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 Occupational Health LPN (LPN GS-620-7) serves in a nursing and generalist role to support employees, volunteers, interns, students, and other medical center staff as an initial point of contact for the Occupational Health program. The LPN provides a wide range of clinical support that demonstrates complex judgment. The complexity of duties include collaborating with Licensed Independent Practitioner/Provider (LIPs), nursing staff, Human Resource (HR) representatives, Industrial Hygienist, safety personnel, and all facility departments to provide pre-employment screening, first aid and injury evaluation, medical surveillance, disease prevention programs, and varied health promotions to support the wellness of the staff. The duties of the LPN include but are not limited to: Demonstrates knowledge and ability to provide a full range of practical nursing care to patients with a variety of physical and/or behavioral problems. Knowledge and skills sufficient to complete assigned duties/responsibilities which involve performing nonstandard and specialized licensed practical nurse activities at the GS-7 level with minimum supervision by the registered nurse. Recognizes and appropriately responds to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazards and supply deficiencies. Promptly reports to appropriate personnel for corrective action. Prepares and administers prescribed medications and performs treatments according to established policies, protocols, and procedures. Observation and documentation will include patient's response to medication administered and the reporting of any adverse reactions to patients condition to provider or RN. Coordinates care for employees/volunteers referred to on the job injury through collaboration with Employee Health Provider Ensures appropriate resources are available to manage on the job injuries that occur during non administrative hours. Facilitates an environment of interdisciplinary collaboration and collegiately. Supports the coordination of and clinical participation in the medical screening and surveillance of infection control related programs including data management reporting. Performs clinical care including vaccinations, employee exposures, respiratory protection medical clearances, tuberculosis testing and status, triage of employee work-related injuries or illnesses. Demonstrates knowledge base of indications and protocols for the following vaccines: Tdap, Hepatitis B, MMR, and influenza. Knowledgeable about the routes or transmission, prevention and treatment of Hepatitis A, B and C. Serves as workman's compensation liaison for workplace illnesses and injuries. Administers first aid, mediations and treatments authorized by a medical provider (MD/DO/PA/NP) in accordance with organizational policy and procedures. Collaborates with Occupational Health provider and/or RN for exposure investigations, following protocols for employees with c. difficle, chickenpox, measles, meningitis, mumps, MRSA, bed bugs, shingles, scabies, lice, conjunctivitis & other infectious disease processes. Maintains spreadsheets of post exposure incidents (i.e., tuberculosis, influenza, covid, etc.). Responsible for notifications of all employees identified as potentially exposed, alerting provider to order labs, follow-up labs, documentation care provided and report incidents to Infection Control Committee. Collaborates with Occupational Health provider and/or RN in regards to bloodborne pathogen exposures as the care Program manager: providing safety officer with list of employees with BBP exposures, maintaining spreadsheet of follow up protocol screening and reminders. Learn/understand about TB conversion & notify processes. Provides notification letters to all new positive QFT's. Track employees and follow up testing. Documents in a timely manner in the electronic and paper employee record system. Initiates and maintain accurate tracking systems, including all exposures, needlesticks, tuberculosis positives employees. Supports and promotes infection prevention and control, safety, risk management, emergency management and staff development and educational programs. Interacts with colleagues and patients in a consistently kind and understanding manner, with respect and support for their concerns. Maintain confidentiality and security following all HIPAA regulations, OSHA regulations, professional ethic codes, provisions of the current privacy act regulations, other applicable laws, federal regulations & VA directives, and policies. Work Schedule: Full Time; Monday-Friday, Days Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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. 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. 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. 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 Determinations: GS 7 (a) 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. And (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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. (f) 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. (g) 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. (h) 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. (i) 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. (j) 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. (k) Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills, and providing leadership in assisting other staff improve and advance their nursing practice.] References: VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G-13. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7 . The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-7 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, kneeling, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The incumbent 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 incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders.

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 Samuel S Stratton VA Medical Center - Albany 113 Holland Ave Albany, NY 12208 US
• Name: Tyler Marbaker
• Phone: 5853645932
• Email: [email protected]