Summary
This position is located in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Southeast Network (VISN 7), Central Alabama VA Medical Center- Tuskegeein Tuskegee, AL. The Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) performs assigned duties in a manner that promotes quality health care service, positive customer service, and the maintenance of an environment committed to serving the Veterans.
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Duties
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Community Living Center Licensed Practical Nurse serves under general supervision and contributes to the interdisciplinary healthcare team development of the patient's overall health plan and in carrying out assigned nursing interventions.
- Be available to deploy with 72 hours' notice within 2 windows of time per calendar year, for up to a month at a time
- Work in a high-stress environment, possibly in austere conditions or an emergency setting
- Treat or provide direct patient care within the requirements of practice/privileges/licensure
- Participate in CDT training activities and demonstrate readiness to apply professional skills to a range of emergency situations
- Ensure qualifications and required certifications are maintained, including Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), or Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) certification
- Maintain CDT physical readiness requirements, vaccinations, and safety precautions related to infection control
Duties may include but not limited to:
- Taking vital signs, pain screening, applying binders, bandages, and restraints, and adhering to isolation practices.
- Prepares medications and administers via ordered route, and appropriately documents intervention.
- Provides a range of customer focused nursing care and treatment procedures to patients/residents: Personal hygiene, grooming, turning, lifting and positioning patients/residents to prevent decubitus/stimulate circulation; insert nasogastric tubes, tube feeding, monitoring and maintaining rate of IV fluids; assisting in maintenance of patency of gastric and urinary drainage; performing urinary catheterizations, administering all types of enemas; assisting patients with nebulization treatment.
- Collects data for patient assessments and documents in a timely and accurate manner.
- Participates as a member of the interdisciplinary team planning conference.
- Prepares and administers prescribed medications (orally and intramuscular injections).
- Checks narcotics, certifying correctness with the off-going and on-coming registered nurse.
- Assists with rehabilitative/restorative aspects of care, sensory stimulations, Reality Orientation, Social and Reminiscent group sessions; patient's/resident's participating in individual/group and ADL, other prescribed therapies.
- Recognizes signs of cardiac/respiratory arrests and choking; initiating Code Blue signals, applying CPR measures and other resuscitative measures.
- Fosters a positive climate that is socially, emotionally, and physically comfortable for patients/residents and families.
- Reports promptly to duty as scheduled and carrying out assignments in a timely manner.
Work Schedule: 7:30am-4:00pm, 3:30pm-12:00am, 12:00am-8:30am. All tours are subject to a rotating schedule that includes weekends and holidays
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 60029F, 6008F, 6009F, 619-59890-A
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
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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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
- Must pass pre-employment physical examination and maintain CDT physical readiness.
- 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 or 2-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.
- English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(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 granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school AND have at least one year of successful practice as an LPN/ LVN.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 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 (a) Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN; or(b) 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 (c) Graduation from an approved school of at least 24 months duration.
GS-05Completion of at least 1 year of qualifying experience at the GS-4 level or equivalent.
- Knowledge and ability to provide a full range of practical nursing care to patients with a variety of physical and/or behavioral problems.
- Ability to serve as a responsible member of a nursing team and interact in an appropriate manner with patients, family members, professional and/or other support personnel involved in the delivery of patient care.
- Knowledge and skill sufficient to prepare, administer, and appropriately document actions taken specific to commonly prescribed oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular and/or intravenous medications. This includes observing and documenting patient responses to medication and reporting noted changes in the patient's condition.
- Knowledge and ability to recognize the need for and to institute emergency measures and assist in resuscitation procedures in cardia and/or pulmonary arrest.
- Recognize and appropriately respond to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazards, and supply deficiencies.
GS-06Completion 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.
- Proficiency 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, using judgment in selecting the appropriate order and sequence of procedures and treatments, and accurately recognizing, reporting, and recording relevant patient information
- 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, documents, and reports physical and/or emotional changes in the patient's condition from prescribed medications/treatments.
- Knowledge and ability to recognize urgent or emergent patient care situations and initiating appropriate emergency interventions as directed.
- Knowledge and understanding of human behavior, patient motivations and reactions to situations and the ability to appropriately utilize this knowledge in working effectively with patients, family members and other staff.
- Establishes constructive relationships with individual patients and their families to elicit feelings and attitudes, to promote positive relationships, communication, and socialization skills. Fosters an environment of respect for individual patient and family rights to privacy and dignity in all aspects of care delivery. Effectively incorporates knowledge and understanding of customer service standards in all interactions with patients, family members, and/or other internal/external customers.
- Knowledge and skill in performing support duties for complex diagnostic tests and/or specialized practices or procedures, which includes preparing the patient and 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, and 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 and skills, sharing new knowledge gained with other staff to improve and advance nursing practice.
Preferred Experience and Certifications
- 1 year of Long Term Care experience
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-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-6.
Physical Requirements: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, without hazard to themselves or others. Depending on the essential duties of a specific position, usable vision, color vision, hearing or speech may be required. However, in most cases, a specific physical condition or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid.
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 for 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 leav
