Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse

Veterans Health Administration • Oklahoma City, OK

18h • Onsite

About The Position

The Oklahoma City VA Health Care System is recruiting Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPNs/LVNs) for a designated Community Based Outpatient Clinic. The role provides patient-centered outpatient primary care nursing directed by a registered nurse (RN) or provider and supports safe, efficient clinic operations and high-quality care within the healthcare team. The position’s full performance level is GS-6; applicants may be selected at grades GS-3 through GS-6. Duties and independence increase with grade: lower grades work under closer supervision, while higher grades handle more complex tasks with less oversight, provide technical expertise, and may orient, train, or precept less experienced staff.

The LPN/LVN conducts structured health screenings, delivers nursing interventions, promotes patient safety, reinforces education and preventive care, and supports visit preparation and continuity of care. Work includes reviewing patient records and medications, preparing patients for appointments, rooming patients, collecting vital data, completing reminders, assisting providers with routine procedures, administering medications and immunizations, maintaining exam rooms, and escalating relevant findings or urgent concerns to an RN or provider. The nurse also contributes to clinic scheduling and flow, consult tracking, secure message management, patient follow-up, health coaching, and team meetings.

This is a full-time position with a stated schedule of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; hours may change based on clinic needs. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. Applicants must meet the applicable education, licensure, experience, and grade-specific qualification criteria. The position requires a trial period of one or two years.

Requirements

• United States citizenship, subject to the stated exception for noncitizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under applicable rules.
• Graduation from an approved or appropriately accredited school of practical or vocational nursing, subject to the stated exceptions and waivers.
• Full, active, current, unrestricted LPN or LVN licensure in a U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• For GS-3: meet the basic requirements; no additional grade-specific qualification is listed.
• For GS-4: six months of qualifying LPN/LVN experience; or graduation from an approved school plus one year of qualifying nursing-care experience; or graduation from an approved school of at least 24 months’ duration.
• For GS-5: at least one year of qualifying experience at the GS-4 level or equivalent, and the listed knowledge and abilities in practical nursing care, patient and family education, teamwork, medication administration and documentation, emergency response, and reporting equipment or safety issues.
• For GS-6: at least one year of additional qualifying experience at the GS-5 level or equivalent, fully meeting GS-5 performance requirements, and the listed abilities in patient care, clinical judgment, medications and treatments, emergency response, patient relationships, specialized procedures, precepting, and ongoing learning.
• Applicants pending completion of education or licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but cannot be hired until requirements are met.
• Pass a pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Complete applicable pre-employment screening, background/security investigation, onboarding, and application documentation requirements.
• Selected applicants are subject to urinalysis for illegal drug use when the position is designated for testing; refusal results in denial of employment.
• Register for Selective Service if male and born after December 31, 1959.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as required for VA health care personnel.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.

Responsibilities

• Initiate and complete structured health screenings, deliver nursing interventions, promote patient safety, and reinforce patient education and preventive care.
• Support clinic flow and continuity by completing preventive procedures, nursing tasks, chart reviews, panel scrubbing, daily huddles, and visit preparation.
• Review patient records before appointments, obtain missing documentation, update clinical changes, and prepare information for visits.
• Conduct pre-visit outreach, confirm reasons for visits, reinforce instructions, and remind patients to bring relevant logs and health information.
• Room patients, collect vital data, complete clinical reminders, assist providers with routine procedures, and manage room turnover.
• Administer medications and immunizations and keep examination rooms clean, safe, and stocked.
• Review medications and allergies, identify urgent needs, initiate protocols or clinical pathways as permitted by policy, and report findings to the RN or provider.
• Review upcoming appointments, identify alternate care modalities, support consult tracking, and serve as backup for post-discharge calls.
• Participate in health coaching, patient education, secure message management, PACT meetings, and follow-up with patients who miss appointments.
• Assist with immunizations, injections, procedures, prevention efforts, and chaperoning when appropriate.
• Manage or reroute secure messages and collaborate toward team access, quality, and patient-experience goals.
• Manage supplies and equipment, maintain an organized clinical environment, and perform quality-control checks.
• Support care planning and Whole Health by contributing to shared decision-making and collaborative, patient-centered care.
• At applicable grades, orient or train less experienced LPNs/LVNs or other staff, serve as a preceptor, and share knowledge to improve team practice and patient outcomes.
• Prepare, administer, and document prescribed medications and treatments within applicable policies and procedures; observe patient responses and report changes in condition.
• Recognize emergency or urgent care situations, seek assistance, and initiate appropriate emergency measures as directed.

Benefits

• Competitive salary with regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered for higher or unique qualifications or VA special needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, consisting of 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Eligible employees may receive credit toward annual leave accrual for prior work or military service, subject to approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to family-income and other eligibility conditions.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting, and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed