LICENSED PRACTICAL/VOCATIONAL NURSE MENTAL HEALTH/MHRRTP

Summary

The primary purpose of the LPN/ LVN is to perform assigned duties in a manner that promotes quality health care, positive customer service and the maintenance of an environment committed to serving the veteran. The LPN/LVN also performs assigned duties in a manner that promotes quality health care, outstanding customer service, and the maintenance of an environment committed to serving the veteran.

Duties

Duties and responsibilities of the LICENSED PRACTICAL/VOCATIONAL NURSE MENTAL HEALTH/MHRRTP include, but are not limited to: Provides recovery-oriented care and implements interventions based on the Veteran's goal(s) in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team and Veteran. Utilizes evidence-based tools in the assessment and measurement of symptoms of mental health and substance use disorders (e.g. CIWA, COWS, PHQ-9, GAD-7, CSSRS). Utilizes best practice in the management of Veterans at risk for suicide. Evaluates psychosocial functioning. Triages Veteran needs as they arise Has knowledge and understanding of program regulations and is able to carry out objectives of the Nursing program. In doing this, follows the guidelines to meet and maintain program requirements Provides direct nursing care to patients in a variety of healthcare settings Documents care provided; observations and responses on appropriate tools or forms, observing changes in patient's condition (e.g., behavior shifts, mood changes, skin coloring, appetite, etc.) Based on assigned area, performs nursing care procedures (e.g., sterile techniques, blood glucose monitoring, catheterization, suctioning, wound care, colostomy care, tube feeding, tracheotomy care, oxygen therapy, deep breathing and coughing, and specimen collection) according to policy, guidelines, and oversight from senior nursing staff. Complies with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for pretreatment/cleaning Reusable Medical Devices (RMD) in applicable patient care setting. Recognizes the patient's autonomy and promotes independence by means of respect, limit setting and individualized treatment Communicates information in a calm, non-judgmental, and non-threatening manner. Takes and accurately records vital signs, height and weight and records in Electronic Health Record. Assists health care providers with procedures by assembling equipment, positioning/holding the patient, and/or handling equipment/instruments. Prepares patient for diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures Uses appropriate therapeutic interventions tor all patients. Recognizes and appropriately responds to patients who require nursing care, e.g., seriously ill, disturbed, confused, and/or wandering Promotes performance improvement initiatives, identifies problems, collects data, and supports change Identifies, reports and documents changes in patient's behavior or condition to the RN and appropriate collaborative treatment team members Participates in structured activities (e.g., groups, orientation, and diversional activities),based on patient care needs Participates in the interdisciplinary treatment team meeting process, including sharing observations and patient's responses to interventions Responsible for participating within unit based and/or organizational level Shared Governance councils, utilizing clinical expertise, evidence-based practice, and knowledge to assist with finding solutions to problems or issues to improve the quality care provided to veterans VA Careers - Licensed Practical Nurse: https://youtube.com/embed/Ae85IP1Oiz4 Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: 7:30am - 8:00pm This is a FT, Temp Appt, NTE 5/1/2028 Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized to highly qualified and eligible new federal appointees or former federal employees with at least a 90-day break in service. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 21004F, 21005F, 21006F, 21007F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements

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 evaluation/examination. 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. 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: 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-05: Completion 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-06: Completion 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 response to a patient's needs for care including medication, equipment-assisted care, and patient/family education 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. 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 Preferred Experience: Preferred candidate will have 3-5 years of LPN experience BLS required 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: The work requires physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items such as assisting patients, manuals, record boxes, or equipment. The work requires above average agility and dexterity. The incumbent may be required to travel between VA and/or CBOCs and possession of a valid driver's license is required

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/. How You Will Be Evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). 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. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. Other 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 leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.