Licensed Practical Nurse

The Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center is seeking to fill intermittent Licensed Practical Nurse positions at the Hutchinson Community-Based Outreach Centers (CBOC) and main Wichita VA facility within the Primary Care department. Applicants will be reviewed and referred on an as needed basis.

Work Schedule: Varies
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Telework: Not authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Fair Labor Standards Act: Non-Exempt
Bargaining Unit Status: Covered

Qualifications:

Applicants must meet the requirements of the position by the closing date of the announcement.

This is an open continuous announcement. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available.

This announcement is applying the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 7412, Annual Determination of Staffing Shortages. Veterans' Preference does not apply.

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: Must be a graduate of practical or vocational nursing approved by the appropriate State accrediting agency and/or the National League for Nursing at the time the program was completed by the applicant. No education exceptions will be applied.
• Language: Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d).
• License: Must have a full, current, active and unrestricted license as a graduate licensed practical or vocational nurse in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States or District of Columbia.

Grade Determinations: Resume must support your experience.

GS-03: None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-04: Employees may be appointed at or advanced to GS-04 if they meet any of the criteria below:

• Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN; OR
• Graduation from an approved school 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
• Graduation from an approved school of at least 24 months duration.

GS-05: Completion of at least one-year of qualifying experience at the GS-04 level or equivalent.

AND

You must demonstrate the below knowledge, skills, and abilities.

• Demonstrate knowledge and ability to provide a full range of practical nursing care to patients with a variety of physical and/or behavioral problems. Works with the RN and/or MD/DO to appropriately orient/train less experienced LPNs/LVNs and/or NAs/HTs in relation to acceptable standards of practice in promoting optimal patient care delivery. Provides effective education to patients and/or family members in relation to common disease processes, medication, and /or prescribed treatment regimes.
• Demonstrate ability to serve as a responsible member of the nursing team and interact in an appropriate manner with patients, family members, professional and other supportive personnel involved in the delivery of patient care, incorporating acceptable, established customer service standards into practice.
• Knowledge and skill to prepare, administer, and appropriately document actions taken specific to commonly prescribed oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular, and/or intravenous medications as permitted by approved local facility policies and procedures. Observation and documentation will include patient's response to medication administered and the reporting of any noted change in patient's condition to RN or MD/DO.
• Knowledge and ability to recognize the need for and to institute emergency measures when indicated, promptly seek the assistance of the RN or MD/DO and assist in resuscitation procedures in cardiac and/or pulmonary arrest.
• Recognize and appropriately respond to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazards, and supply deficiencies, promptly reporting to appropriate personnel for corrective action.
• Complete work under the general supervision of an RN or MD/DO. Individuals at this grade level are expected to have a broad working knowledge of practical nursing procedures. However, completion of more complex practices or procedures may be subject to closer higher-level review.

GS-06: Completion of at least one-year of qualifying experience at the GS-05 level or equivalent, fully meeting all performance requirements for the GS-05 LPN/LVN.

AND

You must demonstrate the below knowledge, skills, and abilities.

• Be technically proficient 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; to use judgment in selecting the appropriate order and sequence of procedures and treatments; and to accurately recognize, report and record relevant patient information. Completed work should need only a general review by a registered nurse (RN) or physician (MD/DO) for appropriateness and conformity with established policies/procedures.
• Ability to observe, identify and respond to the 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, cultural, spiritual, socio-economic, and age-related factors.
• Prepare and administer prescribed medications (oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular and/or intravenous) and performs treatments according to established policies/procedures. Observes for physical and/or emotional changes in patient's condition from prescribed medications/treatments, promptly and accurately documenting noted changes, and reporting any deviations from normal to RN or MD/DO.
• Knowledge and ability to recognize urgent or emergent patient care situations, seek assistance of the RN and/or MD/DO, and initiate appropriate emergency interventions as directed.
• Knowledge and understanding of human behavior, patient motivations and reactions to situations, and ability to appropriately utilize this knowledge in working effectively with patients, family members, and other staff.
• Establish constructive relationships with individual patients and their families to elicit feelings and attitudes, and 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 established 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 include preparing the patient, 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.

References: VA Handbook 5005 Appendix G13 Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse Qualification Standards.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-03 to GS-06.

Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items such as manuals, record boxes, equipment or assisting patients. The work requires above average agility and dexterity. The incumbent may be required to travel between VA and/or Non-VA clinical care sites and possession of a valid driver's license may be required

Responsibilities:

• Knowledge and ability to provide a full range of practical nursing care to patients with a variety of physical and/or behavioral problems.
• Observes, identifies and responds to the patients needs for nursing, medication, and equipment assisted care and recognizes deviations from normal.
• Ability to serve as a responsible member of the health care team and interact in an appropriate manner with patients, family members, professional and other supportive personnel involved in the delivery of patient care.
• Uses practical knowledge of human behavior, motivations and reactions to situations in working effectively with patients, family and other staff members.
• Knowledge and skill sufficient to prepare and administer commonly prescribed oral, topical, subcutaneous, intra-muscular, and/or intravenous medications and other routes as permitted by Robert J. Dole VAMC policy and procedure.
• Knowledge and ability to recognize the need for and to institute emergency measures when indicated, promptly seek the assistance of the Registered Nurse or the care provider, and assist in the resuscitation procedures in cardiac and/or pulmonary arrest.
• Recognizes and appropriately responds to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazards, and supply deficiencies, promptly reporting to appropriate personnel for corrective action.
• Interacts with patients in groups in accordance with the patient's treatment plan.

Salary : $37,544 - $65,719