Licensed Practical Nurse-Surgical Specialty

Duties include but not limited to:

• Successfully and consistently demonstrates the exercise of independent technical judgement (without the need for readily available supervision) as well as comprehensive and thorough working knowledge of the most complex or difficult practices and procedures. Such individuals may also serve as leaders or co-leaders in a nursing unit or for a specifically identified group of Veterans.
• Demonstrates ability to assist RN and/or Provider to appropriately prioritize overall Veteran care needs and adjust plans for care delivery.
• Completed work should only need very limited review by a registered nurse (RN) or Provider for appropriateness and conformity with established standards of practice policies and procedures.
• Demonstrates the ability to proactively assist the RN and/or Provider in addressing Veterans needs for medication/treatments accurately administering prescribed medications/treatments according to established policies/procedures and appropriately recording administration and Veterans response to medications/treatments received. This may include restricted medication locally authorized for administration by employees at this grade level.
• Appropriately seeks assistance and guidance by informing RN and/or Provider of more subtle physical and emotional changes in Veterans conditions requiring higher-level intervention and demonstrate taking appropriate action based on those observations.
• Demonstrates a broad knowledge of the Veteran treatment process and exercises judgement that demonstrates the ability to effectively intervene when appropriate. At this grade level the LPN is expected to participate to a greater degree in prioritizing and as appropriate modifying patient care treatment.
• Possesses knowledge and demonstrates skills to promptly recognize potential urgent or emergent Veteran care situations seeks assistance of the RN and/or Provider for appropriate team intervention and effectively intervenes as directed to assure the continuation of optimal safe and therapeutic Veteran care delivery.
• Demonstrates the knowledge and ability to readily recognize the more subtle signs and symptoms of potential or actual drug reactions promptly informs the RN and/or Provider of observed changes in Veterans condition and initiates appropriate prescribed interventions.
• Makes astute observations of subtle less obvious changes both physical and emotional in Veterans condition and accurately and thoroughly documents care delivered and Veterans response to care that could require immediate modification of the Veterans care plan.
• Assists individuals or groups of Veterans families and/or caregivers to take an active role in promoting healthy lifestyles for more positive Veteran outcomes.
• Exercises skill in influencing and communicating with unusually difficult to care for or communicate with Veterans families and /or caregivers who may exhibit problems with lac of self control resistant or abusive behaviors or impediments in their ability to understand or follow instructions.

Preferred Experience:

• Surgical Specialty experience.
• Leadership including collateral leadership duties.
• Procedural experience.

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

Paid Time Off: Up to 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave 13 days of sick leave 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 0730-1600. Flexible to meet the needs of the organization.
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation Incentive: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Functional Statement Title: 81615F.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in similar positions within corporate Orlando. This includes the same grade level and occupational series but may be used for a different service or location.

• 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.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public determining if your employment advances the public interest we may consider:

• 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.

Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d) no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• 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. OR
  • Current GS-0620 LPN/LVN employee of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) who was converted to an appointment under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) in implementation of Public Law 98-160 enacted November 21 1983 or who was converted to an appointment under 38 U.S.C. 7405 in implementation of Public Law 99-576 enacted October 28 1986. OR
  • Individual granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school.
• Licensure - Active full current and unrestricted licensure as a Graduate Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse in a State Territory or Commonwealth (i.e. Puerto Rico) of the United States or the District of Columbia

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidates qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade.GS-7- Completion of at least one (1) year of additional qualifying experience at the GS-6 level or equivalent fully meeting all of the performance requirements for the GS-6 LPN/LVN.

• Knowledge and skills necessary to carry out more specialized patient care duties including assignments in selected more complex inpatient and/or outpatient care settings. Knowledge base promotes the incorporation of current patient care data in actively contributing to the development of the patients overall health plan and in carrying out assigned nursing interventions. Positions at this grade level require broader knowledge and skills because supervision is more general and employees are expected to be involved to a greater degree in the development and modification of treatment plans.
• Ability to assist RN and/or MD/DO to appropriately prioritize overall patient care needs and adjust plans for care delivery. Makes astute observations of subtle less obvious changes both physical and emotional in patients condition and accurately and thoroughly documents care delivered and patients response to care that could require immediate modification of the patients care plan. Appropriately seeks assistance and guidance by informing RN or MD/DO of changes in patients condition requiring higher-level intervention. At this grade level the LPN/LVN is expected to participate to a greater degree in prioritizing and as appropriate modifying patient care treatment. They must also possess the ability to observe more subtle physical and emotional changes in patients and demonstrate taking appropriate action based on those observations.
• Ability to proactively assist the RN or MD/DO in addressing patients needs for medication/treatments accurately administering prescribed medications/treatments according to established policies/procedures and appropriately recording administration and patients response to medications/treatments received. (This may include restricted medication locally authorized for administration by employees at this grade level.) Demonstrates the knowledge and ability to readily recognize the more subtle signs and symptoms of potential or actual drug reactions promptly inform the RN or MD/DO of observed changes in patients condition and initiate appropriate prescribed interventions. Employees at this grade level demonstrate broader knowledge and skill with respect to these responsibilities than employees at lower grade levels.
• Knowledge and skill to promptly recognize potential urgent or emergent patient care situations seek assistance of the RN and/or MD/DO for appropriate team intervention and effectively intervene as directed to assure the continuation of optimal safe and therapeutic patient care delivery. At this grade level the LPN/LVN must have a broader knowledge of the patient treatment process and exercise judgment that demonstrates the ability to effectively intervene when appropriate.
• Assists individuals or groups of patients and their families to take an active role in promoting healthy lifestyles for more positive patient outcomes. Exercises skill in influencing and communicating with unusually difficult to care for or communicate with patients and/or family members who may exhibit problems with lack of self-control resistant or abusive behaviors or impediments in their ability to understand or follow instructions. This includes the ability to effectively deal with the above types of patients under very general supervision.
• Exhibits skill creativity and initiative in contributing to the improvement of overall care delivery and patient and/or family satisfaction levels through active participation in committees/task forces research projects or in developing educational materials/media. Actively promotes and effectively incorporates established customer service standards in all aspects of their practice.
• Possesses comprehensive practical nursing knowledge and skills in specialized procedures and practices to serve as a resource person for other staff in organizing and implementing more complex/specialized patient care. Serves as a role model and mentor to other nursing staff in the application of more complex technology effectively guiding and directing their continuing practice in these areas.
• Supports the RN or MD/DO in monitoring the practice of unlicensed nursing or non medical staff in patient care delivery. Promptly reports any deviations from normal practice patterns to the RN or MD/ addition to responsibilities at the lower grade level the LPN/LVN is responsible for monitoring the practice of non-licensed nursing and medical staff.
• Work of considerable difficulty and responsibility is performed under general supervision. Individuals in these positions are to a considerable extent expected to exercise independent technical judgments and to possess and apply a comprehensive working knowledge of the principles art and science of practical nursing. The staff mix is such that employees at this grade level are expected to perform practical nursing duties of considerable difficulty and responsibility under very general supervision.
• Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills and providing leadership in assisting other staff improve and advance their nursing practice.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit Requirements: This position may include a level of physicality normally associated with duties performed by nursing personnel such as direct patient care and potentially long periods of walking standing sitting moderate lifting repeated bending or kneeling.

Examples may include:

• Significant amounts of time standing assisting Veterans.
• Utilization of safe patient handling and mobility protocols.