Licensed Practical Nurse-VA Community Living Center

Summary

This Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) position is located within the VA Community Living Center (CLC) at the Saint Cloud VA Medical Center, Saint Cloud, MN. The mission of the CLC is to provide compassionate, person-centered care to Veterans who require short- and long-term care services. These centers aim to enhance the quality of life for Veterans by offering a range of services, including skilled nursing care, rehabilitation, and hospice care.

Duties

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional This occupational series is eligible for the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP). Repayment is limited to $40,000 annually, up to $100,000 in lifetime awards. Participants must sign a three-year service agreement and maintain an acceptable level of performance to remain eligible for this program. Contact [email protected] for more information. Major duties include, but are not limited to: Provide hands-on care to residents, including administering medications, monitoring vital signs, and assisting with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. Assist in medical procedures, wound care, and other treatments as directed by the registered nurses (RNs) and physicians. Observe and report changes in residents' conditions to RNs and physicians ensuring timely and appropriate medical interventions. Maintain detailed records of residents' health status, treatments, and progress. Offer emotional support to residents, helping to create a comforting and supportive environment. Provide patient/family education on an individual basis according to VA guidelines for care and self-management. Support family members with care and compassion during the end-of-life process, and assist with the necessary arrangements for the body after death. Collaborate with other healthcare professionals, including RNs, physicians, therapists, and social workers, to develop and implement care plans tailored to each resident's needs. Participate in unit committees and activities as directed. Work Schedule: This is a 24/7 unit with a variety of full-time and part time schedules, including day, evening, and night shifts. Alternating weekends and holidays are required. Specific schedules will be discussed during the interview process. Please note: Not all schedules may be immediately available; however, additional shifts may open during the announcement period. Additional Pay: Shift Differential - 10% of basic pay for work performed during regularly scheduled hours between 6pm and 6am. Weekend Premium - 25% of basic pay for work performed between the hours of midnight Friday and midnight Sunday. Holiday Pay - 2 times basic hourly rate for regularly scheduled, non-overtime work on a designated holiday. Physical Requirements: This position requires some degree of fitness, strength, and agility. Duties require extensive periods of standing and walking. Working with patients requires regular and recurring bending, lifting, stooping, stretching, pushing, pulling, lifting arm overhead, and similar activities. You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation. Compressed/Flexible: Available Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). 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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. 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

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. (See Education section of this announcement for exceptions.) 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. 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: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, 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-03 - None beyond the basic requirements. LPNs 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-04 - Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN; OR Graduation from an approved school (which may be waived as provided in paragraph 4 of Section C) 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-05 - 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 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 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