Licensed Practical Nurse

Description:

The Licensed Practical Nurse functions in the Akron Outpatient Specialty Care Clinic within the Northeast Ohio VA Healthcare System. The LPN is a direct care provider whose scope of practice provides comprehensive Nursing care for the assigned specialty care unit. Works under the guidance of the Registered Nurse, Physician, and/or Licensed Independent Provider.

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

Requirements:

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.
• Physical Requirements: Applicants must possess the ability to do the following: heavy lifting and carrying, 45 pounds and over; pulling, pushing and reaching above the shoulder; walking, standing, kneeling and repeated bending.
• 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).
• Education. Must be a graduate of school of practical or vocational nursing approved by the appropriate State agency and/or accredited by the National League for Nursing. (Education will be waived for current 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. The waiver will not apply to persons appointed under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) or 7405 after these conversions.)
• 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.

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).

Grade Determinations : In addition to the basic requirements, the following qualification criteria must be met:

GS-7. 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, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position:

1. Knowledge and skills necessary to carry out more specialized patient care duties, including assignments in selected, more complex inpatient and/or outpatient care settings.
2. 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.
3. Ability to assist RN and/or MD/DO to appropriately prioritize overall patient care needs and adjust plans for care delivery.
4. Ability to make astute observations of subtle, less obvious changes, both physical and emotional, in patient's condition, and accurately and thoroughly documents care delivered
5. Ability to appropriately seeks assistance and guidance by informing RN or MD/DO of changes in patient's condition requiring higher-level intervention.
6. Ability to proactively assist the RN or MD/DO in addressing patient's needs for medication/treatments, accurately administering prescribed medications/treatments and appropriately recording
7. Demonstrates the knowledge and ability to readily recognize the more subtle signs and symptoms of potential or actual drug reactions,
8. Demonstrates the ability to assists individuals or groups of patients and their families to take an active role in promoting healthy lifestyles for more positive patient outcomes.
9. Demonstrates skill, creativity and initiative in contributing to the improvement of overall care delivery and patient and/or family satisfaction
10. Demonstrates comprehensive practical nursing knowledge and skills in specialized procedures and practice

Preferred Experience:

• Primary Care or Acute Care experience
• 5-8 years of experience as an LPN

References: VA Qualification Standards in VA Handbook 5005/3, Part II, Appendix G13.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7.