This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

The Licensed Practical Nurse assigned to the Community Living Center (CLC) provides safe and individualized practical nursing care to complex, frail and mostly elderly residents who are chronically ill in a home environment. The duties of the Licensed Practical Nurse-CLC include, but are not limited to: Provision of Care: Ensures that the resident's Activities of Daily Living (ADL) are performed as per the resident's required level of assistance including functional mobility, transfers, personal hygiene, grooming, bathing, toileting, dressing and feeding. Ensures/verifies meal consumption for each resident by either asking resident about his/her food intake including food brought from off premises, verbal prompting to encourage resident to eat, physically guiding resident or feeding residents that require full physical assistance. Utilizes adaptive feeding equipment. Adheres to dysphagia and aspiration precautions. Ensures/verifies consumption of snacks and supplements. Performs feeding and medication administration per oral and enteral tubes. Assures patency and location of tube, and proper body alignment to avoid aspiration. Performs hydration rounds including residents with enteral tubes to avoid dehydration and other medical complications. Medication Administration: Administers medications safely ensuring the 6 rights: right medication, right resident, right dose, right route, right time, and right documentation. Demonstrates the importance of utilizing the six rights when administrating skin care treatments including right treatment, right resident, right dose, right route, right time, and right documentation. Demonstrates basic knowledge to observe for physical and/or emotional changes in resident's condition from prescribed medications/treatments, promptly and accurately documenting noted changes, and reports deviations from normal to Charge RN, including recognizing allergy, side effects, relevant lab values and clinical response. Adheres to the agency requirement for reporting medication errors, reactions, and side effects immediately. Reporting and Documentation: Accurately reports and documents in the medical record resident findings and care provided. Demonstrates proficiency in use of the electronic medical record. Follows defined policies and procedures related to documentation in the medical record. Documentation is technically informative, complete, accurate, consistent, concise, and timely. Charts observations relative to any changes in the resident's physical or mental/emotional status, observable behavior, or possession of contraband articles. Reports the Activities of Daily Living (ADL), change in condition notes and change of dressing notes timely and accurately utilizing the given guidelines. Dependability: Maintains resident's privacy and dignity. Has knowledge of the resident's all about me and care planning approaches and gives input as required. Fiscally responsible for use of supplies and equipment. Adherence and participation in in-services, trainings, and competence evaluation. Completes required training and competency validation as required. Maintains current knowledge of published minutes, policies, and procedures. Safe Resident Care: Follows safety and infection prevention policies and procedures in the delivery of resident care. Utilizes principles of body mechanics in alignment, turning, ambulation, transferring and repositioning residents with the use of proper equipment. Recognizes and appropriately responds to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazards, and supply deficiencies, promptly reporting to appropriate personnel for corrective action. Promotes safe environment of care including maintaining a clutter free environment, assuring equipment has the inspection tag, and active resident identification. Work Schedule: Rotating Shifts to include weekends and holidays. Compressed/Flexible:Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 586-00189-F; 586-00190-F; 586-00191-F; 586-00192-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Carol Thompson at [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: Citizenship. U.S. Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency. LPNs/LVNs appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in [both] spoken and written 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. Verification can be obtained from the State approving agency or the NLNAC, from the NLNAC Website. 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. 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: GS-3: None beyond the basic requirements. GS-4: Employees may be appointed at or advanced to GS-4 if they meet any of the criteria below: Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN; or 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 Graduation from an approved school of at least 24 months duration. GS-5: Completion of at least 1 year of qualifying experience at the GS-4 level or equivalent and meeting all of the following: 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 with patients, family members, professional and supportive personnel 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. 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. GS-6: Completion of at least one year of additional qualifying experience at the GS-5 level or equivalent, fully meeting all of the following requirements for the GS-5 LPN/LVN. 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 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. Preferred experience: Previous LPN Experience > 3 consecutive years; currently practicing Long Term Care experience> 2 year Experience with Activities of Daily Living (AOL) and Range of Motion (ROM) Effective written and verbal communication skills References: VA Handbook 5005/3 Part II Appendix G13 April 13, 2003 The full performance level of this position is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-3-GS-6.

Education

Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring residents and objects will be required.

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 GV Sonny Montgomery VAMC 1500 East Woodrow Wilson Drive Jackson, MS 39216 US
• Name: Richard Cohen
• Phone: 504-422-9343
• Email: [email protected]