Licensed Practical Nurse

The primary purpose of the GS-07 Licensed Practical/Licensed Vocational Nurse is to deliver comprehensive and proactive nursing care that advances quality health outcomes, fosters exceptional patient and family-centered service, and strengthens an environment dedicated to the care of Veterans. GS-07 LPN/LVNs are expected to exercise independent technical judgments and to possess and apply comprehensive working knowledge of the principles, art and science of practical nursing. DUTIES: Critically evaluates patient data, identifies subtle changes in condition, and initiates timely communication with the interdisciplinary care team to ensure coordinated and effective care. Serves as a resource and mentor to less experienced staff, contributing to process improvement initiatives and supporting a culture of safety and continuous learning. Serves as an independent, integral member of the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), using advanced practical nursing skills, critical thinking, and clinical judgment to manage complex primary care assignments under the general supervision of the RN or provider. Coordinates contingency coverage for staff leave with other Clinical Associates to maintain continuity of care and minimize the need for RN cross coverage. Performs focused health screenings or the equivalent and targeted data collection; carries out preventive procedures (including immunizations and injections per protocol/clinical pathway as locally approved), completes pre-visit planning and clinical reminders, rooms patients, and gathers/interprets vital clinical data to support timely, safe, and efficient patient care. Manages patient and clinic flow using proactive chart review and the 4 R's: right care, right patient, right time, right provider; actively leads team huddles and panel management activities, identifies care gaps, supports alternate care modalities, and anticipates provider needs to ensure coordinated, patient centered- delivery of care. Leads proactive pre-visit preparation by conducting outreach calls, verifying visit needs, ensuring required instructions and home monitoring data are obtained, and coordinating with others as appropriate to gather external records, questionnaires, and JLV/Community Care documentation. Reviews charts to identify and document changes in diagnoses, medications, providers, immunizations, or recent acute care events relevant to the upcoming visit. Leads patient centered, advocacy driven nursing care by prioritizing and organizing clinical tasks within LPN/LVN scope, including medication administration, wound and catheter care, specimen collection, completion of nurse driven clinical reminders, accurate medication history/review, and delivery of independent LPN/LVN visits per protocol; promptly reports clinical changes to the RN or provider. Engages Veterans in self-management using TEACH and motivational interviewing, delivering real time equipment education and troubleshooting (glucometers, blood pressure monitors, inhalers, durable medical equipment), reinforcing chronic disease selfcare practices, and supporting shared decision making to enhance Veteran understanding, safety, and adherence to the care plan. Champions individualized, patient centered care planning by collaborating with the team to develop, refine and carry out care plans, identifying care gaps during chart review, and communicating needed next steps; conducts delegated post discharge calls, follows up with no-shows to address barriers and safety needs, and responds to secure messages within scope, escalating to the RN or provider as appropriate. Independently ensures a clean, safe, and fully functional clinical environment by managing room turnover, monitoring and restocking supplies, checking expiration dates, ensuring proper storage of temperature sensitive- items, performing required quality control checks (e.g., glucometers, crash carts, oxygen tanks, medication counts), and initiating corrective actions or work orders when issues are identified. Promotes and leads connected care initiatives, orients Veterans to PACT concepts, explains how to access care, and provides PACT and Whole Health education materials. Contributes to coordinated, team-based care by actively leading preplanning sessions, daily huddles, weekly PACT meetings, and panel management activities; uses Whole Health principles to support collaborative, patient centered decision making and helps ensure clinic readiness by maintaining availability of patient education materials, forms, and tools. Uses clinical judgment to prioritize and coordinate multiple competing demands, triage routine versus urgent concerns, and recognize, report, and document changes in patient condition in a timely manner. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 7:45am to 4:15pm. Telework: Not available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 10504F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized. 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. English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Education: Must be a graduate of a school of practical or vocational nursing approved by the appropriate State agency and/or accredited by the National League for Nursing (Accrediting Commission (NLNAC)) at the time the program was completed by the applicant. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) Licensure: Must possess a 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. (COPY OF LICENSE REQUIRED) Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met as well. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the GS-7 level. GS-7 Level: Completion of at least one (1) year of additional qualifying experience at the GS-6 level or equivalent, fully meeting all of the performance requirements for the GS-6 LPN/LVN. Knowledge and skills necessary to carry out more specialized patient care duties, including assignments in selected, more complex inpatient and/or outpatient care settings. Knowledge base promotes the incorporation of current patient care data in actively contributing to the development of the patient's overall health plan and in carrying out assigned nursing interventions. Positions at this grade level require broader knowledge and skills because supervision is more general and employees are expected to be involved to a greater degree in the development and modification of treatment plans. Ability to assist RN and/or MD/DO to appropriately prioritize overall patient care needs and adjust plans for care delivery. Makes astute observations of subtle, less obvious changes, both physical and emotional, in patient's condition, and accurately and thoroughly documents care delivered and patient's response to care that could require immediate modification of the patient's care plan. Appropriately seeks assistance and guidance by informing RN or MD/DO of changes in patient's condition requiring higher-level intervention. At this grade level, the LPN/LVN is expected to participate to a greater degree in prioritizing, and, as appropriate, modifying patient care treatment. They must also possess the ability to observe more subtle physical and emotional changes in patients and demonstrate taking appropriate action based on those observations. Ability to proactively assist the RN or MD/DO in addressing patient's needs for medication/treatments, accurately administering prescribed medications/treatments according to established policies/procedures and appropriately recording administration and patient's response to medications/treatments received. (This may include restricted medication locally authorized for administration by employees at this grade level.) Demonstrates the knowledge and ability to readily recognize the more subtle signs and symptoms of potential or actual drug reactions, promptly inform the RN or MD/DO of observed changes in patient's condition and initiate appropriate, prescribed interventions. Employees at this grade level demonstrate broader knowledge and skill with respect to these responsibilities than employees at lower grade levels. Knowledge and skill to promptly recognize potential urgent or emergent patient care situations, seek assistance of the RN and/or MD/DO for appropriate team intervention and effectively intervene, as directed, to assure the continuation of optimal, safe and therapeutic patient care delivery. At this grade level, the LPN/LVN must have a broader knowledge of the patient treatment process and exercise judgment that demonstrates the ability to effectively intervene when appropriate. Assists individuals or groups of patients and their families to take an active role in promoting healthy lifestyles for more positive patient outcomes. Exercises skill in influencing and communicating with unusually difficult to care for or communicate with patients and/or family members who may exhibit problems with lack of self-control, resistant or abusive behaviors, or impediments in their ability to understand or follow instructions. This includes the ability to effectively deal with the above types of patients under very general supervision. Exhibits skill, creativity and initiative in contributing to the improvement of overall care delivery and patient and/or family satisfaction levels through active participation in committees/task forces, research projects or in developing educational materials/media. Actively promotes and effectively incorporates established customer service standards in all aspects of their practice. Possesses comprehensive practical nursing knowledge and skills in specialized procedures and practices to serve as a resource person for other staff in organizing and implementing more complex/specialized patient care. Serves as a role model and mentor to other nursing staff in the application of more complex technology, effectively guiding and directing their continuing practice in these areas. Supports the RN or MD/DO in monitoring the practice of unlicensed nursing or non-medical staff in patient care delivery. Promptly reports any deviations from normal practice patterns to the RN or MD/DO. In addition to responsibilities at the lower grade level, the LPN/LVN is responsible for monitoring the practice of non-licensed nursing and medical staff. Work of considerable difficulty and responsibility is performed under general supervision. Individuals in these positions are, to a considerable extent, expected to exercise independent technical judgments and to possess and apply a comprehensive working knowledge of the principles, art and science of practical nursing. The staff mix is such that employees at this grade level are expected to perform practical nursing duties of considerable difficulty and responsibility under very general supervision. Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills, and providing leadership in assisting other staff improve and advance their nursing practice. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. Physical Requirements: Walking, bending, stooping, and lifting in the direct care of patients; some extended periods of sitting and/or standing. You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may/will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.