Clarification from the agency

First area of consideration - Current Permanent West Palm Beach employees including Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). Second area of consideration - Current permanent VA Nationwide employees. Third area of consideration the Public. NOTE: Veteran's Preference is not applicable to VA Employees or employees of other Federal agencies but will be applied to all other applicants.

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• Respond to Veteran calls for assistance and address patient needs in a timely manner.
• Ensure proper identification of Veteran per policy before administering care.
• Willingly assist co-workers without being asked and work well as a team member.
• Actively participate in change of shift by communicating all pertain Veteran information to Team Leader, Charge Nurse or receiving shift.
• Assist registered nurse with admission, transfer, and discharge of residents. Completing duties as assigned and under the supervision of the registered nurse.
• Give bed bath, tub and shower baths, shampoo hair, trim nails and assist residents with grooming. He/she will consistently promote Veteran independence, rehabilitation, and restorative nursing as the Veteran plan of care dictates.
• Give morning and evening care.
• Provide and assist in oral hygiene and denture care.
• Change linen of occupied and unoccupied beds.
• Assist Veterans with bedpans and urinals.
• Feed Veterans and assist those who need help with eating.
• Change Veterans' position, maintain body alignment and take measures to prevent skin breakdown and/or deformity.
• Apply and observe comfort and safety devices as directed by the registered nurse.
• Practice safety precautions according to written procedure in performance of duties when working with Veterans and Veteran's personal care devices, medication administration and unit equipment.
• Perform duties in a safe manner to prevent Veteran/employee accident/injury.
• Safely operate equipment such as specialized beds, prosthetic devices, and suction machines.
• Utilize proper body mechanics, mechanical lifting devices and transfer aids when lifting and moving Veterans to prevent injury to self and others.
• Assist in maintaining a clean and orderly unit environment; keep supplies and equipment clean and in proper places, observe infection control guidelines, etc. He/she is expected to take personal accountability in reducing Veteran's risk of trips and falls by taking quick and immediate action to correct any environmental safety concerns.
• Utilize principles of infection control, cleanliness and hand washing to assure a safe, clean environment to prevent cross infections.
• Understand and utilize principles of Universal Precautions and type of isolation for protection of Veterans and/or self.
• Report faulty equipment or safety hazards.
• Be knowledgeable and correctly utilizes the RACE procedure during fire drills and emergency situations. Verbalizes the steps within the RACE procedure and his/her responsibility.
• Verbalize role of unit/staff in a disaster including recognition of disaster alarms/notification per policy. Also recognizing alternate power sources and mechanism to use on the event of utility system failure.
• Be knowledgeable regarding location of MSDS for all hazardous chemicals used within the assigned area and take appropriate action as needed to mitigate situation.
• Document medications administered, care and treatments provided and Veteran's response to therapy in the clinical record.
• Document on flow sheets, Reports of Contact, and Incident Reports as appropriate.
• Recognize and report acute changes in Veteran conditions to the registered nurse (R.N.) and documents observations appropriately.
• Maintain rapport with Veterans, families, volunteers, visitors, and co­workers.
• Accurately document measurements such as vital signs, weights, and finger sticks for glucose monitoring, intake and output.
• Provide input into the formulation of the nursing care plan.
• Provide for Veterans' physical and psychosocial needs.
• Provide emotional support to Veterans and families.
• Assist with diagnostic procedures such as physical exams, using sterile technique as appropriate, if applicable to assigned unit.
• Collect and label specimens for laboratory study such as urine, sputum, and stool.
• Administer oxygen and inhalation therapy as ordered.
• Accurately obtain and document measurements and pulse oximetry to include documentation of oxygen flow rate/room air and route.

Conditions of employment

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) and 7407(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 National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) at the time the program was completed by the applicant. 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. OR
  • Current GS-0620 LPN/LVN employee of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) who was converted to an appointment under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) in implementation of Public Law 98-160, enacted November 21, 1983, or who was converted to an appointment under 38 U.S.C. 7405 in implementation of Public Law 99-576, enacted October 28, 1986. OR
  • Individual granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school.
• Licensure - Active, full, current and unrestricted licensure as a Graduate Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico), of the United States or the District of Columbia.

Qualifications

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 - 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-04 - Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN; 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.

GS-05 - 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/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 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.

• 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 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 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/LVNs 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.

• Acute care experience
• Long term care experience
• Blind rehabilitation experience

• Significant amounts of time standing assisting assigned patients.
• Utilization of safe patient handling and mobility protocols.

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.

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.