The Licensed Practical Nurse provides safe and individualized nursing care to patients in the Primary Care setting, at the James H. Quillen Veteran Affairs Medical Center.

Duties

The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The five Core Values define "who we are," our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families and other beneficiaries. The Values are Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect and Excellence ("I CARE").As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips. **This announcement is for the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) position at the FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL GS-6 only.** Duties include but are not limited to: Demonstrates proficiency in initiating, performing, and completing assigned duties while providing care to diverse patient populations. Maintains knowledge and ability to carry out patient care determined by the patient's condition utilizing judgement in selecting appropriate orders, procedures, and treatments; and recognizing, reporting, and recording relevant patient information to include urgent and emergent situations. Observes, identifies, and responds to patient needs for medication, medical equipment, and patient/family education while considering emotional, cultural, spiritual, socioeconomic, and age-related factors. Maintains knowledge and skill 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. Establishes constructive and positive relationships with patients/families in order to promote open communication and socialization skills, taking into consideration human behavior, patient motivators and reactions to situations. Respects patient/family rights to privacy and dignity in all aspects of care delivery by incorporating customer service standards with all interactions, to include both internal and external customers. Maintains knowledge and skill for performing support duties during complex diagnostic tests and/or specialized practices or procedures. Serves as a preceptor in orienting, educating, and training less experienced LPNs, Nursing Assistants (NA's), Health Technicians (HT's) and provides support for more complex, specialized procedures. Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge/skills and shares knowledge with peers to advance nursing practice. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. or 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) Education: Graduate of a school of practical or vocational nursing approved by the appropriate State agency and/or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission). See "Education" section for additional requirements and exceptions. 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. An LPN[/LVN] who has or has ever had, any license(s) revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16 of this part. Physical Standards. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency. 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). 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 Requirements: GS-6 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/LVNAND. 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 (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. Prepare and administer prescribed medications (oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular and/or intravenous) and perform treatments according to established policies/procedures. Observe 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. Establish constructive relationships with individual patients and their families to elicit feelings and attitudes, and to promote positive relationships, communication and socialization skills. Foster 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. Serve 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 Physical Requirements: The population of male and female veterans served ranges from the adult, age 18, to the elderly adult, age 65 and over. James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center(JHQVAMC) is a major interdisciplinary teaching facility, serving medical, surgical, and neurological inpatients and outpatients. There is a large outpatient psychiatric population, with admissions for medical co-morbidities. 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, lifting more than 10 pounds, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The LPN may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The LPN may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The LPN must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. The employee may on occasion, be assigned to other Veteran care areas.

Education

IMPORTANT: This position has a positive education requirement. You must submit a copy of all relevant transcripts with your application. You do not need to submit an official copy; however, your submitted transcript must include your name, name of school, name of program, total credits completed, date degree/certificate conferred.

Your education program must be approved by the appropriate State agency and/or accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission) at the time the program was completed.

Exceptions/Deviations:

• 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. The waiver will not apply to persons appointed under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) or 7405 after these conversions.
• Individuals granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school. Appointing officials may, at their discretion, waive the education requirement if an LPN/LVN was licensed in a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school, provided the individual has demonstrated successful practice as an LPN/LVN. One year of successful practice is considered the equivalent of graduation from an approved school of 12 months duration.
• The appointing official may waive the education requirement to permit appointment if an LPN/LVN was licensed in a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school, provided the individual has demonstrated successful practice as an LPN/LVN. One year of successful practice is considered the equivalent of graduation from an approved school of 12 months duration.
• In exceptional circumstances, the appointing official may waive the experience requirement for LPN/LVN whose accomplishments, performance, and qualifications warrant such consideration based on demonstrated ability to meet the requirements for the proposed grades.

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 James H Quillen VA Medical Center Corner of Lamont Street and Veterans Way Mountain Home, TN 37684 US
• Name: Jacquel Detwiler
• Phone: 352-275-4741
• Email: [email protected]