Vocational Nurse

About the role

The primary purpose of the Licensed Practical/License Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN) 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 our Veterans.

Responsibilities

• Performs various minor procedures and clinical tasks for multiple surgical specialties
• Cares for a diverse Veteran population
• Initiates, performs, and completes assigned duties in providing care
• Carrries out assigned patient care based on the patient's condition
• To use judgment in selecting the appropriate order and sequence of procedures and treatments
• To accurately recognize, report, and record relevant patient information
• Observes, identifies, and responds to the patient's needs for care including medication, equipment-assisted care, and patient/family education
• 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 medication/treatments and promptly and accurately documents noted changes and reports any deviations from normal to RN or MD/DO
• Recognizes urgent and emergent patient care situations, seeks assistance of the RN and/or MD/DO, and initiates appropriate emergency interventions
• Effectively incorporates knowledge and understanding of established customer service standards in all interactions with patients, family members, and/or other inter/external customers
• Performs support duties for complex diagnostic tests and/or specialized practices or procedures, which include preparing the patients, 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
• Seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills, sharing new knowledge gained with other staff to improve and advance nursing practice

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 in a State - Territory - or Commonwealth (i.e. - Puerto Rico) - of the United States or the District of Columbia
• Experience: Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN or combination of education and experience

Qualifications

• Knowledge and ability to provide a full range of practical nursing care to patients with a variety of physical and/or behavioral problems
• Knowledge and skill sufficient to prepare, administer, and appropriately document actions taken specific to commonly prescribed oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular and/or intravenous medications
• Recognition of the need for and to institute emergency measures and assist in resuscitation procedures in cardiac and/or pulmonary arrest
• Recognition and appropriate response to breakage, malfunction, or loss of equipment, safety hazards, and supply deficiencies
• Knowledge and ability to recognize urgent or emergent patient care situations and initiate appropriate emergency interventions as directed
• Knowledge and understanding of human behavior, patient motivations, and reactions to situations and the 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, 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 customer service standards in all interactions with patients, family members, and/or other internal/external customers
• Proficiency in initiating, performing, and completing assigned duties in providing care to variable patient populations

Skills

• Basic technical competence and skill
• Ability to organize and deliver care recognizing and considering emotional, socio-economic, and age-related factors
• Ability to prepare and handle specialized instruments or other specialized equipment
• Ability to monitor patient's condition before, during, and following the procedure
• Ability to orient, educate, and train less experienced LPNs/LVNs or NAs/HTs related to support duties for these more complex, specialized tests/procedures
• Ability to seek out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills, sharing new knowledge gained with other staff to improve and advance nursing practice

Benefits

• Competitive salary with regular increases
• Starting pay may be set at a higher step within the appropriate grade based on exceptional qualifications or special organizational needs (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Salary will be prorated based on hours worked

Pay

Competitive salary with regular increases

Schedule

Tour 1 2330 to 0800-rotating days off - every 3rd weekend off