Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse

About the role

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) 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. Accurately collects, reports, and records patient care data. An LPN serves as a member of the interdisciplinary team in following the patient plan of care.

Responsibilities

• Maintains knowledge & skill to care for a wide range of patients, including those with chronic & acute illness.
• Makes measurements, records, and reports vital signs, neurological signs, weight, and blood glucose levels. Appropriately prioritizes patient needs as routine, urgent, or emergent in the clinic setting and modifies patient care/treatment as needed.
• Checks patients into the clinic, interviews patient and/or significant other, and documents intake data as per policy.
• Promptly recognizes and effectively intervenes in potentially urgent or emergent situations. Demonstrates the ability to independently adjust or modify care being delivered to meet the changing needs of the patient with notification to the RN or provider for concurrence.
• Provides high quality nursing care using traditional & non-traditional modalities, including triage prior to provider face-to-face visits, nurse health maintenance visits, telephone triage, secure messaging, etc.
• Serves as a resource for complex/specialized procedures (i.e. non-complex suture/staple removal, non-complex wound care, blood draws, & clinic specific procedures, such as ear irrigation).
• Performs venipuncture for blood draws, prepares specimens for transport & processing (centrifuge & serum separation), transcribes orders, accesses labels, & provides patient education about lab tests.
• Assists with diagnostic procedures that include preparing the patient, setting up sterile field & instrumentation, & monitoring the patient's condition.
• Provides education to patients/families about preparation for procedures &/or diagnostic tests.
• Takes an active role in health promotion & disease prevention to improve patient outcomes. Provides one-on-one or group teaching as appropriate.
• Communicates calmly, courteously, & professionally with all patients, personnel, & visitors while maintaining confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA regulations & Medical Center policies. Uses advanced skills to communicate with verbally or physically abusive patients or visitors using Prevention & Management of Disruptive Behavior (PMDB) principles & policy guidelines.
• Collaborates with the PACT team & other interdisciplinary services in the development, implementation, & evaluation of patient care. Exercises independent technical judgement & possesses a comprehensive working knowledge of the principles & science of practical nursing.
• Serves in a management role within the PACT team to promote holistic care & optimize clinic efficiency. Assists other staff to improve & advance their practical nursing practice.
• Prepares, administers & documents medications & immunizations as directed without error that may cause hardship to patients. Demonstrates practical & theoretical knowledge about medication side effects, purposes, therapeutic dosage range, & toxic effects with skill sufficient to administer a wide range of medications.
• Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge & skills. Provides in-services or other learning opportunities for coworkers to share knowledge gained to improve & advance nursing practice.
• Adheres to all safety procedures to avoid preventable injury or harm to patients, family members, visitors, &/or government property.

Requirements

This position is open to all US CITIZENS

Note: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Qualifications

• 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 NursingAccrediting 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 service which is accepted by the licensing body in the jurisdiction in which the individual is licensed as qualifying for full LPN/LVN licensure will be accepted as meeting the education requirements for VHA employment. OR VHA employees who were converted to appointments under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) in implementation of Public Law 98-160, enacted November 21, 1983, and for VHA employees converted to appointments under 38 U.S.C. 7405 in implementation of Public Law 99-576, enacted October 28, 1986; and for their future personnel actions under this authority. The waiver will not apply to persons appointed under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) or 7405 after these conversions. OR Individuals granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school.
• Licensure: Full, active, current and unrestricted licensure as a licensed practical or vocational nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or District of Columbia.
• English Language Proficiency: Licensed practical or vocational nurses appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in [both] spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade.