Licensed Practical Nurse- Outpatient Mental Health

About the role

This Licensed Practical Nurse provides direct physical and emotional care to Veterans in the Mental Health Outpatient Clinic at the Saint Cloud VA Medical Center. The role supports patient self-management - delivers education - performs focused assessments - and assists the care team under the guidance of a Registered Nurse or Provider.

Responsibilities

• Performs all duties within the scope of their license (e.g. - medication administration)
• Works with the RN and/or MD/DO to appropriately orient/train less experienced LPNs/LVNs and/or Nursing Assistants (NAs)/Health Technicians (HTs)
• Prepares - administers - and documents actions taken specific to commonly prescribed medications
• Recognizes and appropriately responds to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment - safety hazards - and supply deficiencies
• Observes for physical and/or emotional changes in patient's condition from prescribed medications/treatments
• Administers and monitors treatments
• Participates in care team meetings - nursing reports - and unit or facility committees
• Collaborates with telehealth and clinic staff and assists with telehealth duties as assigned

Requirements

• Graduate of an approved school of practical or vocational nursing
• Active - full - current and unrestricted licensure as a Graduate Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse

Qualifications

• Completion of at least 1 year of qualifying experience at the GS-4 level or equivalent
• 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
• Works with the RN and/or MD/DO to appropriately orient/train less experienced LPNs/LVNs and/or Nursing Assistants (NAs)/Health Technicians (HTs)
• Prepares - administers - and documents actions taken specific to commonly prescribed medications
• Recognizes and appropriately responds to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment - safety hazards - and supply deficiencies
• Observes for physical and/or emotional changes in patient's condition from prescribed medications/treatments
• Administers and monitors treatments
• Participates in care team meetings - nursing reports - and unit or facility committees
• Collaborates with telehealth and clinic staff and assists with telehealth duties as assigned

Skills

• 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/DOK
• Recognizes and appropriately responds to 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
• Recognizes and appropriately responds to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment - safety hazards - and supply deficiencies - promptly reporting to appropriate personnel for corrective action
• Uses judgment in selecting the appropriate order and sequence of procedures and treatments
• Recognizes and considers emotional - socio-economic - and age-related factors
• Provides effective education to patients and/or family members in relation to common disease processes - medication - and /or prescribed treatment regimes
• Recognizes and appropriately responds to emergent and non-emergent situations using approved interventions
• Establishes constructive relationships with individual patients and their families to elicit feelings and attitudes - and to promote positive relationships - communication and socialization skills
• Uses therapeutic communication with Veterans and families and provides courteous customer service
• Responds appropriately to emergent and non-emergent situations using approved interventions
• Collaborates with telehealth and clinic staff and assists with telehealth duties as assigned

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• Shift Differential - 10% of basic pay for work performed during regularly scheduled hours between 6pm and 6am
• Weekend Premium - 25% of basic pay for work performed between the hours of midnight Friday and midnight Sunday
• Holiday Pay - 2 times basic hourly rate for regularly scheduled - non-overtime work on a designated holiday
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
• 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)
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• 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
• Telework: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity - keen hearing - clear and distinctive speech - and manual dexterity
• Duties may involve long periods of walking - standing - stooping - sitting - bending - pulling - and pushing
• The role also requires the ability to transfer patients and objects as needed.

Pay

Competitive salary and regular salary increases

Schedule

Full-time - Monday-Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm