Practical Nurse

Summary

This position is located at the VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics (VASORCC) - White City - in the Specialty Care Services - Dermatology. The LPN/LVN GS 7 work is of considerable difficulty and responsibility is performed under general supervision. Individuals in these positions are - to a considerable extent - expected to exercise independent technical judgements and to possess and apply a comprehensive working knowledge of the principles - art - and science of practical nursing.

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
• 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
• 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
• and for their future personnel actions under this authority
• The waiver will not apply to persons appointed under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) or 7405 after these conversions
• Individuals granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school
• Licensure: 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
• 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)
• 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: GS-7: The GS-7 grade level is for select - complex LPN/LVN positions - as established by each health care facility
• To be advanced - employees must meet all of the following standards - provided the standard is part of their assignment
• 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
• Ability to assist RN and/or MD/DO to appropriately prioritize overall patient care needs and adjust plans for care delivery making astute observations of subtle - less obvious changes (both physical and emotional) in patient's conditions and taking the appropriate action
• Ability to proactively assist the RN or MD/OD in addressing patient's needs for medication/treatments - accurately administering prescribed medications/treatments and appropriately recording patient's response to medications/treatments received
• Knowledge and skill to promptly recognize potential urgent or emergent patient care situations
• Assists individuals or groups of patients and their families to take an active role in promoting health lifestyles for more positive 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
• Exhibits skill - creativity - and initiative in contributing to the improvement of overall care delivery and patient and/or family satisfaction levels
• 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
• Supports the RN or MD/DO in monitoring the practice of unlicensed nursing or non-medical staff in patient care delivery
• 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
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity - keen hearing - clear distinctive speech - and manual dexterity
• This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking - standing - stooping - sitting - bending - pulling - and pushing
• Transferring patients and objects may be required
• Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided
• The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations - operative/invasive procedures - or home settings
• The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs
• Must complete annual Employee Health requirements - such as annual TB screening or testing - as a condition of employment.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major Duties: The LPN/LVN is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the dermatology program - which involves collaborating with others in the execution of the program
• Works directly with the dermatology provider to manage the continued surveillance for Veterans with ongoing dermatological problems
• Provides education - develops educational tools - and facilitates training by subject matter experts within the area of assignment - representing dermatology from an organizational perspective
• Responsible for any patient - staff education/ training - documentation - and assistance with workload capture that is basic for the completion of a visit and/ or training
• Follows up on consults for patients with new dermatological problems
• Assists with biopsies to provide diagnosis for treatment and all necessary procedures - invasive and noninvasive - necessary to maintain the dermatological health of our veterans Performs personal care - diagnostic support duties - and treatments according to procedure
• Responds to Veteran needs - including physical comfort and emotional needs - and recognizes deviations from the normal
• Involves stakeholders in the provision of care throughout the continuum
• Demonstrates the ability to plan and organize workload independently
• Knowledge and skill to promptly recognize potentially urgent or emergent care situations (in clinic or on the telephone) - seek assistance of the ACOS - SC and/or Provider for appropriate team intervention - and effectively intervene to assure the continuation of optimal - safe - and therapeutic patient care delivery
• Ensures emergency procedures are clearly communicated to other staff members and are incorporated into the facility wide emergency plan
• Common examples of this could be responding to an employee with reported chest pain and facilitating 911access while administering immediate emergency medical support until transport arrives
• Serves as the primary coordinator for the dermatology program
• serves as the onsite point of care/consultant in the clinical areas for the main campus and is consultative by phone during emergent situations to the Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) sites
• Serves as a liaison between program officials at the facility - Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) - and national program offices and front-line staff - patients - and providers located both locally at the main site and remotely at the CBOCs
• Participate in quality improvement activities in Dermatology that promote the standards of care as defined by the facility - the region or national program manager
• Ensures that visiting LIPs (MD) have clinic scheduled in advance and patient care provision is specific as detailed
• Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm PST
• Monday to Friday Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 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) Parental Leave: 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
• Child Care Subsidy: 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
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: 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 #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.