Licensed Practical Nurse

Summary This position is assigned to the Nursing - Ambulatory Care Service at the Montgomery VA Medical Center located in Montgomery - Alabama. The incumbent practices as a Licensed Practical Nurse on the Patient Align Care Team (PACT). He/she assists the provider/ registered nurse with medical aspects of patient's care; such as medication management - education and counseling on disease prevention - safe handling of patient - wound care & treatment - etc. 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. 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 In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English Education - 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 Exceptions include 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 granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school AND have at least one year of successful practice as an LPN/ LVN Licensure - 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 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 GS-03 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-04 (a) Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN or(b) Graduation from an approved school (which may be waived as provided in paragraph 4 of Section C) 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 (c) Graduation from an approved school of at least 24 months duration GS-05 Knowledge and ability to provide a full range of practical nursing care to patients with a variety of physical and/or behavioral problems Ability to serve as a responsible member of a nursing team and interact in an appropriate manner with patients - family members - professional and/or other support personnel involved in the delivery of patient care Knowledge and skill sufficient to prepare - administer - and appropriately document actions taken specific to commonly prescribed oral - topical - subcutaneous - intramuscular and/or intravenous medications This includes observing and documenting patient responses to medication and reporting noted changes in the patient's condition Knowledge and ability to recognize the need for and to institute emergency measures and assist in resuscitation procedures in cardia and/or pulmonary arrest Recognize and appropriately respond to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment - safety hazards - and supply deficiencies GS-06 Proficiency 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 - using judgment in selecting the appropriate order and sequence of procedures and treatments - and accurately recognizing - reporting - and recording relevant patient information Ability to observe - identify - and respond to a 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 - 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 - documents - and reports physical and/or emotional changes in the patient's condition from prescribed medications/treatments Knowledge and ability to recognize urgent or emergent patient care situations and initiating 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 Knowledge and skill in performing support duties for complex diagnostic tests and/or specialized practices or procedures - which includes preparing the patient and 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 Preferred Experience and Certifications 2-3 years of experience as LPN/LVN related to the area of deployment. Basic Life Support (BLS). Duties Records patient observations such as skin conditions - variations in vital signs - emotional response etc Prepares emergency lab - EKG - and X-ray request via automated systems 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 Applying dressing and treatment to wounds Perform lifting - turning and positioning patients - utilizing proper body mechanics and lifting devices Recognize the need for and initiates emergency measures in life threatening situations Renders proper disinfection and sterilization practices of patient care equipment Responds to patient call lights/ pull cords in a timely and courteous manner Administers medications and narcotics to patients according to physician/NP/PA's orders and documents effectiveness in the patient's record Completes and/ or receives calls for administrative purposes Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 7:30am-4:00pm or 8:00am-4:30pm. May vary depending on deployment and/or assigned facility needs. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. #J-18808-Ljbffr