Licensed Practical Nurse (Patient Aligned Care Team)
What you'd do
The Licensed Practical Nurse (Patient Aligned Care Team) functions as a member of the health care team by demonstrating an exceptional degree of practical nursing knowledge and skills necessary for self- direction in carrying out leadership for the day-to-day operations within the Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs)/Healthcare Centers (HCCs).
Major duties
The Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) serves as the expert in clinical care skills of the practical nursing care assignments within the CBOCs/HCCs for a Veteran population with a variety of health care needs. Participates to a greater degree in prioritizing and, as appropriate, modifying patient care treatment plans. The LPN collaborates with the Nurse Manager in supporting Veterans Health Administration (VHA) efforts to operate an effective health care system that meets VA, Joint Commission and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. Other duties/responsibilities include but are not limited to the following: Manages patient care problems and deviations using self-direction in accordance with VA Nursing Practice and LPN licensure standards. Demonstrates knowledge, experience, skill, and self-motivation to carry out complex patient assignments, which include prioritization and coordination of clinical activities with minimal supervision. Collaborates with a PACT team to provide complex/specialized patient: -centered care to a panel of approximately 1200 patients taking into consideration patients' ages, cultural backgrounds, education level, and any other special needs. The panel population is multi-faceted, including geriatric patients, patients from all war-time eras, female patients, and patients with complex psychiatric needs. Completes assigned duties and responsibilities that involve adjusting and changing staffing assignments including monitoring, reporting, and forecasting the daily clinic coverage needs, efficient utilization of the specific clinic appointment matrix's responding to clinic cancellations and clinic make-up requests performing non-standard and specialized practical nursing. Assesses, records, and reports vital signs, neurological signs, weight and blood glucose levels. Appropriately triages and prioritizes patient needs as routine, urgent, or emergent in the clinic setting and modifies patient care/treatment as needed. Serves as a resource for complex/specialized procedures (i.e. noncomplex suture/staple removal, non-complex wound care, blood drawing, and clinic specific procedures, such as ear irrigation. Performs venipuncture for blood draws, prepares specimens for transport and processing (centrifuge and serum separation) transcribes orders, accessions label; provides patient education about lab tests and procedures. Assists in coordination of care during and after the transition of a patient from inpatient to outpatient and vice versa. Responsible for working with PACT RN to ensure patients are contacted within 48 hours following hospital discharge and following clinic "sick" visits to help manage symptoms at home and avoid readmissions/admissions. Initiates consults per PACT/Expanded Scope of Practice, such as Home Tele-Health, audiology, optometry/ophthalmology, prosthetics, patient education Home Based Primary Care, etc. Orders supplies per scope, such as diabetic test strips/insulin syringes, ostomy supplies, etc. Collaborates with clinic mental health providers to ensure access to mental health care per Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) guidelines. Performs other duties as listed on functional statement. VA Careers - Licensed Practical Nurse: https://youtube.com/embed/Ae85IP1Oiz4 Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Full time, 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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: No Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
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) and 7407(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 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. 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, or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico), of the United States or the District of Columbia. Physical Standards. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 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. GS-7: 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 making astute observations of subtle, less obvious changes (both physical and emotional) in patient's conditions and taking the appropriate action. 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. 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. Preferred Experience: 5 or more years of continuous LPN work experience in Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) demonstrating unit-level VA Care and PACT subject matter expertise. Demonstrated competence, skill, training and experience in Reusable Medical Device (RMD) and one of more Primary Care (PC) procedures (Women's Health (WH) care, Dermatology, Musculoskeletal Injections, and low-risk Podiatry. 1 year of demonstrated experience serving as a PACT Preceptor and/or mentor/ subject matter expert for new LPNs/LVNs. Demonstrated active participation in one or more nursing-led committees and/or completion of a unit-level project or initiative annually to advance nursing practice. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit: https://department.va.gov/employees/wp-content/uploads/sites/63/2025/09/0620-LicensedPracticalorVocationNurse.pdf The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. 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.
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