About This Role
This nursing role involves serving as a responsible member of the nursing team, interacting with Veterans, family members, clinicians, and supportive personnel regarding patient care. The work includes a full range of functions with general review by a Registered Nurse or clinician, focusing on diverse patient populations and directly affecting their well-being.
Responsibilities
- Appropriately interact with Veterans, Family Members, Clinicians, and Supportive Personnel related to patient care activities and outcomes, adhering to established customer service standards
- Recognize that illness and/or hospitalization may cause fear and anxiety which patients may express in a variety of behaviors and respond appropriately
- Anticipate circumstances or populations that may increase the likelihood of a fear or anxiety response and intervene appropriately and promptly
- Identify age-specific or population-specific learning needs and provide patient education materials, documenting teaching in the medical record
- Provide patient education on topics such as pre and post-op care, diabetic self-care, wound/stoma care, activities of daily living, self-administration of medication, common disease-specific education, health coaching, injection training, blood glucose checks, dietary concerns, and tobacco cessation
- Promote team cohesion, participate in unit activities to enhance a positive work environment, and contribute to performance improvement activities
- Respond to view alerts, secure messages, and clinic protocols and procedures
- Ensure all members of the healthcare team are aware of patient concerns, changes in health status, or patient needs
- Seek guidance as needed for complex or infrequent care needs
- Ensure documentation in the medical record reflects conversations with Veterans, families, and other members of the healthcare team, including actions taken, communication, and follow-up
- Remain current on licensure requirements, basic life support, and all related mandatory education
- Demonstrate nursing functions within the scope of practice
- Demonstrate knowledge and skill sufficient to prepare, administer, and appropriately document actions taken specific to commonly prescribed oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular, and/or intravenous medications in accordance with facility policies and procedures
- Perform treatments according to established policies, operating procedures, and protocols
- Demonstrate the ability to recognize and report abnormalities or deviations from normal, take initial corrective action, and report to the RN and/or Clinician
- Contribute to Veteran treatment plans and support the successful completion of healthcare visits by collecting and reporting data, providing health coaching and disease-specific education, and administering medications and treatments
- Collect information about the whole person, including physical, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual aspects, and identify further avenues of inquiry
- Observe, identify, and respond to the patient's nursing needs, including physical comfort and emotional needs, and recognize deviations from the normal
- Involve patients and family to participate in the provision of care throughout the continuum
- Organize and deliver care while recognizing and considering emotional, cultural, spiritual, socioeconomic, and age-related factors
Requirements
- U.S. citizenship (non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens)
- 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
- Health care education or training in the military service accepted by the licensing body in the jurisdiction in which the individual is licensed as qualifying for full LPN/LVN 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
- Proficiency in both spoken and written English
GS-05:
- Completion of at least 1 full year of qualifying experience at the GS-04 level or equivalent
- Demonstrated ability to serve as a responsible member of the nursing team in an appropriate manner with patients, family members, professional and other supportive personnel involved in the delivery of patient care
- Knowledge and skills sufficient to prepare, administer, and appropriately document actions taken specific to commonly prescribed oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular, and/or intravenous medications as permitted and approved local facility policies and procedures
- Observation and documentation will include patients' response to medication administered and the reporting of any noted change in patient condition to the RN or Clinician
- Knowledge and ability to recognize the need for and to institute emergency measures when indicated, promptly seek the assistance of the RN or Clinician, and assist in resuscitation procedures in cardiac and/or pulmonary arrest
- Recognize and appropriately respond to the breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazards, and supply deficiencies, promptly reporting to appropriate personnel for corrective action
GS-06:
- Completion of at least one full year of qualifying experience at the GS-05 level or equivalent
- 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' condition
- Use judgment in selecting the appropriate order and sequence of procedures and treatments
- Accurately recognize, report, and record relevant patient information
- Completed work should need only a general review by a RN or Clinician for appropriateness and conformity with established policies and procedures
- Ability to observe, identify, and respond to the 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, cultural, spiritual, socio-economic, and age-related factors
- Prepare and administer prescribed medications (oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular, and/or intravenous) and perform treatments according to established policies/procedures
- Observe 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 Clinician
- Knowledge and ability to recognize urgent or emergent patient care situations, seek assistance of RN or Clinician, and initiate appropriate emergency interventions as directed
- Knowledge and understanding of human behavior, patient motivations and reactions to situations, and ability to appropriately utilize this knowledge in working effectively with patients, family members, and other staff
- Establish constructive relationships with individual patients and their families to elicit feelings and attitudes and to promote positive relationships, communication, and socialization skills
- Foster an environment of respect for individual patient and family rights to privacy and dignity in all aspects of care delivery
- Effectively incorporate knowledge and understanding of established customer service standards in all interactions with patients, family members, and/or other internal/external customers
- Knowledge and skills 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 condition before, during, and following the procedure
- Serve as a preceptor in orienting, educating, and training less experienced LPN/LVN/NA/HT related to support duties for the more complex specialized tests/procedures
- Actively seek out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills, sharing new knowledge gained with other staff to improve and advance nursing practice
Important Details
- Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm. Extended hours may be required at a future date when the Healthcare Center is fully operational.
- Functional Statement Title/Number: Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse GS-0620-6 Ambulatory Care
About the Company
Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
