The Ambulatory Care Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) GS-7 functions as a member of the health care team by demonstrating an exceptional degree of practical nursing knowledge and skills necessary for self-direction in carrying out complex practical nursing care assignments within the CBOC for a Veteran population with a variety of health care needs. Supervisory oversight for the PACT LPN is the CBOC or CPC Nurse Manager.

Duties

The LPN at the GS 7 level must exercise independent judgment and requires minimal supervisory oversight The incumbent collaborates with a PACT team to provide complex/specialized patient-centered care to a panel of approximately 1200 patients taking into consideration patients' ages, cultural backgrounds, education level, and any other special needs. The incumbent is expected to participate to a greater degree in prioritizing and, as appropriate, modifying patient care treatment plans. He/she must also possess the ability to observe subtle physical and emotional changes in patients, exercise sound nursing judgement, and demonstrate appropriate action based on those observations. The LPN must possess the knowledge and skill to promptly recognize potential urgent/emergent patient care situations, seek team assistance as appropriate, and effectively intervene to assure the delivery of safe patient care. LPN GS-7 duties include the following: Manages patient care problems and deviations using self-direction in accordance with VA Nursing Practice and LPN licensure standards. Maintains knowledge and skill to care for a wide range of patients, including those with chronic and acute illness. Demonstrates comprehensive understanding of disease conditions, nursing principles, and standards/practices to coordinate nursing care required in the clinic setting and alter the sequence and/or care delivered to meet individual patient's needs. Assesses, records, and reports vital signs, neurological signs, weight, and blood glucose levels. Appropriately triages and prioritizes patient needs as routine, urgent, or emergent in the clinic setting and modifies patient care/treatment as needed. Checks patients into the clinic, interviews patient and/or significant other, and documents intake data as per policy. Possesses comprehensive knowledge of VA protocols and VHA directives related to clinic management, documentation, and computer technology. Demonstrates knowledge, skill, and ability to promptly recognize and effectively intervene in potentially urgent or emergent situations. Demonstrates the ability to independently adjust or modify care being delivered to meet the changing needs of the patient with notification to the RN or provider for concurrence. Responsibilities include prompt recognition and treatment of urgent/emergent patient care needs, including hypo/hyperglycemia, acute shortness of breath, acute chest pain, seizures, stroke symptoms, mental health issues, etc. LPNs at the GS-7 level demonstrate broader knowledge and skill with respect to these responsibilities than LPNs at lower grade levels. Maintains and implements knowledge of anatomy and physiology as well as scientific principles underlying nursing care and procedures. Provides high quality nursing care using traditional and non-traditional modalities, including triage prior to provider face-to-face visits, nurse health maintenance visits, telephone triage, secure messaging, etc. Applies knowledge by considering the interrelationship between age, physical, emotional, social, cultural, and population-specific needs when providing care. Serves as a resource for complex/specialized procedures (i.e., non-complex suture/staple removal, non-complex wound care, blood draws, and clinic specific procedures, such as ear irrigation). Performs venipuncture for blood draws, prepares specimens for transport and processing ( centrifuge and serum separation), transcribes orders, accessions labels, provides patient education about lab tests, etc. Demonstrates knowledge of standard precautions, medical asepsis, and sterile technique with the ability to correctly apply these principles and techniques and assist others with implementation in the clinic setting. Assists with diagnostic procedures that include preparing the patient, setting up sterile field and instrumentation, and monitoring the patient's condition. Demonstrates the knowledge and skill to interpret common test results and other medical data. Provides education to patients/families about preparation for procedures and/or diagnostic tests. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, Day Shift, 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM or 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Compressed/Flexible:Not Authorized Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized 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. Physical Requirements. Please see physical requirements in additional information section. English Language Proficiency. Proficient in both spoken and written English. 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: The GS-7. For select, complex LPN/LVN positions, as established by each health care facility. To be advanced, employees must meet all of the following standards, provided the standard is part of their assignment. Completion of at least 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* *See assessment questionnaire for examples of duties at the GS-6 level. 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 ability 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 References: A Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-13 LICENSED PRACTICAL OR VOCATIONAL NURSE QUALIFICATION. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit OPM's web site at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-07. Physical Requirements: The physical requirements of this position include lifting, prolonged standing, frequent bending and stooping, walking, reaching, and repetitive motion. The mental/sensory requirements include recall, reasoning, problem-solving, hearing, and speaking clearly, writing, keyboarding, reading, and logical thinking. The environment's pace can vary from steady to a sometimes fast pace requiring handling of multiple priorities, frequent, sometimes intense customer interactions, and the ability to adapt to frequent changes in a sometimes noisy environment. There may be the need to use personal protective equipment to prevent exposure to disease, illness and hazardous materials.

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 Martinsburg VA Medical Center 510 Butler Avenue Martinsburg, WV 25405 US
• Name: Stephanie Herndon
• Phone: 352-284-8724
• Email: [email protected]