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***PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS OPEN ONLY TO THE PUBLIC. IF YOU ARE A PERMANENT VA EMPLOYEE, YOU SHOULD APPLY UNDER THE ANNOUNCEMENT CBTC-12250873-24-CB***

Duties include but not limited to:

• Makes observations and thoroughly documents care and the patient's response. Appropriately seeks assistance and guidance by informing RN or medical provider of changes in the patient's condition requiring higher-level intervention.
• The LPN performs, reports, and records assigned nursing care in the Specialty Care Clinics.
• Adheres to standards of practice and safe technique in preparation and administration of medication.
• Promptly recognizes urgent or emergent patient care situations, seeks assistance and effectively intervenes as directed when appropriate.
• Based on the patient's goals, provides patient and family health education, to include self-management, prevention, and wellness.
• Interacts and communicates appropriately with patients and family members.
• Demonstrates professional behavior (i.e., respect, civility, ability to accept constructive criticism), effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Adheres to principles of infection control, safety, and universal precautions.
• Incumbent possesses knowledge of proper handling and pre-cleaning of reusable medical equipment.
• Demonstrates competence utilizing special equipment needed to perform job duties.
• Follows policy and procedures related to fire and disaster drills, safety, and security measures.
• Demonstrates initiative in assisting the Team.
• Serves as a resource and advocate in the protection of patient and family rights.
• Supports patient-driven care in a safe, efficient, and cost-effective manner, using evidence-based principles.
• Promotes patient and personnel safety. Demonstrates competence utilization of Safe Patient Handing equipment.
• Scrubbing provider panel prior to scheduled appointments and collaborating with RN and/or provider to resolve identified discrepancies.
• Assist providers as needed during exams and procedures, to include setting up a sterile field and assisting with correct site protocol/time out/documentation.
• Follows through with completion of assignments.
• Performs appropriate surgical clinic nursing documentation dependent on patients' needs i.e., gather signs and symptoms.
• Provides high quality care using traditional and non-traditional modalities, including VA Video Connect (VVC) visits, secure messages, telephone etc.
• Participates in daily huddles and staff meeting, i.e., identifies clinical concerns and develops a plan to resolve issues.
• Maintains flexibility in adapting to changes in schedule and workload.
• Contributes to the effective operations of the workplace and the development of collaborative working relationships.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards

Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards
Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
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)
Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory

Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, & 8:00AM to 4:30 PM
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

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:

• 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. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Education: Graduate of a school of practical or vocational nursing approved by the appropriate State agency and/or accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), previously known as 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 Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), previously known as the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), 61 Broadway, 33rd Floor, New York, NY 10006. Additional information may also be obtained from the ACEN Website. 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 granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school.
• 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.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia.

Preferred Experience:

• Complete patient vital signs, give injections, blood collection, and other duties within the LPN scope of practice.

Grade Determinations:In addition to the basic requirements, the following qualification criteria must be met:

• GS 5 (Full Performance Level): Completion of at least 1 year of additional qualifying experience at the GS-4 level or equivalent, fully meeting all of the performance requirements for the GS 4 LPN/LVN.
• GS-06 (Full Performance Level): Completion of at least 1 year of additional qualifying experience at the GS 5 level or equivalent, fully meeting all of the performance requirements for the GS 5 LPN/LVN.

Knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position:

• Knowledge and skills necessary to carry out more specialized patient care duties, including assignments in selected, more complex inpatient and/or outpatient care settings.
• Knowledge base promotes the incorporation of current patient care data in actively contributing to the development of the patient's overall health plan and in carrying out assigned nursing interventions.
• Ability to assist RN and/or MD/DO to appropriately prioritize overall patient care needs and adjust plans for care delivery.
• Ability to make astute observations of subtle, less obvious changes, both physical and emotional, in patient's condition, and accurately and thoroughly documents care delivered
• Ability to appropriately seeks assistance and guidance by informing RN or MD/DO of changes in patient's condition requiring higher-level intervention.
• Ability to proactively assist the RN or MD/DO in addressing patient's needs for medication/treatments, accurately administering prescribed medications/treatments and appropriately recording
• Demonstrates the knowledge and ability to readily recognize the more subtle signs and symptoms of potential or actual drug reactions,
• Demonstrates the ability to assists individuals or groups of patients and their families to take an active role in promoting healthy lifestyles for more positive patient outcomes.
• Demonstrates skill, creativity and initiative in contributing to the improvement of overall care delivery and patient and/or family satisfaction
• Demonstrates comprehensive practical nursing knowledge and skills in specialized procedures and practice

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.


Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-6 Nurse Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

Physical Requirements:
This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, and sitting. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing. S/he may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. S/he must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, and able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Applicants must possess the mental and physical ability to satisfactorily perform the duties of the proposed assignment. Physical requirements may involve lifting, carrying, pulling, pushing, reaching above shoulder, walking, standing, sitting, kneeling, and repeated bending. S/he must complete annual Employee Health requirements as a condition of employment.

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

NOTE: Candidate's education, scope, and length of nursing practice (experience) will be considered in determining the grade and salary of the applicant selected. The recommended salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.

Experience as an RN will be evaluated to determine if the experience is of an acceptable level of quality with regard to the following four dimensions of nursing: Practice, Professional Development, Collaboration and Scientific Inquiry. Each dimension of practice has criteria that demonstrate essential core competencies for VHA Nursing Personnel.

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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.