This position is eligible for 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 your start date. 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. Contact [email protected] for questions.

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to: The LPN will maintain a safe environment using appropriate equipment, devices, and safety measures for all Residents with demonstrated special awareness of the needs of all Residents with impaired mobility. Demonstrate broad knowledge and skill with respect to medications, contraindications, actions, and recognition of the more subtle signs and symptoms of potential actual drug reactions and demonstrate the ability to proactively assist the RN or provider in managing the Resident's medications/treatments. Implement care for more complex/specialized Resident care duties based on broader knowledge and skills with less direct supervision. Contribute to the evaluation of pain/comfort status consistently using the scale of 1-10 or the FLACC scale and implements interventions to maintain comfort status. Demonstrate knowledge of medical equipment and supplies with advanced skill to set up and/or operate specialized equipment. Knowledgeable of elder abuse and the heightened standards in operation in the Community Living Center, observes for subtle signs and symptoms, and reports immediately to the Charge Nurse if there are reasons or evidence of abuse. The LPN helps to orient other LPNs and Certified Nursing Assistants to this issue. Contribute to the evaluation of fall risk Residents and implement appropriate preventative measures; assist Residents to cope with and/or compensate for changes affecting mobility and balance for geriatric Residents, Residents with impaired mobility, surgery Residents, and orthopedic Residents. Function independently as the team leader, with limited supervision of the Charge Nurse, for a designated group of Residents. May assist with Charge Nurse responsibilities in the CLC. Support the Nurse Manager and/or Assistant Nurse Manager in monitoring the practice of licensed and unlicensed nursing staff in Resident care delivery. He/she will promptly report any deviations from normal practice patterns to the Nurse Manager and/or Assistant Nurse Manage. Independently provide accurate observations and documentation for new admissions, post-procedures, immediately post-operative. post-traumatic, and/or unstable residents. Monitor residents for risk behaviors, including, but not limited to wandering, elopement, suicide, falls, behavior and pressure ulcer and taking action when indicated to include communicating to appropriate personnel when further intervention is needed and completing necessary documentation. Start and administer intravenous (IV) solutions and premixed IV's such as antibiotics and vitamins. The LPN can verify blood products with an RN. He/she will monitor IV flow rates and local complications. He/she will perform dressing and tubing change and discontinue IVs. Perform all types of dressing changes, including complex wound care. Perform fistula and ostomy care/irrigation. He/she will care for Residents with varying wound types including, but not limited to pressure, venous, arterial, diabetic, surgical etc. He/she will identify and implement strategies to prevent pressure ulcers. Demonstrate knowledge and skill to interpret common test results and other medical data. Provides direct nursing care to adult and geriatric Residents with complex problems which includes, but is not limited to bathing, showering, oral care, shaving, toe/fingernail care, fingernail clipping, turning and positioning, and ambulating, vitals, weights, enemas, fecal impaction removal, gastric/intestinal feeding and drainage tubes, neurological checks. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 3:00pm-11:30pm, Every other weekend rotation. (subject to change based on the needs of the service) Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized. EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 629-01128-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

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. 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). Education: Must be a graduate from a school of practical 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. Exceptions include: (1) 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 licensure will be accepted as meeting the education requirements for VHA employment, (2) 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. (3) Individuals granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school. License: 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 in VA Handbook 5005, Part II. Grade Determinations: GS-7: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level). (a) Experience: completion of at least one year of additional qualifying experience at the GS-6 level or equivalent, fully meeting all the performance requirements for the GS-6 LPN/LVN. (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. Preferred Experience: 2 years long term care. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07.

Education

Physical Requirements:
Physical Demands; Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for this occupation, see duty section for essential duties of this position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted heated and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once and sometimes stressful situations.

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 New Orleans VA Medical Center 2400 Canal Street New Orleans, LA 70119 US
• Name: Kimberly Schutt
• Phone: 713-598-2307
• Email: [email protected]