Practical Nurse

Job Title

Allied Health Professional

Duties

Maintains knowledge and skill to care for a wide range of patients, including those with chronic and acute illness.

Measures, records, and reports vital signs, neurological signs, weight, and blood glucose levels. Appropriately triages and prioritizes patient needs as routine, urgent, or emergent in the clinic setting and modifies patient care/treatment as needed.

Checks patients into the clinic, interviews patient and/or significant other, and documents intake data as per policy.

Promptly recognizes and effectively intervenes in potentially urgent or emergent situations. Demonstrates the ability to independently adjust or modify care being delivered to meet the changing needs of the patient with notification to the RN or provider for concurrence.

Provides high quality nursing care using traditional and non-traditional modalities, including triage prior to provider face-to-face visits, nurse health maintenance visits, telephone triage, secure messaging, etc.

Serves as a resource for complex/specialized procedures (i.e. non-complex suture/staple removal, non-complex wound care, blood draws, and clinic specific procedures, such as ear irrigation).

Performs venipuncture for blood draws, prepares specimens for transport and processing (centrifuge and serum separation), transcribes orders, accessions labels, and provides patient education about lab tests.

Assists with diagnostic procedures that include preparing the patient, setting up sterile field and instrumentation, and monitoring the patient's condition.

Provides education to patients/families about preparation for procedures and/or diagnostic tests.

Takes an active role in health promotion and disease prevention to improve patient outcomes. Provides one-on-one or group teaching as appropriate.

Teaches patients and families principles of health, self-care, and treatments related to wellness and health promotion.

Communicates calmly, courteously, and professionally with all patients, personnel, and visitors while maintaining confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA regulations and Medical Center policies. Uses advanced skills to communicate with verbally or physically abusive patients or visitors using Prevention and Management of Disruptive Behavior (PMDB) principles and policy guidelines.

Collaborates with the PACT team and other interdisciplinary services in the development, implementation, and evaluation of patient care. Exercises independent technical judgement and possesses a comprehensive working knowledge of the principles and science of practical nursing.

Serves in a management role within the PACT team to promote holistic care and optimize clinic efficiency. Assists other staff to improve and advance their practical nursing practice.

Prepares, administers, and documents medications and immunizations as directed without error that may cause hardship to patients. Demonstrates practical and theoretical knowledge about medication side effects, purposes, therapeutic dosage range, and toxic effects with skill sufficient to administer a wide range of medications.

Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills. Provides in-services or other learning opportunities for coworkers to share knowledge gained to improve and advance nursing practice.

Adheres to all safety procedures to avoid preventable injury or harm to patients, family members, visitors, and/or government property.

Work Schedule

M-F 7:30am-4:00pm

Benefits

Competitive salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.

After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66

Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) & federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Telework: Not available.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 52470-A / 52471-A / 52472-A / 52473-A