The License Practical Nurse-Telehealth Clinical Technician (TCT) is a specialized role to support telehealth clinical programs from the patient location. The duties includes serving as the site imager for telehealth store and forward applications, facilitator for real time Clinical Video Telehealth (CVT) encounters, including patient education activities, Primary Care as well as specialty care remote visits, and providing equipment for the Care Coordination Home Telehealth (CCHT) program.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to: Expert knowledge and skill sufficient to provide therapeutic, rehabilitative, and preventive care for patients such as reinforcement and initiation of patient and family education with minimal supervision. Expert knowledge of disease processes to observe for and recognize physiological and/or psychological deviations in patient's condition and initiate appropriate changes in plan of care with concurrence of the charge nurse. Reports and records current observations such as patient's physical condition, emotional response, and results of procedures; observes skin conditions, variations in vital signs, personal habits of patients, and listens for clues to patient's reaction to illness and treatment. Knowledge and ability to obtain information about the patient and chart pertinent data regarding the patient's condition. Incumbent demonstrates advanced nursing practice with very minimal remote supervision of a registered nurse or physician. Provides patient and family education regarding the patient's condition, procedures, and preventive health care; reinforces health teaching initiated by the multidisciplinary treatment team. Knowledge of pharmacology to properly prepare and administer medications with minimal to no supervision as well as be able to recognize contradictions and to assess the effectiveness of medications given. Knowledge and skill to recognize emergency situations, cardio-pulmonary arrest, and initiate CPR or appropriate action. Maintains precise adherence to basic principles of asepsis, safety, and universal precautions to provide a safe environment for patients, families, and employees. Incumbent performs Telehealth imaging, including tele-retinal screening, tele-dermatology, Tele-wound care and other Telehealth programming as technology becomes available, as identified and referred by the primary care provider, other providers, and the imager. The TCT will provide patient education regarding the imaging process. Incumbent is responsible for the patient site facilitation of the clinical, business, scheduling, and technical aspects for real-time Telehealth applications, including, but not limited to, Tele-mental health, primary care Tele-health, Tele-rehabilitation, and tele-patient education clinics. Uses video-conferencing technologies, Telehealth technology and scheduling software to coordinate and connect staff, resources, patients, and providers in the manner effective to delivery of services, patient care, education, and training. The TCT conducts quality control procedures on equipment and products and maintains proper records for quality control reports and workload reporting. The TCT is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the clinical video conferencing, training, CCHT, SF, and Telehealth clinics. Performs personal care, diagnostic support duties and treatments according to procedure under the direction of the professional nurse in a timely manner. Responds to patient's nursing needs, including physical comfort, and emotional needs and recognizing deviations from the normal. Involves patients and family to participate in the provision of care throughout the continuum. Advanced knowledge and ability to understand the patient's chart, medical history, and nursing plan of care for distinguishing between patients and communicating appropriately about the provision of care. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 7:00am - 3:30pm Telework: Not Available Functional Statement #: 502-00474-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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. Language: Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d). Education: Must be a graduate of practical or vocational nursing approved by the appropriate State accrediting agency and/or the National League for Nursing at the time the program was completed by the applicant. License: Must have a full, current, active and unrestricted license as a graduate 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: GS7: completion of at least one 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. In addition to the experience level above the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) are required: 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 patient's 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 patient's condition, and accurately and thoroughly documents care delivered and patient's response to care that could require immediate modification of the patient's care plan. Appropriately seeks assistance and guidance by informing RN or MD/DO of changes in patient's 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 patient's needs for medication/treatments, accurately administering prescribed medications/treatments according to established policies/procedures and appropriately recording administration and patient's 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 patient's 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 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/DO. In 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. (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level). Preferred Experience: Preferred telehealth clinical technician (TCT) experience in a VA setting References: VA Handbook 5005/3, Part II, Appendix G13 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS7. Physical Requirements: May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing.

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 Alexandria VA Medical Center 2495 Shreveport Highway Pineville, LA 71360 US
• Name: Teri Bankhead
• Phone: 2057719942
• Email: [email protected]