Practical Nurse

VA Careers - Licensed Practical Nurse: Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

This LPN position works in the Geriatric & Extended Care Section of Nursing Service providing inpatient Veteran I resident care for Veterans with acute and chronic health conditions with diverse culture and religious/gender orientation. Veterans may need dementia rehabilitation long term palliative and/or hospice duties include but are not limited to:

• Respond to patients needs including medication equipment-assisted care and patient/family education.
• Observes and collects data on patient care activities and progress.
• Assists in the admission and discharge procedures of patients.
• Prepares and administers prescribed medications (oral topical subcutaneous intramuscular and/or intravenous) in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Administers a variety of pain control measures and records effectiveness.
• Administers respiratory therapies as ordered: inhalers Maximist pulmonaid oxygen (cannula/prongs/masWventimask).
• Monitors/reports/participates in selected aspects of IV therapy and parenteral nutrition to include flow rate site appearance system integrity discontinuing IV devices flushing IV lines with normal saline administers commercially prepared IV solutions (no additives) safely managing and monitoring the pumps and PCA documenting all aspects related to IV therapy.
• Provide restorative nursing care per the residents care plan.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

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.
• Must pass pre-employment Occupational Health evaluation.
• 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

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: 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).
• 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.

• GS-03:
  • None beyond the basic requirements.
• GS-04:
  • Six months of qualifying experience as 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-4 level or equivalent and fully meeting all performance requirements for the GS-4. AND

1. Demonstrated knowledge and ability to provide a full range of practical nursing care to patients with a variety of physical and/or behavioral problems. Provides effective education to patients and/or family members in relation to common disease processes medication and /or prescribed treatment regimes.
2. 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.
3. 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 patients response to medication administered and the reporting of any noted change in patients condition to RN or MD/DO.
4. 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.
5. Recognizes and appropriately responds to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment safety hazards and supply deficiencies promptly reporting to appropriate personnel for corrective action.

• GS-06: Completion of at least one year of qualifying experience at the GS-5 level or equivalent and fully meeting all performance requirements for the GS-5 LPN/LVN. AND
  1. Technically proficient in initiating performing and completing assigned duties in providing care to variable patient populations.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Establishes constructive relationships with individual patients and their families to elicit feelings and attitudes and to promote positive relationships communication and socialization skills.
  8. 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.
  9. Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills sharing new knowledge gained with other staff to improve and advance nursing practice.