Practical Nurse

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred & 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 accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) http://www.nlnac.org at the time the program was completed by the applicant. OR 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. Licensure: Full, active, current & 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. NOTE: 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 of this part. Grade Determinations: In addition to the Basic Requirements, candidates must meet requirements for each grade level applied for as outlined below: GS-03: None beyond basic requirements. GS-04: Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN. OR, Graduation from an approved school & one year of experience & 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 & procedures;. OR, Graduation from an approved school of at least 24 months duration. LPNs at the GS-4 grade level perform all duties expected of employees at the GS-3 grade level; however, they are expected to exercise greater judgment, require less supervision, & to operate in accordance with all established policies, procedure, & techniques. GS-05: Requires at least 1 year of qualifying experience at the GS-4 level or equivalent. In addition the following criteria must be met: 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, & /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, incorporating acceptable, 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 & to institute emergency measures when indicated, promptly seek the assistance of the RN or MD/DO & assist in resuscitation procedures in cardiac and/or pulmonary arrest. Recognizes & appropriately responds to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazar