The Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) will support the Chief of Quality and Patient Safety Service assisting Patient Safety Managers. The incumbent is to perform assigned duties in a manner that promotes quality health care, positive customer service, and the maintenance of an environment committed to serving the veteran.

Duties

The LVN supports the Patient Safety Program as assigned and reports directly to the Chief of Quality or designee and Patient Safety Managers or assigned supervisor. Major duties include, but are not limited to: - Completes documentation in CPRS (electronic medical records) on encounters with patients as required. - Technically proficient in initiating, performing, and completing assigned duties in providing care to variable patient populations. - Participate in weekly rounding, including Environment of Care, Construction, and Patient Safety rounds, in all patient care areas within the healthcare system are to ensure the quality-of-care standards are being upheld for all patients. - Utilizes National Patient Safety Goals tracers and other activities for fact-finding and monitoring for safe patient care. Tracers are used to efficiently collect, analyze and visualize real-time data. - Schedule meetings, interviews and reserve conference rooms for Patient Safety related activities (e.g., Safety Briefing, presentations, Root Cause Analysis) encompassing providers, staff, and veterans. - Serves as a Patient Safety representative on the Quality and Patient Safety Council (QPSC) where all issues of safe patient care are discussed. - Provides technical support to the Patient Safety Program, including meeting minutes, assistance with preparing Patient Safety presentation and other activities as directed (e.g., JPSR training, Patient Safety Week, Safety 1st Awards and Cornerstone Award). - Gather and track data from VA Loma Linda Healthcare System JPSR events, VA Recalls and Alerts and Patient Safety Analyses (e.g., RCA, HFMEA, PSATs) and gathering additional information where appropriate. - Generate JPSR standardized patient safety event reports for stakeholder dissemination. - Acts as an advocate for our Veterans and other beneficiaries. - Ability to update-and-collect data from various programs, including, but not limited to, programs assigned by the Chief of Quality and Patient Safety or designee. - Ability to create and update reports, spreadsheets, and other tracking documents. - Communicate effectively with staff, providers, and patients. - Files, faxes, scans and copies documents as required. -Duties as assigned by Chief or Deputy Chief of Quality and Patient Safety that directly align with programs or projects under the Medical Center Director Preferred Experience: Experience in data collection, update reports, spreadsheets and tracking documents. Proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and SharePoint. Communicate effectively. Familiar with electronic medical records (CPRS). Knowledge of the National Patient Safety Goals. Work Schedule: TBD 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. 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. Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d). 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. Grade Determinations: GS-3: None beyond the basic requirements. LVNs at this grade level are expected to perform all duties within the scope of their license (e.g. medication administration); however, completed work may require routine or detailed higher level review depending upon the complexity of the duties involved. 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 LVN; or 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 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.· 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 NAs/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 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.· 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.· 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. However, completion of more complex practices or procedures may be subject to closer higher-level review. GS-6: Completion of at least 1 year of qualifying experience at the GS-5 level or equivalent, fully meeting all performance requirements for theGS-5 LPN/LVN:· 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.· 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. 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: Heavy lifting (45 lbs. and over); Moderate Carrying (15-44 pounds); Straight Pulling; Pushing; Reaching above Shoulder; Walking; Standing; Repeated bending; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Hearing aid (permitted); Ability to distinguish basic colors; Ability to distinguish shades of colors; Depth perception; Both eyes required; Both legs required; Use of fingers and both hands required.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Jerry L Pettis Memorial Veterans Hospital 11201 Benton Street Loma Linda, CA 92357 US
• Name: Michele Howard
• Phone: 909-871-7413
• Email: [email protected]