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Veterans Health Administration is Hiring a Licensed Practical Nurse Near Dothan, AL

Qualifications:

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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.
• Must be a graduate of practical or vocational nursing approved by the appropriate State accrediting agency and/or the National League for Nursing at the time the program was completed by the applicant.
• Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d).
• Must have a full, current, active and unrestricted license as a graduate licensed practical or vocational nurse in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States or District of Columbia.
• Must pass a pre-employment examination if selected.

Preferred Experience: A minimum of 3 years of successful clinical nursing practice as a Licensed Practical Nurse.

Grade Determinations:

• GS-3: None beyond the basic requirements. LPNs at this grade level are expected to perform all duties within the scope of their license (e.g., medication administration); however, completed work may require routine or detailed higher-level review depending upon the complexity of the duties involved.GS-4: Employees may be appointed at or advanced to GS-4 if they meet any of the criteria below:· Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN; or Graduation from an approved school 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; or 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 NAs/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 in an appropriate manner with patients, family members, professional and other supportive personnel involved in the delivery of patient care, incorporating 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 will include 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.
• Recognizes and appropriately responds to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazards, and supply deficiencies, promptly reporting to appropriate personnel for corrective action.
• Completed work is under the general supervision of an RN or MD/DO. Individuals at this grade level are expected to have a broad working knowledge of practical nursing procedures. However, completion of more complex practices or procedures may be subject to closer higher-level review.

GS-6: Completion of at least 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. 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, cultural, spiritual, 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/or 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.
• Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills, sharing new knowledge gained with other staff to improve and advance nursing practice.

References: VA Handbook 5005/3, Part II, Appendix G-13 Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-0620-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 03 to 06.

Physical Requirements: This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures.

Responsibilities:

The LPN demonstrates independent technical judgment with minimal supervision, as well as maintains a thorough working knowledge of the complex and difficult practices and procedures. He/she possesses the ability to observe more subtle physical and emotional changes in the patients and demonstrates taking appropriate action(s) based on those observations. The LPN accurately and thoroughly documents observations, care delivered and the patient's response to care that could require immediate modification of the patient's care plan.

Duties Include but are not limited to:

• Provides customer focused nursing care to patients/residents with a variety of physical, emotional and/or behavioral problems.
• Has an assigned load of selected patients and is responsible for plan of action in carrying out patient care assignments.
• Has the ability to vary the order and sequence of assigned procedures based on the patient's condition. Uses judgment in selecting the most appropriate application of procedures and guidelines. Reports and records current observations such as patients' physical condition, emotional response and results of procedures; observe skin conditions, variation in vital signs, personal habits of patients, and listen for clues to patient's reaction to illness and treatment. Reports completed work in tour report for the oncoming tour.
• Recognized the needs of the Depressed patient and suicidal patient, adheres to the guidelines for completion of the PHQ2 screening using appropriate handoff communication with the ISBAR as defined by the guidelines. Assist RN in completion of suicide screen and participates in collecting relevant information to assist the (MD/PA/CRNP/RN) in completion of a comprehensive suicide risk assessment.
• Records all pertinent occurrences, using SOAPIE Format for documentation of reports and findings, transcribes orders and prepares emergency lab, EKG and X-ray request; via CPRS/DHCP/GUI, gives change of tour report for assigned patients/residents.
• Contributes to the interdisciplinary and nursing team in the development, implementation and evaluation of the patient's/resident's treatment plan and promotes patient's/resident's participation in the therapeutic community by fostering self-reliance and independence while maintaining effective interactions with patients/residents/significant others and support personnel who provide care.
• Observes, reports and documents current observations such as patients' physical condition, emotional response and results of procedures, observe skin conditions, variations in vital signs, personal habits of patients, and listen for clues, obvious and subtle, to patient's reaction to illness and treatment which have relevance to the health status of the patient.
• Recognizes the need for and initiates emergency measures in life threatening situations. Assists in cardiac monitoring/resuscitation procedures during cardiac/respiratory arrests and with the choking victim.
• Promotes through education, verbal prompting and coaching personal hygiene, to include oral and foot care, and is capable performing following nursing procedures; lifting, turning and positioning patients, utilizing proper body mechanics and lifting devices, applying dressing and treatment to wounds, caring for patients in isolation, administering and recording responses to special procedures when applicable and conducts educational groups.
• Assists physician, nurse practitioner or registered nurse with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, e.g., by setting up tray of instruments to be used in examination.
• Works with RN and/or MD/CRNP/PA to appropriately orientate/train less experienced LPNs and/or Nursing Assistants / Health Technician in relation to acceptable standards of practice in promoting optimal patient care delivery.
• Responds to patient call lights in a timely and courteous manner.
• Demonstrates self-direction in the application of knowledge of fire, emergency, infection control, and disaster regulations/practices and procedures; maintains standards of cleanliness and safety in patient/resident environment and exercises proper use and maintenance of equipment.
• Participates in Mandatory Training and is self-directed in ensuring required continuing education hours for re-licensure and mandatory 40 hours continuing education for ongoing staff development annually.
• Adheres to established dress code and wears name badge when on duty.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 07:00am-4:00pm, 7:30am to 4:00pm, 8:00am to 4:30pm, 08:30am to 5:00pm (schedules may vary based on the service line or clinic needs)
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: GS-3 619940, GS-4 619941, GS-5 619960, GS-6 619007
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Job Summary