Licensed Practical Nurse

Summary

The primary purpose of the Outpatient Primary Care Licensed Practical/Licensed Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN) is to provide foundational, patient-centered nursing care under the supervision and direction of a registered nurse (RN) or provider, supporting safe, efficient clinical operations and contributing to high-quality care within the healthcare team.

Duties

DUTIES: Performing routine structured/focused health screenings or the equivalent, delivering basic nursing interventions, promoting patient safety, and assisting with ensuring smooth clinic flow, while reinforcing patient education, preventive care, and continuity of services across the care experience. Completing preventive procedures, nursing tasks, chart reviews, panel scrubbing, daily huddles, and visit preparation with routine or detailed higher-level review depending upon the complexity of the duties involved. Provides entry-level patient-centered support by confirming the reason for visit, conducting pre-visit outreach, reinforcing instructions, and ensuring Veterans bring needed logs, equipment, and health information. Performs pre-visit planning by reviewing records, obtaining missing documentation, updating changes in conditions or treatments, and preparing clinical data to support an efficient, high-quality appointment with routine or detailed higher-level review depending upon the complexity of the duties involved. Supports team operations by participating in pre-planning, daily huddles, and team meetings, and by assisting with patient care activities such as immunizations, injections, procedures, prevention efforts, and serving as a chaperone when appropriate and within the limits of educational preparation, experience, and competencies. Collaborates with the PACT to achieve access, continuity, quality, and patient-experience goals, contributing to panel management through schedule review, identifying appropriate visit modalities, and completing or routing secure messages with routine or detailed higher-level review depending upon the complexity of the duties involved. Supporting efficient clinic operations by completing screening reminders, rooming patients, assisting providers, managing room turnover, and conducting pre-visit calls to prepare patients for labs and procedures. Contributing to schedule management by reviewing upcoming appointments, identifying opportunities for alternate care modalities, facilitating consult tracking, and serving as backup for post-discharge calls. Maintains clinic flow by rooming patients, collecting vital data, completing assigned clinical reminders, assisting providers with procedures, administering commonly prescribed medications and immunizations, and maintaining clean, stocked exam rooms. Supports clinical decision-making by reviewing medications and allergies, identifying urgent needs, initiating nursing protocols or clinical pathways as locally approved, and communicating key findings to the RN or provider. Maintains an organized and efficient clinical environment by keeping exam rooms clean and stocked, managing supplies and equipment, and performing required quality control checks. Contributes to patient care planning and promotes Whole Health principles by providing input, supporting shared decision-making, and assisting the team in delivering patient-centered, collaborative care. Using clinic tools and workflows, participating in PACT meetings and helping maintain continuity, coordination, and quality of care across the team. Enhances team functioning through health coaching, patient education, secure message management, consult tracking, participation in PACT meetings, and follow-up with no-show patients to ensure safety and continuity of care. Uses judgment in selecting the appropriate order and sequence of procedures and treatments; supports clinical decision-making by reviewing medications and allergies, identifying urgent needs, initiating nursing protocols or clinical pathways as locally approved, and communicating key findings to the RN or provider. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 7:45am to 4:15pm Telework: Not available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 10503F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

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. English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. 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. Exceptions include: 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. OR Current GS-0620 LPN/LVN employee of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) who was converted to an appointment under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) in implementation of Public Law 98-160, enacted November 21, 1983, or who was converted to an appointment under 38 U.S.C. 7405 in implementation of Public Law 99-576, enacted October 28, 1986. OR Individual granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school. Licensure - Active, full, current and unrestricted licensure as a Graduate Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico), of the United States or the District of Columbia. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met for the GS-6 Level. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade. GS-06 - 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. 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 a 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, 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 behav