Licensed Practical Nurse

About the role

This Licensed Practical Nurse proficiently initiates, performs, and completes a broad range of practical nursing care assignments for acutely and chronically ill patients with medical and psychiatric illnesses. Provides direct patient/resident care in a variety of settings, including acute medical and mental health units, community living centers, residential rehabilitation, and ambulatory care under the direction of a licensed physician or RN.

Responsibilities

• Accurately collects, reports, and records appropriate patient care data to contribute to the nursing assessment
• Serves as a member of the interdisciplinary team and 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
• Reinforces and reiterates instructions previously presented by a Registered Nurse or physicians
• Promotes environmental safety, security, and patient confidentiality
• Recognizes and reports unsafe equipment or situations and follows policy and procedure to assure personal and patient safety during patient care activities
• Maintains therapeutic interpersonal relationships with patients and co-workers
• Demonstrates flexibility and willingness to participate in and adapt to an ever-changing health care environment
• Performs basic practical nursing procedures, practices, and techniques for the purpose of providing nursing care to stable patients with both medical and mental health conditions
• Recognizes and reports emergency situations
• Understands patient's biopsychosocial needs for the purpose of providing care and input to treatment plans
• Performs Foley catheter insertions and IV management
• With valid state certification, LPN will perform IV insertions utilizing aseptic techniques
• Enters specific information into the patient's electronic record using appropriate formats, medical terminology, and templates
• Establishes and maintains positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, consumers, and stakeholders within the VA and outside community agencies
• Attendance of all appropriate staff meetings (interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, other committees as appropriate, etc.) is necessary
• Identifies process and quality improvement opportunities and contributes to changes in processes through data collection
• Additional duties may be required to be performed as needed

Qualifications

Basic Requirements

• Citizen of the United States (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g)
• 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
• Licensure: Full, active, current, and unrestricted licensure as a licensed practical or vocational nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or District of Columbia
• An LPN/LVN who has or has ever had any license(s) revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16
• Licensed practical or vocational nurses appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in both spoken and written English

Grade Determinations

• GS-3: None beyond the basic requirements
• GS-4: Employees may be appointed at or advanced to GS-4 if they meet any of the following criteria:
  • Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN
  • 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
  • Graduation from an approved school of at least 24 months duration
• GS-5: 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 appropriately with patients, family members, professional and other supportive personnel involved in the delivery of patient care. Incorporates 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 includes 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.
• GS-6: Completion of at least one 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. 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 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, 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 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.

Preferred Experience

• 3 years direct patient care experience preferred

Physical Requirements

• This position potentially requires flexibility in schedule and assignments as it is a 24/7/365 facility
• This position requires potentially long periods of walking, standing, or sitting and may have exposure to infectious materials and patients
• This position may have exposure to patients who are combative, delirious, have psychiatric disorders, or dementia
• Basic Life Support (BLS) is required
• This position requires Level 3 PMDB completion

Pay

Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

Schedule

Shiftwork

Benefits

• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year (13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)