Clarification from the agency

All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Videos

Duties include but not limited to the following;

1. Technically proficient in initiating, performing, and completing assigned duties in providing care to variable patient populations.
2. Knowledge and ability to appropriately carry out assigned patient care based on the patient's 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 or physician for appropriateness and conformity with established policies/procedures.
3. 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.
4. Prepares and administers prescribed medications (oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular, and/or intravenous) and performs treatments according to established policies/procedures. Observe for physical and/or emotional changes in patient's condition from prescribed medication/treatments, promptly and accurately documenting noted changes, and report any deviations from normal to RN or MD/DO.
5. Knowledge and ability to recognize urgent and emergent patient care situations, seek assistance of the RN and/or MD/DO, and initiate appropriate emergency interventions as directed.
6. 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.
7. Established constructive relationships with individual patients and their families to elicit feelings and attitudes, and to promote positive relationships, communication, and socialization skills, foster 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 inter/external customers.
8. Knowledge and skill in performing support duties for 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. 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.
9. Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills, sharing new knowledge gained with other staff to improve and advance nursing practice.
10. Serves as the site imager for Telehealth store and forward applications, facilitator for real time Clinical Video Telehealth (CVT) encounters, including patient education activities, serving as the site imager for store and forward (S&F) telehealth applications such as Dermatology, Wound Care, Retinal Imaging, etc. Primary Care as well as specialty care remote visits, providing support for MyHealtheVet program, and providing equipment for the Care Coordination Home Telehealth (HT)program.
11. Provides technical and scheduling support, and other program support duties, as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm and may include extended hours and weekends.
Functional Statement #: 62479F

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.
• 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; or Health care education in the military service or training in the military which is accepted by the licensing body in the jurisdiction in which the individual is licensed as qualifying for full LPN/LVN licensure; or Individuals granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school.
• Licensure: Candidates must be currently licensed to practice as practical or vocational nurse in a state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.
• English Language Proficiency: Applicants must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 USC 7402(d) and 7407 (d). (No person that is not proficient in spoken and written English will be appointed under authority of 38 USC Chapter 73 or 74 to serve in a direct patient-care capacity.)

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations: GS-7

The GS-7 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-6 level or equivalent, fully meeting all of the performance requirements for the GS-6 LPN/LVN.
• Knowledge and skills necessary to carry out more specialized patient care duties, including assignments in selected, 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. Makes astute observations of subtle, less obvious changes, both physical and emotional, in patient's condition, and accurately and thoroughly documents care delivered and patient's response to care that could require immediate modification of the patient's care plan.
• Ability to proactively assist the RN or MD/DO in addressing patient's needs for medication/treatments, accurately administering prescribed medications/treatments according to established policies/procedures and appropriately recording administration and patient's response to medications/treatments received. (This may include restricted medication locally authorized for administration by employees at this grade level.)
• Knowledge and skill to promptly recognize potential urgent or emergent patient care situations, seek assistance of the RN and/or MD/DO for appropriate team intervention and effectively intervene, as directed, to assure the continuation of optimal, safe and therapeutic patient care delivery.
• Assists individuals or groups of patients and their families to take an active role in promoting healthy lifestyles for more positive patient 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.
• Exhibits skill, creativity and initiative in contributing to the improvement of overall care delivery and patient and/or family satisfaction levels through active participation in committees/task forces, research projects or in developing educational materials/media.
• 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.
• Supports the RN or MD/DO in monitoring the practice of unlicensed nursing or non-medical staff in patient care delivery. Promptly reports any deviations from normal practice patterns to the RN or MD/DO.
• Work of considerable difficulty and responsibility is performed under general supervision. Individuals in these positions are, to a considerable extent, expected to exercise independent technical judgments and to possess and apply a comprehensive working knowledge of the principles, art and science of practical nursing.
• Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills, and providing leadership in assisting other staff improve and advance their nursing practice.

Preferred Experience: Experience with utilizing Clinical Video Telehealth (CVT), Store and Forward Telehealth (SFT), Video Conferencing, VA Video Connect (VVC), Virtual Care Manager (VCM), VA Mobile, My Healthy Vet (MHV), Home Telehealth (HT), and other telehealth applications.

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

Physical Requirements: The work requires physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items such as assisting patients, manuals, record boxes, or equipment. The work requires above average agility and dexterity. The incumbent may be required to travel between VA and/or CBOCs and possession of a valid driver's license is required.

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.