Summary

This position is located at the VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics (VASORCC) - White City - in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

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: 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)
• Education: Graduate of a school of practical or vocational nursing approved by the appropriate State agency and/or accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) formerly known as the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) - at the time the program was completed
• Exceptions include: Health care education obtained in the military service or training in the military service which was accepted by the licensing body in the jurisdiction in which you are licensed
• 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) in implementation of Public Law 98-160 - enacted November 21 - 1983 - or who was converted to an appointment under 38 U.S.C. 7405 in implementation of Public Law 99-576 - enacted October 28 - 1986
• Granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school
• 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
• 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)
• 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: The GS-7 grade level is for select - complex LPN/LVN positions - as established by each health care facility
• To be advanced - employees must meet all of the following standards - provided the standard is part of their assignment
• Completion of at least one (1) year of additional qualifying experience at the GS-6 level or equivalent - fully meeting all of the performance requirements for the GS-6 LPN/LVN
• Knowledge and skills necessary to care out more specialized patient care duties - including assignments in more complex inpatient and/or outpatient care settings
• 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 - both physical and emotional - in patient's condition - and accurately and thoroughly documents care delivered and patient's response to care that could require immediate modification of the patient's care plan
• Ability to proactively assist the RN or MD/OD in addressing patient's needs for medication/treatments - accurately administering prescribed medications/treatments and appropriately recording patient's response to medications/treatments received
• Knowledge and skill to promptly recognize potential urgent or emergent patient care situations - seek assistance of the RN and/or MD/DO for appropriate team intervention and effectively intervene - as directed - to assure the continuation of optimal - safe and therapeutic patient care delivery
• Assists individuals or groups of patients and their families to take an active role in promoting health lifestyles for more positive outcomes
• Exercises skill in influencing and communicating with unusually difficult to care for or communicate with patients and/or family members who may exhibit problems with lack of self-control - resistant or abusive behaviors - or impediments in their ability to understand or follow instructions
• Exhibits skill - creativity - and initiative in contributing to the improvement of overall care delivery and patient and/or family satisfaction levels
• Possesses comprehensive practical nursing knowledge and skills in specialized procedures and practices to serve as a resource person for other staff in organizing and implementing more complex/specialized patient care
• Supports the RN or MD/DO in monitoring the practice of unlicensed nursing or non-medical staff in patient care delivery
• Work of considerable difficulty and responsibility is performed under general supervision
• Individuals in these positions are - to a considerable extent - expected to exercise independent technical judgments and to possess and apply a comprehensive working knowledge of the principles - art and science of practical nursing
• The staff mix is such that employees at this grade level are expected to perform practical nursing duties of considerable difficulty and responsibility under very general supervision
• Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills - and providing leadership in assisting other staff improve and advance their nursing practice
• Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity - keen hearing - clear distinctive speech - and manual dexterity
• This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking - standing - stooping - sitting - bending - pulling - and pushing
• Transferring patients and objects may be required
• Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided
• The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations - operative/invasive procedures - or home settings
• The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs
• Must complete annual Employee Health requirements - such as annual TB screening or testing - as a condition of employment
• Preferred Experience: Extensive experience in assisting in the areas of Orthopedics and/or Physical Medicine (Physiatry) Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Duties

• Major Duties include but are not limited to: The LPN/LVN 7 is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the orthopedic program - which involves collaborating with others in the execution of the program
• Works directly with the orthopedic provider and physiatrist to manage Veterans new and established to the clinic
• Provides education - develops educational tools - and facilitates training by subject matter experts within the area of assignment - representing orthopedics from an organizational perspective
• Responsible for any patient - staff education/training - documentation - and assistance with workload capture that is basic for the completion of a visit and/or training
• Follows up on referrals for patients with new orthopedic problems
• Assists with procedures to provide diagnosis or treatment - invasive or noninvasive - necessary to maintain the health of our Veterans
• Documents provided nursing care
• Completes any clinical reminders that are due
• Performs personal care - diagnostic support duties - and treatments according to procedure
• Responds to Veteran needs - including physical comfort and emotional needs - and recognizes deviations from the normal
• Involves stakeholders in the provision of care throughout the continuum
• Demonstrates the ability to plan and organize workload independently
• Knowledge and skill to promptly recognize potentially urgent or emergent care situations (in clinic or on the telephone) - seek assistance of the ACOS - SC and/or Provider for appropriate team intervention - and effectively intervene to assure the continuation of optimal - safe - and therapeutic patient care delivery
• Ensures emergency procedures are clearly communicated to other staff members and are incorporated into the facility wide emergency plan
• Common examples of this could be responding to an employee with reported chest pain and facilitating 911access while administering immediate emergency medical support until transport arrives
• Serves as the primary coordinator for the orthopedic program
• serves as the onsite point of care/consultant in the clinical areas for the main campus and is consultative by phone during emergent situations to the Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) sites
• Serves as a liaison between program officials at the facility - Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) - and national program offices and front-line staff - patients - and providers located both locally at the main site and remotely at the CBOCs
• Participate in quality improvement activities in orthopedics that promote the standards of care as defined by the facility - the region or national program managers
• Ensures that visiting LIPs (MD) have clinic scheduled in advance and patient care provision is specific as detailed
• Prepares patient - set up equipment and assists in or performs the following tests/procedures (or others as requested): Wound Care - Dressing Changes3 Triage nurse for walk-in patients to Orthopedics IM Injections
• EMG/Nerve Testing Staple/Suture Removal Placing and removing casts/splints per provider order
• Assist/obtain samples of scrapings - smears - biopsies
• Prepare to send to lab and then follow up on results
• Conducts all tests associated with the EPRP clinical reminder
• Assisting with minor surgical procedures
• Must know sterile (to include surgical) techniques
• Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm PST
• Monday to Friday Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• 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) 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 Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional