Duties
Major Duties include but not limited to:
- Supports a home-like environment in which Residents are offered choices and preferences are honored in regards to activities of daily living including: wake, sleep, and meal times, bath schedules, recreational activities, etc.
- Provides direct personal and clinical care to Residents with cognitive limitations.
- Provides support with restorative care, ADL's, and total personal care based on individual Resident needs.
- Manages wounds, pain, clinical conditions, and provides emotional support to the CLC Residents and their families as needed.
- Knowledge and skill to sufficiently prepare, administer, and document actions specific to medication administration including: oral, sublingual, subcutaneous, intravascular, and intramuscular routes.
- LPNs must possess strong clinical and astute observational skills, experience in geriatric population care, pain management experience, and the ability to provide extensive emotional support.
VA Careers - Licensed Practical Nurse: https://youtube.com/embed/Ae85IP1Oiz4
Work Schedule: 12 Hour Shifts with Rotating weekends
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.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
- All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
- Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
- Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
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 the National League for Nursing 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 Standards. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
- English Language Proficiency. Licensed practical or vocational nurses appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in both spoken & written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) & 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 & meet the criteria).
Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated in section A, the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade.
GS-4: Employees may be appointed at or advanced to GS-4 if they meet any of the criteria in paragraphs below:
Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or 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 & sterile techniques and procedures
or
Graduation from an approved school of at least 24 months duration
LPNs at the GS4 grade level perform all duties expected of employees at the GS3 grade level; however, they are expected to exercise greater judgment, require less supervision & to operate in accordance with all established policies, procedures & techniques.
GS-5: Completion of at least 1 year of qualifying experience at the GS-4 level or equivalent.
Demonstrated knowledge & 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.
Demonstrated ability to serve as a responsible member of the nursing team & interact in an appropriate manner with patients, family members, professional & other supportive personnel involved in the delivery of patient care established customer service standards into practice.
Knowledge & skill sufficient to prepare, administer & appropriately document actions taken specific to commonly prescribed oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular and/or intravenous medications as permitted by approved local facility policies & procedures. Observation & documentation will include patient's response to medication administered & the reporting of any noted change in patient's condition to RN or MD/DO.
Knowledge & 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 & appropriately responds to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazards & 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 GS5 level or equivalent, fully meeting all performance requirements for the GS5 LPN/LVN.
Technically proficient in initiating, performing and completing assigned duties in providing care to variable patient populations.
Knowledge & ability to appropriately carry out assigned patient care based on the patients' conditions; to use judgment in selecting the appropriate order & sequence of procedures and treatments; & to accurately recognize, report & record relevant patient information. Completed work should need only a general review by a registered nurse or physician (MD/DO) for appropriateness & conformity with established policies/procedures.
Ability to observe, identify & respond to the patient's needs for medication, equipment-assisted care & patient/family education. In organizing & delivering care, the LPN/LVN recognizes & considers emotional, cultural, spiritual, socio-economic & age-related factors.
Prepares & administers prescribed medications-oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular and/or intravenous- & performs treatments according to established policies/procedures.
Observes for physical and/or emotional changes in patient's condition from prescribed medications/treatments, promptly & accurately documenting noted changes and reporting any deviations from normal to RN or MD/DO.
Knowledge & ability to recognize urgent or emergent patient care situations, seek assistance of the RN and/or MD/DO & initiate appropriate emergency interventions as directed.
Knowledge & understanding of human behavior, patient motivations & reactions to situations & ability to appropriately utilize this knowledge in working effectively with patients, family members and other staff.
Establishes constructive relationships with individual patients & their families to elicit feelings & attitudes and to promote positive relationships, communication & socialization skills. Fosters an environment of respect for individual patient & family rights to privacy and dignity in all aspects of care delivery. Effectively incorporates knowledge & understanding of established customer service standards in all interactions with patients, family members and/or other internal/external customers. Knowledge & 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, & 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 & skills, sharing new knowledge gained with other staff to improve and advance nursing practice.
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-4 to GS-6.
Physical Requirements: This position includes a level of physicality normally associated with duties performed by nurses such as direct patient care and potentially long periods of walking, standing, sitting, moderate lifting, repeated bending or kneeling and heavy lifting (45 pounds and over)
.
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/.
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.