Licensed Practical Nurse-Trident Community Based Outpatient Clinic at Charleston

JOB SUMMARY:

Vacancy Identification Number (VIN): 919939

To fulfill President Lincolns promise – "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" – by serving and honoring the men and women who are Americas Veterans.

 

How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans?  Located in the historic part of the city of Charleston, the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center serves more than 53,000 veterans in 22 counties along the South Carolina and Georgia coastline in our main Medical Center as well as in our community-based outpatient clinics.  The main Medical Center provides acute medical, surgical, and psychiatric inpatient care, as well as outpatient primary and mental health care to Low Country Veterans who require more than 659,000 outpatient visits and approximately 4,300 admissions annually. 

 

As a VA professional nurse, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities at your fingertips. Not only is it the largest, most technologically advanced integrated health care system in the nation, but we also provide many other services to Veterans through the Benefits Administration and National Cemeteries.

 

NOTE: The Professional Standards Board (a peer-review group) will review the selected candidates education and experience and recommend the step at which the candidate will be placed.  The salary is based on the grade and step approved for the selected candidate.  

 

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• U.S. Citizenship required
• Full unrestricted Licensure, Certification, or Registration required.
• Designated and/or Random Drug Testing required.
• Background and/or Security Investigation required.
• English Language Proficiency required.

DUTIES:Back to top

This vacancy is located at the at the Trident Community Based Outpatient Clinic in North Charleston, SC. Licensed Practical Nurses are accountable to the Registered Nurse, as well as the patient and family, to achieve desired patient care outcomes.   Licensed Practical Nurses perform functions in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating all assigned patient care in collaboration with the Registered Nurse on the unit.  They have responsibility for adhering to all Standards of Nursing Practice, for managing supplies and equipment, and for promoting teamwork among co-workers and other health care personnel.  All aspects of work will reflect technical soundness, appropriateness, and conformity to policy.

 

Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses are not authorized for this position.

 

TRANSCRIPTS (UNOFFICAL ARE ACCEPTED) FROM YOUR TRAINING PROGRAM ARE REQUIRED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:Back to top

BLS required.

 

Basic Requirements:

 

US Citizenship

 

Graduate of a school of practical/vocational nursing approved by the appropriate State agency at the time the program was completed by the applicant.

 

Current, full, active and unrestricted licensure as a licensed practical/vocational nurse in a State, Territory, or commonwealth of the U.S. or the District of Columbia.

 

Applicants must meet physical standards for the position described in VA Directive and Handbook 5019. A physical examination prior to placement may be required.

 

This is a drug testing designated position. Employees in drug testing designated positions will be subject to random drug testing.

 

LPNs appointed to direct care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English.

 

To qualify for the GS 3 level, you will be 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.

 

To qualify for the GS 4 level, you must possess one (1) of the following; 6 months of experience working as a licensed practical nurse.   Experience includes exercising greater judgment, requires less supervision, and to operate in accordance with all established policies, procedures and techniques within the scope of your license OR Graduation from 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 Graduation from an approved school of at least 24 months duration.

 

To qualify for the GS 5 level, you must possess one (1) year at the GS 4 level working as a licensed practical nurse.   Experience includes the 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 the nursing team and interact in an appropriate manner with patients, family members, professional and other supportive personnel; skill to prepare, administer and appropriately document actions taken specific to commonly prescribed oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular, and/or intravenous medication; ability to recognize the need for and to institute emergency measures   when indicated; recognize and appropriately respond to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment, safety hazards, and supply deficiencies; and complete work under the general supervision of an RN or MD/DO.

 

To qualify for the GS 6 level, you must have one (1) year at the GS 5 level working as a licensed practical nurse.   Experience includes technically proficient in initiating, performing and completing assigned duties in providing care to variable patient population; ability to appropriately carry out assigned patient care based on the patients condition; ability to observe, identify and respond to the patients needs for medication, equipment-assisted care; prepare and administer prescribed medications (oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular and/or intravenous) and perform treatments; ability to recognize urgent or emergent patient care situations, seek assistance and initiate appropriate emergency interventions; understand human behavior, patient motivations and reactions to situations; establish constructive relationships with patients and families to elicit feelings and attitudes, and to promote positive relationships, communication and socialization skills; skill in performing support duties for complex diagnostic tests and/or specialized practices or procedures, which includes preparing the patient, assisting in the diagnostic examination, preparing and handling specialized instruments or other specialized equipment, and monitoring the patients condition before, during and following the procedure.

Qualification standards are fully set forth in VA Handbook 5005, Pt. II, App. G13.

 

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

 

Grade/Step/Salary will be recommended by a Nurse Professional Standards Board and is based upon education and/or experience.  New appointees will be required to serve a probationary period of 2 years.

 

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:   Applicants must meet physical standards for the position described.  A physical examination prior to placement may be required.

APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE:  Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement.)  Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.  Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly.  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.

Veterans Preference:

When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference on their application or résumé. Applicants claiming preference based on service-connected disability, or based on being the spouse or mother of a disabled or deceased Veteran, must complete an SF 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference. Veterans who are still in the service may be granted tentative preference on the basis of information contained in their applications, but they must produce a DD Form 214 or other proof prior to appointment to document entitlement to preference.  For more information on Veterans Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/veterans.aspx.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Your application, résumé and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.   You may also be evaluated based upon the question responses you provide during a structured interview. In responding to structured interview questions you should be sure to cite specific examples of experience, explain exactly what you did, and the outcome.

Country: USA, State: South Carolina, City: Charleston, Company: Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration.