This position is located at the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System and performs a variety of supportive, nursing, and medical tasks necessary to care for patients during residential stay at Ascend PTSD residential rehabilitation treatment program. The Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) practice is modeled on standards of residential recovery model.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to: - Observe, identify and respond to the patient's needs for nursing, medication, and equipment-assisted care and to recognize deviations from normal. - Delivers safe care to assigned patients, while developing technical competencies based on the ANA Standards of Nursing Practice, VHA Directives, and local policies. - Safely and effectively uses patient care equipment. Reports equipment in need of repair. - Completes initial assessment of patient condition and response to treatment and initiates follow-up as needed. - Includes the patient and family/significant other in developing the initial plan of care and establishing goals. - Documentation is consistent, accurate, concise, and timely. - Evaluates and documents patient response to interventions and progress towards attainment of goals and expected outcomes. - Recognize the patient has a problem and involves the appropriate team members. - Manages the problem safely and effectively within his/her scope of practice. - Practice follows the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses. - Treats all patients and families with dignity and respect. Listens to and honors patient and family perspectives and choices. Patient and family knowledge, values, beliefs, and cultural backgrounds are incorporated into the planning and delivery of care in a non-judgmental, non-discriminatory manner (Patient and Family Centered Care). - Demonstrates compliance with infection control practices, such as hand washing and wearing of appropriate personal protective equipment. - Demonstrates safe work practices. - Complies with safety rules and regulations for safe job performance and fire protection. - Adheres to Safe Patient Handling practices for safe body mechanics, use of mechanical devices, and/or requests help when needed in moving, lifting, or turning patients to prevent injury to patient, self or others. - Maintains current professional knowledge and skills based on current evidence-based practice and applies to practice and care of patients. - Participates in unit based educational activities and continuing education opportunities to increase clinical and professional knowledge. - Completes orientation, unit-based in-services, and mandatory educational activities in a self-directed manner by established timeframes. - Identifies own deficits in skills and knowledge and takes action to correct performance. - Demonstrates positive, effective communication skills and professional behaviors that promote cooperation and teamwork with internal and external customers. - Practices good customer service in all work activities. Work Schedule: 7:00am to 7:30pm or 7:30pm to 7:00am (six 12 hours shifts + 1 8 hour shift per pay period) Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 552030 / 552050 / 552060 / 552070 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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. Education: Graduate of a school of practical or vocational nursing approved by the appropriate State agency and/or the National League for Nursing (NLNAC) at the time the program was completed by the applicant. 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. 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. Grade Determinations GS-3: None beyond the basic requirements. GS-4: (a) Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN; OR, (b) Graduation from an approved school 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, (c) Graduation from an approved school of at least 24 months duration. GS-5: (a) Completion of at least 1 year of qualifying experience at the GS-4 level or equivalent. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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. (f) Recognizes and appropriately responds to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazards, and supply deficiencies, promptly reporting to appropriate personnel for corrective action. (g) 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: (a) 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/LVN. (b) Technically proficient in initiating, performing and completing assigned duties in providing care to variable patient populations. (c) 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. (d) 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. (e) 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. (f) 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. (g) 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. (h) 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. (i) 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. (j) 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: Seeking an energetic and customer focused candidate who can multi-task and function in a very busy, and highly demanding environment. Candidates must demonstrate advanced computer application skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, databases, etc.); have strong written and verbal skills; be customer focused and have a positive attendance history. Preferred experience includes mental health. References: VA Handbook 5005/3 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: 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 patients and objects may be required. Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations, operative/invasive procedures, or home settings.

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 Eastern Colorado HCS Denver 13611 E. Colfax Ave Aurora, CO 80045 US
• Name: Rodney Riggleman
• Phone: (210) 980-9493
• Email: [email protected]