Summary You will serve as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) for the Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center's Patient-Aligned Care Team (PACT) at the Ambulatory Care Outpatient Clinic located in Boardman, Oregon. Responsibilities Duties include but are not limited to: Ensure appropriate evaluation and access is provided to patients assigned to the patient panel. Function at the full extent of the team member's scope of practice based on experience/training. Participate in team performance improvement and sustainment activities to enhance care delivery. Implement primary care operations management processes and access to Veteran centered care, Life Goal, etc. Manage communications and facilitate safe transitions of the Veteran between the PACT and other health care settings using warm hand-off communication either in person or by telephone. Use informal/formal communications that are respectful, effective, and timely with all team members and other internal/external customers to convey significant information for the care of the patient. Provide health education on wellness, disease prevention, chronic care management and self-management skills to patients and personal support persons, based on the documented expertise or professional training of the PACT member. Engage patients in using health care, encouraging patients to engage in personal support, and receive input from patients and personal support persons regarding VA care. Utilize all available tools, such as registries, to enable effective and efficient identification and intervention of individual patients and cohorts. Collaborate with informatics technology staff to develop and implement systematized, electronically supported, standardized, tools to support PACT care delivery processes (e.g., pre-visit reminder calls, post-hospitalization follow-up calls, recall scheduling procedures, new patient orientation, disease registries and primary care protocols for chronic disease management) as needed. Follows medical center policies. Promotes patient and personal safety. Complete Success and Motivational Interview training. Provides ideal customer service to all Veterans. Perform other duties as assigned. VA Careers - Licensed Practical Nurse: https://youtube.com/embed/Ae85IP1Oiz4 Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM PDT. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized. Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP): Not authorized. Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases eligible. 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. Receiving Service Credit or 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. 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: This is not a Telework position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Requirements Conditions of Employment 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 dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical 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. 5 CFR § 330.502 - General restriction on movement after competitive appointment applies. 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 To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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: Licensed practical or vocational nurses appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in both spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Licensure: Must possess a 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. EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED): 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. Verification can be obtained from the State approving agency or the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, 61 Broadway, 33rd Floor, New York, NY 10006. Additional information may also be obtained from the NLNAC Website. TRANSCRIPTS WITH CONFER DATE REQUIRED. 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. VHA employees who were converted to appointments under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) in implementation of Public Law 98-160, enacted November 21, 1983, and for VHA employees converted to appointments under 38 U.S.C. 7405 in implementation of Public Law 99-576, enacted October 28, 1986; and for their future personnel actions under this authority. The waiver will not apply to persons appointed under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) or 7405 after these conversions. Individuals are granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school. See paragraph 4, section C. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade. GS-03 Level: 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 Level: At least six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN. At this level LPN/LVNs are expected to exercise greater judgment, require less supervision, and to operate in accordance with all established policies, procedures, and techniques. OR Graduate of an approved school 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 Graduate from an approved school of at least 24 months duration. GS-5 Level: At least one year of qualifying experience equivalent to the GS-4 level under the general supervision of an RN or MD/DO that has provided you with the following: 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. Demonstrated knowledge and 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, and /or prescribed treatment regimes. Demonstrated knowledge and 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 and incorporating acceptable, established customer service standards into practice. 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 when indicated, promptly seek the assistance of the RN or MD/DO and assist in resuscitation procedures in cardiac and/or pulmonary arrest. Recognize and appropriately respond to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazards, and supply deficiencies, promptly reporting to appropriate personnel for corrective action. GS-6 Level: At least one year of qualifying experience equivalent to the GS-5 level that has provided you with the following but not limited to: 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' conditions, using judgment in selecting the appropriate order and sequence of procedures and treatments, and accurately recognizing, reporting, and recording relevant patient information. Completed work should need only a general review by a registered nurse (RN) or physician (MD/DO) for appropriateness and conformity with established policies/procedures. Ability to observe, identify, and respond to a 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, socio-economic, and age-related factors. 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, seeking assistance of the RN and/or MD/DO, 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. Serves as a preceptor in orienting, educating, and training less experienced LPNs/LVNs or NAs/HTs related to support duties for these more complex, specialized tests/procedures. 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/. Additional Information Physical Requirements: This position involves considerable amount of standing (up to 2 hours), walking (up to 6 hours), stooping, sitting, bending, reaching, lifting, turning, pulling, and pushing. It requires visual acuity (corrected to 20/30 or better with color discrimination), keen hearing (at a level to provide safe and effective nursing care clear distinctive speech), and manual dexterity. The position requires repositioning patients, assisting with transfers from wheelchairs and stretchers, and transporting them to other departments or facilities. Mechanical devices are available and are required to be used for heavy or difficult to lift patient/clients. The work may involve pushing or lifting in excess of 45 pounds and going up and down flights of stairs. The position requires that the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to work for periods of time with arms above shoulder level or with neck in a fully flexed or extended position. The LPN may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia or psychiatric disorders. The LPN many be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures, or home settings. The incumbent must possess sound and logical clinical judgment. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. The position also requires ability to work on computers for extended periods of time. If applicable, the incumbent may be required to complete screening or testing through Employee Health. Work Conditions: A Licensed practical Nurse (LPN) works in a primary care Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) setting primarily works in an outpatient, office clinic environment, caring for a range of veterans by performing direct patient care, medication administration, and clinical support for providers. The environment is typically well-lit and ventilated but can be stressful, requiring multitasking and the ability to handle several tasks at once. LPNs play a vital role on the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT). 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.
