Licensed Vocational Nurse - Community Living Center - 215-2

Veterans Health Administration • Los Angeles, CA

20d • Onsite

About The Position

The Greater Los Angeles VA Health Care System is hiring an experienced Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) for the Nursing Geriatrics and Extended Care service at Community Living Center 215-2 in Los Angeles, California. The role provides nursing care to Veterans with complex medical, cognitive, behavioral, or chronic conditions and involves advanced clinical tasks within the LVN scope of practice and facility policies. The position is full-time, with a night-shift schedule of 7:30 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.; weekends and/or holidays may be included. Compressed or flexible scheduling is available. Telework and virtual work are not available.

The LVN supports resident-specific care planning, prioritizes care as residents’ needs change, and communicates clinical observations to the interdisciplinary team and supervising RN or provider. Care is delivered in accordance with the Community Living Center philosophy, emphasizing trauma-informed, dignity-centered, age-friendly practices, independence, comfort, and engagement. The LVN also contributes to documentation, infection prevention, safety, quality improvement, and staff orientation and mentoring.

The full performance level is GS-06; selection may be at GS-03 through GS-06. Applicants must meet the applicable education, licensure, and experience requirements for the grade. The position requires a practical or vocational nursing program graduate (or qualifying military training) and full, active, current, unrestricted LPN/LVN licensure in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia. U.S. citizenship and proficiency in written and spoken English are required. The position also requires a pre-employment physical evaluation and other federal employment screening and onboarding requirements.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Graduation from an approved practical or vocational nursing program, or qualifying health-care education or training in military service.
• Full, active, current, and unrestricted LPN or LVN licensure in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Meet the experience and grade-determination requirements for the grade sought: GS-3 requires no experience beyond the basic requirements; GS-4 requires qualifying experience or an approved education/experience alternative; GS-5 requires at least one year at GS-4 or equivalent qualifying experience and the stated clinical competencies; GS-6 requires at least one year at GS-5 or equivalent qualifying experience, meeting GS-5 performance requirements, and technical proficiency in assigned care duties.
• For GS-5, demonstrate the ability to provide a full range of practical nursing care; orient or train less experienced staff with RN and/or physician support; educate patients or families; function as a responsible nursing-team member; prepare, administer, and document medications as permitted by local policies; observe and report patient responses and condition changes; recognize emergencies and assist with resuscitation; and report equipment problems, safety hazards, and supply deficiencies.
• Pass required pre-employment screening, including a physical evaluation and applicable background/security investigation; selected applicants in testing-designated positions are subject to urinalysis.
• Participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Complete the required online onboarding and application documentation.

Responsibilities

• Provide nursing care to Veterans with complex medical, cognitive, behavioral, or chronic conditions.
• Recognize subtle clinical changes and initiate timely responses.
• Perform advanced clinical tasks within the LVN scope of practice, including complex wound dressings under RN/provider delegation, catheter care, enteral feeding, tracheostomy-care assistance where applicable, and oxygen therapy or respiratory support.
• Conduct focused assessments, document findings, and identify results requiring prompt RN or provider review.
• Participate in planning nursing care for a group of residents; provide resident-specific information, identify effective or ineffective interventions, and recommend care-plan changes in response to clinical or behavioral changes.
• Prioritize nursing care according to resident needs and changing conditions.
• Administer medications safely using the Bar Code Medication Administration system, within the LVN scope of practice and facility policies.
• Identify adverse medication reactions, take appropriate action, and educate residents and caregivers about medication purpose, administration, and potential side effects.
• Provide trauma-informed, dignity-centered, age-friendly resident care that promotes independence, comfort, and engagement.
• Support restorative nursing programs, mobility plans, and person-centered goals.
• Manage dementia-related behaviors using non-pharmacological interventions and safety techniques.
• Collaborate with RNs, Nursing Assistants, providers, therapists, social workers, dietitians, and CLC leadership; participate in interdisciplinary meetings, care conferences, and shift huddles.
• Document nursing care accurately, promptly, and completely in CPRS and BCMA in accordance with VA and facility policies.
• Communicate urgent or significant changes in residents’ conditions to the supervising RN or provider.
• Apply infection prevention and control practices, including appropriate PPE use and isolation precautions.
• Use safe patient-handling equipment correctly and promote safe handling practices.
• Identify and report environmental hazards, equipment malfunctions, and safety concerns; participate in quality-improvement and patient-safety initiatives.
• Serve as a role model for LVNs and Nursing Assistants and assist with orientation and skills training of new staff.
• Promote teamwork, professionalism, and high-quality patient care.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered based on higher or unique qualifications or VA special needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, comprising 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment in connection with birth, adoption, or foster-care placement.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to family-income and other eligibility limits.
• 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: Associate degree