Licensed Vocational Nurse, Community Living Center, Kerrville TX

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

A Community Living Center (CLC) is a VA long-term care facility. Unlike many long-term care facilities a Community Living Center resembles home as much as possible. It is a place where Veterans can receive long-term care which includes help with activities of daily living (e.g. bathing dressing grooming and dining) skilled nursing medical care and hospice services. The CLC provides 24-hour skilled nursing care restorative care respite care hospice services and specialized locked dementia care. This specialized dementia care focuses on providing a safe and secure environment for Veterans with dementia offering the assistance they need while maintaining their dignity and quality of life. CLC Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) provide face-to-face care with patients utilizing interpersonal skills in a fast-paced environment. Quality nursing care is provided for patients including vital signs basic assessments medication administration wound care infection control skin hygiene and wound prevention. The LVN presence in the day-to-day care is a valuable resource that is both complex and essential. They serve as the intermediary between the RN staff nursing assistants and other members of the care team ensuring comprehensive and coordinated care for Veterans.

Duties may include but are not limited to:

• Long Term Care/GEC Community Living Centers.
• Assists RNs in implementing plans of care prioritization of client needs relevance of nursing diagnosis individualization of interventions expected veteran-resident outcomes and quality of documentation.
• Assists NM in promoting professional development and motivation for employees to work at optimal efficiency. Ensures relevant training is completed.
• Assists RN in through collaboration with peers and other healthcare professionals in coordinating care.
• Assists RN in delivering nursing care. Demonstrates sound clinical judgment in making decisions.
• Administers medications as ordered or collaborates with RN and/or NP/MD if he/she suspects a medication should not be administered.
• Assists NM and ANM in compiling data in a timely manner including but not limited to: performance improvement / quality improvement reports; schedules; certified time; workload requests; and patient care data reviews.
• Assists NM/ANM in completing special assignments and is a contributing member of Nursing Service.
• Participates in committees and working groups that work on improving the quality of care and/or the working conditions with-in the facility.
• Documents patient care according to prescribed procedures and maintains an objective relationship with the peers and residents.
• Supports and participates in open communication with coworkers and residents.
• Able to recognize and respond to urgent needs appropriately utilizing critical thinking skills.
• Incumbent utilizes good communication skills to identify and resolve problems/issues on the unit.
• Updates the ANM/RN when appropriate with accurate and necessary information regarding issues that have occurred.
• Participates in career development through periodic need assessments and scheduling of training / in-services continuing education programs and participation in committees and councils/meetings. Incumbent ensures completion of annual mandatory training requirements and competency statements.
• Assists in the coordination and orientation of newly assigned staff and Participates in care-planning process for assigned residents
• Provides wound care as directed by RN NP MD.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Qualifications

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.
    • 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.

• 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 patients response to medication administered and the reporting of any noted change in patients 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. (f) 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.

• 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 patients needs for care including medication equipment-assisted care and patient/family 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 patients 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 patients 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.