Licensed Vocational Nurse, Kerrville TX (Recruitment Incentive Authorized)

Veterans Health Administration • Kerrville, TX

11d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is located in the Nursing Service Community Living Center (CLC) at the Kerrville VA Medical Center. The CLC is a VA nursing home that provides Veterans with nursing-home-level care in a home-like setting, including assistance with activities of daily living, skilled nursing, medical care, and hospice services. It provides 24-hour skilled nursing, restorative, respite, and hospice care.

The Licensed Vocational Nurse provides practical nursing care to residents, including administering medications and ordered treatments, recording vital signs, assisting with personal hygiene, mobility and positioning, and providing wound care as directed. The LVN supports registered nurses in planning and delivering care and may serve as a Charge Nurse or supervise unlicensed staff, depending on experience. The role also involves documentation, staff training and orientation, care coordination, quality improvement activities, and participation in committees and care planning.

The full performance level is GS-6; selection may be at GS-3 through GS-6. Work schedules are available during day, evening, and night shifts, may rotate, and include rotating weekends and holidays. Recruitment incentives are authorized; relocation assistance is not authorized. Telework and virtual work are not available. The position includes direct patient care and may involve extended periods of walking, standing, sitting, moderate lifting, repeated bending, or kneeling. Employees may encounter combative patients, loud noises, alarms, chaotic situations, and other workplace stressors.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizen appointments when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Graduation from an approved practical or vocational nursing program, or an applicable stated education exception.
• Full, active, current, and unrestricted LPN or LVN licensure in a U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia, unless qualifying under the stated grandfathering provision.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• GS-4 qualification: six months of qualifying LPN/LVN experience; or graduation from an approved school plus one year of qualifying nursing-care work; or graduation from an approved school of at least 24 months' duration.
• GS-5 qualification: at least one year of qualifying experience at the GS-4 level or equivalent, and ability to provide practical nursing care, work with RNs or physicians to orient less experienced staff, educate patients or families, contribute effectively to the nursing team, administer and document medications, respond to emergencies, and identify and report equipment or safety issues.
• GS-6 qualification: at least one year of qualifying experience at the GS-5 level or equivalent, and demonstrated ability to deliver care to varied patient populations, prioritize and complete assigned procedures, observe and report patient information and changes, administer medications and treatments, respond to urgent or emergency situations, work effectively with patients and families, protect privacy and dignity, support complex tests or procedures, precept less experienced staff, and pursue continuing education.
• Subject to background and security investigation; selected applicants must complete onboarding and may be required to pass a pre-employment physical examination.
• Applicants tentatively selected for a testing-designated VA position must undergo urinalysis for illegal drug use before appointment; refusal results in denial of employment.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• Must satisfy the application requirements in the announcement's Required Documents section and provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, during which continued employment is evaluated.

Responsibilities

• Administer medications and ordered treatments, record vital signs, assist residents with personal hygiene, mobility, positioning, and other care needs, and provide wound care as directed by an RN, NP, or MD.
• Assist RNs with implementing plans of care, prioritizing resident needs, individualizing interventions, evaluating expected outcomes, and ensuring quality documentation.
• Collaborate with RNs and other healthcare professionals to coordinate and deliver nursing care.
• Use sound clinical judgment, recognize urgent needs, initiate appropriate responses, seek assistance when needed, and promptly report changes or concerns to the ANM or RN.
• Document patient care according to prescribed procedures and maintain objective, respectful relationships with residents and peers.
• Support professional development and staff motivation; ensure relevant and mandatory training and competency requirements are completed.
• Assist with orientation and training of newly assigned or less experienced staff, and may supervise unlicensed staff or serve as Charge Nurse based on experience.
• Assist the Nurse Manager and Assistant Nurse Manager with timely data compilation, including performance and quality improvement reports, schedules, certified time, workload requests, and patient-care data reviews.
• Complete special assignments and participate in committees and working groups focused on improving care quality or facility working conditions.
• Participate in resident care planning, career development activities, training, in-services, continuing education, committees, councils, and meetings.
• Communicate with coworkers and residents to identify and resolve unit problems and support open communication.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Selected applicants may qualify for annual leave accrual credit based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.
• After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave for the birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees with qualifying family income may receive a child-care subsidy after 60 days of employment, up to 25% of eligible child-care costs and a monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and a federal 401(k) with VA contributions of up to 5%.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Recruitment/sign-on incentive is authorized.

What This Job Offers

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