Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. This job is open to current permanent VA Nationwide employees, and Federal employees of other Agencies.

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**If you are not a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply CBST-12907504-26-SC**

The LPN-Primary Care Services provides a full range of practical nursing care to patients with a variety of physical and/or behavioral problems. The duties of the LPN-Primary Care Services may include, but are not limited to:

• Initiates, performs, and completes assigned duties in providing care to variable patient populations.
• Selects the appropriate order and sequence of procedures and treatments; accurately recognizes, reports and records relevant patient information.
• Identifies and responds to patient's needs for care including medication equipment-assisted care and (patient/family education).
• Prepares and administers prescribed medications (oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular and/or intravenous) and performs treatments according to established policies/procedures.
• Recognizes urgent and emergent patient care situations, seek assistance of the RN and/or MD/DO, and initiates appropriate emergency interventions as directed.
• Establishes constructive relationships with individual patients and their families to elicit feelings and attitudes, and to promote positive relationships, communication and socialization skills.
• Assists in the performing of complex diagnostic tests and/or specialized practices or procedures, which include preparing the patients, 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.
• Seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills, sharing new knowledge gained with other staff to improve and advance nursing practice.
• Provides personal hygiene (bathing, shaving, shampooing hair, skin and mouth care) for assigned patients according to defined procedure.
• Feeds and/or encourage diets, nourishment, and fluids to meet nutrition and hydration needs of assigned patients using feeding utensils and special adaptive devices.
• Turns, positions, and transfers patients into, and from bed, chair, stretchers and escorts patients to appointments within the hospital and off station in accordance with policy and procedure.
• Measures, reports, and/or documents vital parameters of body functions and changes in physical, mental, or behavioral states as indicated.
• Observes, and documents the physical, mental, and behavioral states of patients on special observation in accordance with defined procedure.
• Applies proper aseptic techniques and isolation precautions in performance of patient care and maintenance of a safe environment.
• Interacts with patients according to the Patient Bill of Rights, VA Code of Ethics, patient concerns and Nursing Service philosophy to provide holistic care to patients.
• intervenes, using accepted verbal techniques, when changes in a patient's behavior indicate increased anxiety/hostility.
• Attends change of shift report, team conferences and rounds, and completes care of assigned patients and other tasks.

Work Schedule: Rotating tours (day/evening or day/night), or permanent evening tour, working some weekends and holidays. Day/Evening rotation is 0730-1600 (day tour) and 1530-12MN (evening tour); or Day/Night rotation which is 0730-1600 (day tour) and 1130p-8am (night tour), subject to change based on the needs of the facility.
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year).
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
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)
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 586-02080F, 586-02081F, 586-02082F, 586-02083F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• 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.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

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: Licensed practical or vocational nurses appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in both spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).
• 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:

  (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.

  (3) 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.

Grade Determinations: The experience and Knowledge, Skill, Abilities (KSAs) required below must be evident in your resume.

GS-03 LPN (Entry Level)
Experience/Education: None beyond the basic requirements described above.

GS-04 LPN (Developmental Level)
Experience/Education:
a) Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN; OR,
b) Graduation from an approved school (*which may be waived as noted in policy*) 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,
c) Graduation from an approved school of at least 24 months duration.

GS-05 LPN (Developmental Level)
a) Experience: Completion of at least 1 year of qualifying experience at the GS-4 level or equivalent. AND,
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
b) 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.
c) 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.
d) 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.
e) 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.
f) Recognizes and appropriately responds to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazards, and supply deficiencies, promptly reporting to appropriate personnel for corrective action.
g) 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-06 LPN (Full Performance Level)
a) Experience: Completion of at least one (1) year of additional qualifying experience at the GS-5 level or equivalent, fully meeting all performance requirements for the GS-5 LPN/LVN. AND,
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
b) Technically proficient in initiating, performing and completing assigned duties in providing care to variable patient populations.
c) 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.
d) 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/LVN recognizes and considers emotional, cultural, spiritual, socio-economic, and age-related factors.
e) 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.
f) 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.
g) 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.
h) 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.
i) 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.

(Qualifications Section Continued in Education Section)

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:

1. Current permanent VA employees of the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center, to include Satellites.
2. All other VA employees.
3. Current Permanent Federal employees of other agencies.

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.