Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Area of Consideration - Current, Permanent, Bruce W Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center employees including employees of the Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) and Community Based Outpatient Clinics. Current, Permanent, VA Nationwide employees and The Public.

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VA Careers - Licensed Practical Nurse: https://youtube.com/embed/Ae85IP1Oiz4

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Position is located at the following location:

Key Largo VA Clinic, 105662 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037

Travel for this position may be required up to 25% of the time or less.

The Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) at the GS-7 level is expected to exercise independent technical judgment. The LPN is directly responsible to the Registered Nurse (RN) and/or the MD/DO for performing identified responsibilities within the scope of their education and employment, as well as for the quality of care provided and their personal and professional conduct.

The LPN is accountable to the Nurse Manager or their designee for completing patient assignments and for effectively communicating patient responses to the designated RN and/or MD/DO. Care provided must be safe, effective, and timely. The LPN is expected to embrace and support the guiding principles of the Medical Center, performing their duties in a way that promotes quality health care, outstanding customer service, and a commitment to serving veterans

Licensed Practical Nurse PACT has the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out more specialized patient care duties, including assignments in selected, more complex inpatient and/or outpatient care settings. Possesses comprehensive practical nursing knowledge and skills in specialized procedures and practices to serve as a resource person for other staff in organizing and implementing more complex/specialized patient care.

Major duties of the Licensed Practical Nurse Patient Aligned Care Team, PACT position includes, but are not limited to:

• Provide direct patient care and assist with specialized nursing procedures in the ambulatory care setting.
• Collect, observe, and document patient data to support the development and implementation of care plans.
• Administer medications and treatments as prescribed and monitor patient responses.
• Recognize changes in patient condition and report significant findings to the RN or provider.
• Assist providers with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
• Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings and contribute to care planning for assigned Veterans.
• Educate patients and families regarding health conditions, medications, and treatment plans. - Maintain accurate documentation in the electronic health record.
• Ensure compliance with infection control, safety, and VA policies and procedures.
• Support team-based care by collaborating with healthcare staff to promote quality patient outcomes.
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives and maintain accreditation and regulatory readiness.
• Care Management: Carry out more specialized patient care duties, including assignments in selected, more complex inpatient and/or outpatient care settings. Possess comprehensive practical nursing knowledge and skills in specialized procedures and practices to serve as a resource person for other staff in organizing and implementing more complex/specialized patient care.
• Employee Communication/Interpersonal Skills: Establishes constructive relationships with individual patients to elicit feelings and attitudes to promote positive relationships and demonstrate an ability to effectively deal with others. Maintains positive interpersonal relationships that are consistently courteous and cooperative and overall contributes to the effective operation and mission of the Medical Center.
• Adheres to Medical Center and Nursing Service safety policies.
• Accepts and supports the guiding principles of this Medical Center.
• Performs assigned duties in a manner that promotes quality health care, outstanding customer service, and the maintenance of an environment committed to serving the veterans.
• Demonstrates the ability to work effectively with all levels of nursing personnel, physicians, and other Medical Center staff.
• Act as a patient advocate.
• Monitors environment/equipment for potential safety hazards and reports findings promptly.
• Performs work within service's safety, security and infection control policies and procedures while practicing infection control procedures for protection of self and others.
• Demonstrates understanding of basic functions of the computer packages and ADP equipment.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm; flexibility may be required to ensure coverage for the operations of the facility
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement: #31062F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized.
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 examination.
• 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

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 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 granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school AND have at least one year of successful practice as an LPN/ LVN.
• 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.

Grade Determinations: Grade Determination: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade.

GS-07: The GS-07 grade level is for select, complex LPN/LVN positions, as established by each health care facility. To be advanced, employees must meet all of the following standards, provided the standard is part of their assignment.

Completion of at least one (1) year of additional qualifying experience at the GS-06 level or equivalent, fully meeting all of the performance requirements for the GS-06 LPN/LVN. The following:

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) must be met:

• Knowledge and skills necessary to care out more specialized patient care duties, including assignments in more complex inpatient and/ or outpatient care settings.
• Ability to assist RN and/or MD/DO to appropriately prioritize overall patient care needs and adjust plans for care delivery making astute observations of subtle, less obvious changes (both physical and emotional) in patient's conditions and taking the appropriate action.
• Ability to proactively assist the RN or MD/OD in addressing patient's needs for medication/treatments, accurately administering prescribed medications/treatments and appropriately recording patient's response to medications/treatments received.
• Knowledge and skill to promptly recognize potential urgent or emergent patient care situations.
• Assists individuals or groups of patients and their families to take an active role in promoting health lifestyles for more positive outcomes. Exercises skill in influencing and communicating with unusually difficult to care for or communicate with patients and/or family members who may exhibit problems with lack of self-control, resistant or abusive behaviors, or impediments in their ability to understand or follow instructions.
• Skill, creativity, and initiative in contributing to the improvement of overall care delivery and patient and/or family satisfaction levels.
• Comprehensive practical nursing knowledge and skills in specialized procedures and practices to serve as a resource person for other staff in organizing and implementing more complex/specialized patient care.
• Ability to support the RN or MD/DO in monitoring the practice of unlicensed nursing or non-medical staff in patient care delivery

Preferred Experience: The ideal candidate is a proficient professional nurse with a comprehensive background in cardiovascular care and device management. Preferred qualifications include:

• Proven track record: 2-3 years of dedicated LPN/LVN practice.
• Outpatient Expertise: Minimum of 1 year navigating the fast-paced environment of an outpatient clinic.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-07.

NOTE: Current GS-0620 LPN/LVN employee of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) who were 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 are considered to have met the Education requirement. The waiver does not apply to persons appointed under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) or 7405 after these conversions.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.


Physical Requirements: The population of male and female veterans served ranges from the adult, age 18, to the elderly adult, age 65 and over. The incumbent must be physically and mentally able to perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others .The incumbent must be able to demonstrate knowledge and ability to provide full range of complex technical nursing care to patients with a variety of physical and/or behavior problems. 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, use a keyboard, and perform CPR. Transferring patients and objects using appropriate assistive devices, push/pull an occupied gurney 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 able to perform all other activities of the position without restrictions.

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.