Licensed Practical Nurse - Patient Aligned Care Team

About the role

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Primary Responsibilities

• Administers prescribed medications accurately and safely, monitoring patients for therapeutic and adverse responses.
• Performs basic nursing care under limited supervision, including obtaining vital signs, collecting specimens, and supporting clinical procedures by passing instruments as needed.
• Initiates appropriate emergency responses and independently performs resuscitation efforts in accordance with clinical guidelines.
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary team to communicate patient status and care needs.
• Collects, documents, and reports patient information to support nursing assessments and contribute to individualized patient care plans.
• Changes patient dressings using proper aseptic technique and follows wound-care protocols.
• Assists patients with activities of daily living such as bathing, oral hygiene, and continence care, promoting comfort, dignity, and independence.
• Performs selected clinical interventions under limited supervision, including catheterization, injections, and suctioning, in alignment with scope-of-practice requirements.
• Provides patient instruction on health maintenance, disease prevention, and post-procedural care.
• Demonstrates knowledge of surgical equipment, instruments, and supplies, and sets up surgical materials while appropriately positioning and draping patients for procedures.
• Utilizes understanding of surgical procedures and terminology to anticipate provider needs and pass instruments efficiently and safely.
• Communicates clearly and effectively both verbally and in writing to convey patient status and care needs to the interdisciplinary team.
• Applies knowledge of environmental safety, infection control, security, and patient privacy to protect patient rights and maintain a safe care environment.
• Cleans, disinfects, and maintains reusable medical equipment in accordance with Medical Center procedures, inspecting items for function and initiating repair or replacement processes when necessary.

Qualifications

• Completion of at least one (1) year of 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills, sharing new knowledge gained with other staff to improve and advance nursing practice.