Licensed Practical Nurse

Summary

This Licensed Practical Nurse position is located within the Surgical Care Service at the Providence VA Medical Center in Providence, Rhode Island. This position is full-time at 40 hours per week.

• Applicants pending completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

• 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 – Licensed practical or vocational nurses appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).
• 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 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) or 38 U.S.C. 7405 following Public Law 98‑160 or 99‑576.
• 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–Commonwealth.
• May qualify based on the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who meet the criteria).
• Grade Determinations GS‑07:
  Completion of at least one year of additional qualifying experience at the GS‑6 level (or equivalent) fully meeting all performance requirements for the GS‑6 LPN/LVN.
• Knowledge, skills and abilities:
  
  Knowledge and skills necessary to carry out more specialized patient care duties, including assignments in selected more complex inpatient and/or outpatient care settings.
• Knowledge base promotes the incorporation of current patient care data in actively contributing to the development of the patient’s overall health plan.
• Ability to assist RN and/or MD/DO to appropriately prioritize overall patient care needs and adjust plans for care delivery.
• Makes astute observations of subtle, less obvious changes – physical and emotional – in patient’s condition and accurately and thoroughly documents care delivered.
• Appropriately seeks assistance and guidance by informing RN or MD/DO of changes in the patient’s condition requiring higher‑level intervention.
• At this grade level – the LPN/LVN is expected to participate to a greater degree in prioritizing and modifying patient care treatment.
• Ability to observe more subtle physical and emotional changes in patients and demonstrate taking appropriate action based on those observations.
• Ability to proactively assist the RN or MD/DO in addressing patient’s needs for medication/treatments, accurately administering prescribed medications and recording administration and patient response.
• Demonstrates knowledge and ability to recognize more subtle signs and symptoms of potential or actual drug reactions and promptly inform the RN or MD/DO.
• Employees at this grade level demonstrate broader knowledge and skill with respect to these responsibilities than employees at lower grade levels.
• Knowledge and skill to promptly recognize potential urgent or emergent patient care situations, seek assistance and effectively intervene to assure optimal and safe patient care delivery.
• At this grade level – the LPN/LVN must have a broader knowledge of the patient treatment process and exercise judgment to effectively intervene when appropriate.
• Assists individuals or groups of patients and their families in taking an active role in promoting…