Practical Nurse-Northampton Community Based Outpatient Clinic. (PACT)

The Wilkes Barre VA Medical Center is currently recruiting for a Practical Nurse to serves as a member of a team with an assigned patient load of selected patients in the Northampton Community Based Outpatient Clinic. In Primary Care, the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) serves as one of the core members of the Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT).

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.
• English Language Proficiency: Written and Spoken
• Physical Standards: All applicants must meet the physical standards for the position. A physical examination prior to employment may be required.
• 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.
• 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. 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. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Preferred Experience: 1 year of primary care, specialty care or urgent care experience.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated in section A, 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-3

• None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-4

• 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-5

• Completion of at least 1 year of qualifying experience at the GS-4 level or equivalent.
• Demonstrated 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 Nursing Assistants (NAs)/Health Technicians (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.
• Demonstrated 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 sufficient 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.
• Recognizes and appropriately responds to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazards, and supply deficiencies, promptly reporting to appropriate personnel for corrective action.
• Completed work is 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-6

• Completion of at least one (1) year of additional qualifying experience at the GS-5 level or equivalent, fully meeting all performance requirements for the GS-5 LPN/LVN.
• 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.
• Prepares and administers 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.
• Establishes 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.

References: VA Handbook 5005/27, Part II, Appendix G13, LICENSED PRACTICAL OR VOCATIONAL NURSE QUALIFICATION STANDARD, dated April 10, 2003.

Responsibilities:

At the Wilkes Barre VAMC, Northampton Clinic under the direction of the RN the LPN-GS6 is technically proficient in initiating, performing, and completing assigned duties in providing care to clients. Serves as a member of a team with an assigned patient load of selected patients. This position may entail other duties as assigned, travel duties and travel to the community level clinics.
a. Participates in the interdisciplinary team in the development, implementation and evaluation of the patients treatment plan.
b. Interacts with patients in groups in accordance with the patients treatment plan.
c. Observes, identifies and responds to the patients' needs for nursing, medication, and equipment assisted care and recognizes deviations from normal.
d. Uses practical knowledge of human behavior, motivations and reactions to situations in working effectively with patients, family and other staff members.
e. Demonstrates the knowledge, skill and ability to recognize and respond appropriately to emergency situations.

The employee is responsible for patients and has considerable knowledge, experience, and skill for contracted effort and self-motivation to carry outpatient care assignments. The practical nurse is accountable for all nursing care and grade requirements described.Duties include, but not limited to the following:- Responsible for the daily management of the PCP's scheduled appointments. This is accomplished by interviewing the patient and assisting the PCP with preventative care and/or chronic disease management by obtaining vital signs, completing a medication review, review allergies and update PCP, offering patient education, completing screening questions (clinical reminders) for a variety of preventative and/or chronic disease measures, complete diabetic at-risk foot screenings administers ordered immunization, other ordered injections and all other ordered medications, and assists with exams/procedures (i.e. pelvic exams, joint injections, wound care, bladder scans).- Responsible for the daily management of the assigned PACT teams Nurse Intervention clinic. When assistance is needed, the LPN will communicate with the PACT RN to ensure scheduled patients are roomed as scheduled.- Receives an assignment from the Nurse Manager or the Charge RN. Assignments may include but are not limited to: PACT teams, Nurse Intervention clinics, Flu vaccine clinic, COVID specimen collection, COVID vaccine clinics, CBOC lab (if applicable), 1:1 safety watches, Ear Irrigation Clinic.-Performs COVID-19 specimen collection when needed.- Responsible for reviewing/scrubbing the PACT teams schedule. Main components of scrubbing include, but are not limited to:- Reviews PCP an Nurse Intervention daily and weekly schedules.- Patient care needs and any concerns or issues to be reviewed with the PACT RN Care Manager or provider.- Complete visit pre-work to pre-package information needed for an efficient and effective visit with the PCP.- Assess for an alternate visit modality such as non-face-to-face appointment, group visit, secure message, telephone visit, or an appointment with another PACT or extended PACT team member.- Identify clinical reminders that may appropriate for completion ahead of time via pre-visit phone call.- Check chart for evidence of hospital admissions/ER visits and alerts the PACT team.- Medication review by reviewing list and highlighting expired prescriptions and medications not being refilled so provider can be alerted- Review plan of care from last visit with PCP to assure all tests and consults needed for current visit have been completed and results are available including non-VA care.- Other responsibilities include: actively participating and attending the daily huddle, PACT team meetings, assisting the PACT team and other interdisciplinary team members with panel management such as follow-up of normal lab and test results, management of the iFOBT kit not returned report and care coordination. Is an active participant in planning, implementation and evaluation of care.- Vaccines: Screens all recipients pre-vaccination for potential concerns as identified by facility guidelines.- Performs EKGs, phlebotomy, immunizations, nebulizer treatments, suture/staple removal & others (i.e. Holter, ZIO patches pulse oximetry, finger stick blood sugars) and documents in CPRS appropriately using approved note titles/templates.- If applicable, Provides primary coverage of Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) lab services performing phlebotomy on an as needed basis.

Work Schedule:7:45 am - 4:15 pm, Monday to Friday
Compressed/Flexible: Not available
Telework: Not available
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE - PRIMARY CARE AND COMMUNITY-BASED OUTPATIENT CLINIC CLINIC/PD000000
Financial Disclosure Report: Not require