License Practical Nurse - Primary Care

Summary

The primary purpose of the Licensed Practical/License Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN) GS-6 is to perform assigned duties in a manner that promotes quality health care, positive customer service and the maintenance of an environment committed to serving the Veteran. Performs within this functional statement under guidance of the Nurse Manager or designee. Assigned tasks require advanced technical competence and skill.

Clinical Responsibilities

• Accurately collects, reports, and records appropriate patient care data to contribute to the nursing assessment.
• Serves as a member of the interdisciplinary team; understands patients' biopsychosocial needs for the purpose of providing care and input to treatment plans.
• Identifies and reports signs and symptoms of deviation from normal health status and changes in patient condition.
• Is able to identify potential suicide risks in patients and reports to RN or provider.
• Prepares and administers prescribed medications in accordance with established policy and procedure and observes, reports, and documents patients' response to medications.
• Establishes effective and therapeutic relations with and provides nursing care to acute and chronically ill patients with both medical and mental health conditions.
• Recognizes expected outcomes of interventions and reports, records, and exchanges information with members of the treatment team.
• Serves as a resource for lower grade LPNs.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Enters specific information into the patient's electronic record using appropriate formats, medical terminology, and templates. This information must be entered in a complete, confidential, and professional manner to ensure information on the patient is shared with other VA staff.
• Establishes and maintains positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies.
• Identifies process and quality improvement opportunities and contributes to changes in processes through data collection.

Supervisory Controls

The incumbent is responsible to the Nurse Manager or assigned supervisor and is accountable to the Associate Director of Patient Care Services (ADPCS).

Qualifications

• 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.
• 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.
• Ability to observe, identify and respond to the patient's needs for care, including medication, equipment.