Practical Nurse

Summary

Stand ready with VA to help in an emergency

A disaster can strike at any time - an earthquake, tornado, hurricane, or global pandemic can leave our Veterans, families, and communities in desperate need of help. That's why the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is creating Clinical Deployment Teams (CDTs) to stand ready to assist. We're looking for clinical personnel to serve on these teams and help transform how we provide health care services in times of great need.

Duties

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Working in Primary Care, Medical-Surgical, Emergency Room (ER), and Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Clinical Deployment Team (CDT) staff will be allocated among 18 networks for a total of 20 full-time employees per network, including 11 Registered Nurses (RNs), 2 Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) or Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs), 5 providers (including Medical Doctors, Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, and Advanced Nurse Practitioners) and 2 Social Workers. When they are not deployed, CDT staff will work at an assigned VA facility. Members of the team must :

• Be available to deploy with 72 hours' notice within 2 windows of time per calendar year, for up to a month at a time
• Work in a high-stress environment, possibly in austere conditions or an emergency setting
• Treat or provide direct patient care within the requirements of practice / privileges / licensure
• Participate in CDT training activities and demonstrate readiness to apply professional skills to a range of emergency situations
• Ensure qualifications and required certifications are maintained, including Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), or Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) certification
• Maintain CDT physical readiness requirements, vaccinations, and safety precautions related to infection control

LPN / LVN responsibilities include :

Provides direct patient care to and assists with care coordination of Primary Care patients within the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), supporting services and clinics throughout the health care system.

Delivers care to patients according to Patient Care Plan.

Telework : Not Available

Virtual : This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 000000

Relocation / Recruitment Incentives : Not Approved

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not approved

Financial Disclosure Report : Not required

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

NOTE : Prior to accepting a final employment offer, all selected applicants will be required to sign a Memorandum of Understanding regarding deployment responsibilities

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year 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 :

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

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 :

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.

Grade Determination : In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade.

GS-07 : The GS-07 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-06 level or equivalent, fully meeting all of the performance requirements for the GS-06 LPN / LVN. The following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) must be met :

Preferred Experience and Certifications

Reference : For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

NOTE : Current GS-0620 LPN / LVN employee of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) who were 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 are considered to have met the Education requirement. The waiver does not apply to persons appointed under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) or 7405 after these conversions.

Physical 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.

Education

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.

Additional information

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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.