Licensed Practical Nurse

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

• Makes observations and thoroughly documents care and the patients response. Appropriately seeks assistance and guidance by informing RN or medical provider of changes in the patients condition requiring higher-level intervention.
• Performs reports and documents assigned nursing care in the Primary Care Clinics for both in person and virtual care modalities.
• Adheres to standards of practice and safe techniques in preparation and administration of medication.
• Demonstrates understanding of age-and population-specific characteristics that affect the health care needs of the Veteran.
• Promptly recognizes urgent or emergent patient care situations seeks assistance and effectively intervenes as directed when appropriate.
• Provides patient and family health education to include self-management prevention and wellness based on the patients goals and as assigned by the RN.
• Demonstrates professional behavior (i.e. respect civility ability to accept constructive criticism) effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Interacts and communicates appropriately with patients and family members incorporating acceptable established customer service
• standards into practice.
• Follows policy and procedures related to fire and disaster drills safety and security measures.
• Actively assists the Teamlet and expanded Teams. Will serve as a surrogate LPN as needed.
• Participates in performance improvement initiatives and strives to elevate the practice standards in the clinic.
• Assists in the orientation of students peers and clerical staff.
• Completes mandatory reviews for health coaching in order to encourage patient self-- management toward individualized life plan of care.
• Maintains confidentiality of electronic written and/or verbal patient information.
• Uses broad working knowledge of practical nursing procedures to support patient-driven care in a safe efficient and cost-effective manner using evidenced based principles.

• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination.
• 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.

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.

Practical Nurse GS-3: Qualifications - None beyond the basic requirements. LPNs at this grade level are expected to perform all duties within the scope of their license (e.g. medication administration); however completed work may require routine or detailed higher level review depending upon the complexity of the duties involved.

Practical Nurse GS-4: Qualifications - Employees may be appointed at or advanced to GS-4 if they meet any of the criteria in paragraphs 3b(2)(a) through (c) below:(a)Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN;
OR
(b) Graduation from an approved school (which may be waived as provided in paragraph 4 of Section C) 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
(c) Graduation from an approved school of at least 24 months duration. For the GS-4 grade level perform all duties expected of employees at the GS-3 grade level; however they are expected to exercise greater judgment require less supervision and to operate in accordance with all established policies procedure and techniques.

Practical Nurse GS-5: Qualifications - Must have completed of at least 1 year of qualifying experience at the GS-4 level or equivalent. You must also possess the required KSAs as outlined in the assessment.
a) Completion of at least 1 year of qualifying experience at the GS-4 level or equivalent.
(b) 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.
(c) 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.

Practical Nurse GS-6: Qualifications - Must have completed at least one year of additional qualifying experience at the GS-5 level or equivalent fully meeting all performance requirements for the GS-5 LPN/LVN. You must also possess the required KSAs as outlined in the assessment.
(a) 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.

(b) Technically proficient in initiating performing and completing assigned duties in providing care to variable patient populations.

(c) 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.

(d) 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 socio-economic and age-related factors.

(e) 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.