets will be referred only after all preference eligible applicants have been exhausted.])

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The Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) - Outpatient Mental Health provides care to all adult patients in developmental stages in the acute care, long term care, and ambulatory care settings, within the scope of practice defined by the California Board of Vocational Nursing & Psychiatric Technicians Examiners. The LVN is a member of the Inpatient/outpatient health care team and within six months ls able to work interdependently with direct Registered Nurse (RN) supervision in the delivery of quality nursing care. This team member with assistance as noted above will support the clinical needs of veterans admitted to the acute, Inpatient Medical-Surgical Units, Inpatient Mental Health, Community Living Centers and PACT Units. He/she will establish competence within one year to provide care appropriate to adult and geriatric patients in his or her assigned clinical area. This nurse will work toward attaining knowledge and skills to carry out task of non-complex practical nursing care assignments. When providing care for complex assignments that include selected psychiatric nursing care, he/she will work interdependently with direct supervision of an assigned Registered Nurse. Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Perform all duties within the scope of their license under close supervision from the RN
• Carry out nursing assignments for selected acute care, long term care, ambulatory care and psychiatric nursing care; patient care duties, including assignments ln selected inpatient and/or outpatient care settings; assigned patient care based on the patients' condition.
• Use judgment in selecting the appropriate order and sequence of procedures and treatments; and to accurately recognize, report and record relevant patient information
• Observe, identify and response to patient's needs for care including medication, equipment assisted care and patient/family education
• Prepare and administer prescribed medications (oral, topical, subcutaneous, intra-muscular and/or intravenous) and other routes and performs treatments according to established policies/procedures
• Observe 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 AN or MO
• Recognize urgent or emergent patient care situations, seek assistance from the Registered Nurse and/or physician provider, and initiate appropriate emergency interventions
• Understand human behavior, patient motivations and reactions to situations, and utilize this knowledge in working effectively with patients, family members, and other staff.
• Implement and established patient care plan
• Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• You may be required to travel and drive with clinicians and patients to and from the community to VA facilities

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/15/2020.

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.
• 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. NOTE: Exceptions include: (1) 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; (2) 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; and (3) Individuals granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school. (UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT/SUPPORTING DOCUMENT REQUIRED: If you do not submit the required document, your application may not be reviewed.)
• Licensure: 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. (COPY OF LICENSURE REQUIRED: If you do not submit a copy of the licensure/certification, your application may not be reviewed.)
• 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 VA policy.

• GS-06 Experience, Education, and Licensure: Must possess completion of at least 1 year of additional qualifying experience at the GS-5 level or equivalent, fully meeting all performance requirements for the GS-05 LPN/LVN. In addition, you must fully demonstrate the following KSAOs: 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; Ability to observe, identify and respond to the patient's needs for care, including medication, equipment-assisted care and patient/family education; Prepares and administers prescribed medications and performs treatments according to established policies/procedures. Observes for physical and/or emotional changes in patient's condition from prescribed medications/treatments, promptly; 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; 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

How you will be evaluated

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, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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.