Licensed Practical Nurse-Outpatient Primary Care

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.

01Basic 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).

02Grade Determinations

GS-3: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-4:(a) Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or L VN; or (b) Graduation from an approved school (which may be waived as provided in paragraph 4 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-5: (a) Completion of at least 1 year of qualifying experience at the GS-4 level or equivalent.(b) Demonstrated knowledge and ability to provide a full range of practical nursing care to patients with a variety of physical and/or behavioral problems.(c) Demonstrated ability to serve as a responsible member of the nursing team and interact in an appropriate manner with patients, family members, professional and [other] supportive personnel involved in the delivery of patient care, incorporating acceptable, established customer service standards into practice.(d) Knowledge and skill sufficient to prepare, administer, and appropriately document actions taken specific to commonly prescribed oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular, and/or intravenous medications as permitted by approved local facility policies and procedures.(e) Knowledge and ability to recognize the need for and to institute emergency measures when indicated, promptly seek the assistance of the RN or MD/DO, and assist in resuscitation procedures in cardiac and/or pulmonary arrest.(f) Recognizes and appropriately responds to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazards, and supply deficiencies, promptly reporting to appropriate personnel for corrective action.(g) Completed work is under the general supervision of an RN or MD/DO.

Individuals at this grade level are expected to have a broad working knowledge of practical nursing procedures. However, completion of more complex practices or procedures may be subject to closer higher-level review.

GS-6:Completion of at least 1 year of qualifying experience at the GS-5 level or equivalent, fully meeting all performance requirements for the GS-5 LPN/LVN.(a) Technically proficient in initiating, performing and completing assigned duties in providing care to variable patient populations(b) Knowledge and ability to appropriately carry out assigned patient care based on the patients' conditions; to use judgment in selecting the appropriate order and sequence of procedures and treatments; and to accurately recognize, report and record relevant patient information.(c) Ability to observe, identify and respond to the patient's needs for care, including medication, equipment-assisted care and patient/family education.(d) Prepares and administers prescribed medications (oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular and/or intravenous) and performs treatments according to established policies/procedures.(e) Knowledge and ability to recognize urgent or emergent patient care situations, seek assistance of the RN and/or MD/DO, and initiate appropriate emergency interventions as directed.(f) Establishes constructive relationships with individual patients and their families to elicit feelings and attitudes, and to promote positive relationships, communication and socialization skills.(g) Knowledge and skill 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's condition before, during, and following the procedure.(h) Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills, sharing new knowledge gained with other staff to improve and advance nursing practice.

03Preferred Experience

Previous Experience of Primary Care in a Medical Office Setting. Experience in Phlebotomy and EKG. Experience in caring for patients of varying ages with multiple acute and chronic conditions. 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.

04Physical 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.

The primary purpose of the Outpatient Primary Care Licensed Practical/Licensed Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN) is to provide patient-centered nursing care under the supervision and direction of a registered nurse (RN) or provider, supporting safe, efficient clinical operations and contributing to high-quality care within the healthcare team.

Licensed Practical Nurses have the knowledge and ability to provide a full range of practical nursing care to patients, however, completion of more complex practices and procedures may be subject to closer-higher-level review. Nursing practice must be in accordance with the Nurse Practice Act of the State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia governing licensure.

The duties include but are not limited to: Performing structured/focused health screenings or the equivalent, delivering basic nursing interventions, promoting patient safety, and ensuring smooth clinic flow, while reinforcing patient education, preventive care, and continuity of services across the care experience based on a broad working knowledge of practical nursing care and procedures. Completing preventive procedures, nursing tasks, chart reviews, panel scrubbing, daily huddles, and visit preparation.

Works with the RN and/or provider 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. Supporting efficient clinic operations by completing screening reminders, rooming patients, assisting providers, managing room turnover, and conducting pre-visit calls to prepare patients for labs and procedures.

Contributing to schedule management by reviewing upcoming appointments, identifying opportunities for alternate care modalities, facilitating consult tracking, and serving as backup for post-discharge calls. Using clinic tools and workflows, participating in PACT meetings and helping maintain continuity, coordination, and quality of care across the team.

Provides a full range of practical nursing care and patient-centered support by confirming the reason for visit, conducting pre-visit outreach, reinforcing instructions, and ensuring Veterans bring needed logs, equipment, and health information. Supports clinical decision-making by reviewing medications and allergies, identifying urgent needs, initiating nursing protocols or clinical pathways as locally approved, and communicating key findings to the RN or provider.

Enhances team functioning through health coaching, patient education, secure message management, consult tracking, participation in PACT meetings, and follow-up with no-show patients to ensure safety and continuity of care. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae85IP1Oiz4&source_ve_path=MTc4NDI0 Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: 08:00-16:30 Pay Scale: VA73 Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authrorized.

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized. Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Authorized. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 99265-FS Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized.