This Licensed Practical Nurse position is located in the Nursing MHRRTP Service at Jesse Brown 820 S. Damen Ave 60612. The LPN is responsible for performing nonstandard and specialized nursing activities, requiring broad work experience and demonstrated skill sufficient to resolve a range of nursing problems.

Duties

9 North/South is an active 1 to 6 week Substance Abuse/Psychosocial Rehabilitation unit caring for a diverse population of patients with emphasis on substance abuse and serious mental illness. Candidate for this job must be able to render care utilizing sensitivity in addressing the needs of the population served. Under the supervision of a Registered Nurse, Advanced Practice Nurse, or Physician, the LPN is accountable for the quality of nursing care he/she provides. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: ability to utilize critical thinking processes that will afford favorable outcomes for the Veterans; self-direction requiring minimal supervision to provide care daily; demonstrates effective decision making when selecting appropriate approaches to individualizing nurse care; readily adapts to changing situations; co-leader of groups; incumbent will be assigned to 9 North/South as needed, etc. The incumbent is responsible for maintaining American Heart Association (AHA) Certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) per facility policy. Work Schedule: Evening shift 3:30 PM to Midnight or Night shift 11:30 PM to 8:00 AM Includes weekends and holidays Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

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. Must possess a current, full, active and unrestricted licensure as a licensed practical nurse or vocational nurse in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or District of Columbia. This is required in order to hold a position as a Licensed Practical Nurse with the Federal Government. Must be a graduate of a school of practical or vocational nursing that was approved by the appropriate State agency and/or accredited by the National League for Nursing (Accrediting Commission, NLNAC) at the time you completed the program. Must be proficient in both spoken and written English. 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). Preferred Experience: 2 years LPN psychiatric experience Demonstrated organizational and time management skills Experience with administration of medications and injections Effectiveness as an interdisciplinary team member Excellent communication skills written and oral Basic computer skills Strong interpersonal skills Grade Determinations: In addition to the Basic Requirements you must meet one of the following grade requirements: GS-3: None beyond the Basic Requirements. GS-4: Must have completed at least (6) six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN. OR GS-4: Must have graduated from an approved school and have (1) 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 GS-4: Must have graduated from an approved school of at least 24 months duration. GS-5: Must have completed at least (1) one year of qualifying experience at the GS-4 level or equivalent that has included: ?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: Must have completed at least (1) one year of additional qualifying experience at the GS-5 level or equivalent and fully meets all performance requirements for the GS-5 LPN and demonstrates the following: ?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 or physician 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. ?Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills, sharing new knowledge gained with other staff to improve and advance nursing practice. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G13 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-6. Physical Requirements: Walking, bending, stooping, and lifting in the direct care of patients; some extended periods of sitting.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 820 South Damen Avenue Chicago, IL 60612 US
• Name: Shaundila Bass
• Phone: 312-569-7917
• Email: [email protected]