Licensed Vocational Nurse PACT Sorrento Valley

Veterans Health Administration • San Diego, CA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN/LPN) provides direct patient care and care coordination support to Veterans in the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) at the Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Sorrento Valley, California, and supports services and clinics throughout the VA San Diego Healthcare System. The role requires flexibility in scheduling and assignments within a complex healthcare system offering inpatient and outpatient services. PACT clinics operate Monday through Saturday with variable hours to support Veteran care needs; the listed work schedule is Monday through Friday, 0700–1730. The position is not virtual, telework is unavailable, and driving is required.

The LVN/LPN obtains specimens, provides direct care and patient support, administers medications and treatments, implements care plans and orders, performs bedside point-of-care testing, and helps coordinate primary care. The nurse monitors patient conditions, recognizes and responds to urgent and emergent situations, alerts providers to abnormal findings, and evaluates and documents responses to interventions. The role includes patient education, discharge instruction, timely follow-up, accurate electronic health record documentation, infection control, confidentiality, and collaboration with the interdisciplinary care team.

PACT-specific work includes gathering additional patient information face-to-face, by phone, or by video conference; participating in performance-measure activities such as non-complex two-day post-discharge calls, clinical reminder compliance, and chronic disease management; coordinating care, including for patients seen through Clinical Video Tele-Health; and ensuring patients complete pre-appointment requirements before primary care appointments. The LVN/LPN also participates in huddles, staff meetings, in-services, mentoring, and continuous performance improvement.

Applicants must meet applicable education and active, full, current, unrestricted LPN/LVN licensure requirements. Grade-specific qualifications vary from the basic requirements at GS-03 to progressively greater experience, knowledge, and demonstrated nursing competencies at GS-04 through GS-06. Employment is subject to federal hiring conditions, including citizenship requirements, English proficiency, background investigation, pre-employment testing and physical examination, and a one- or two-year trial period.

Requirements

• Graduate of a school of practical or vocational nursing approved by the appropriate state agency and/or accredited by NLNAC when the program was completed, subject to stated exceptions for qualifying military training or licensure jurisdictions.
• Active, full, current, and unrestricted LPN/LVN licensure in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia, subject to the stated grandfathering provision for eligible current VHA employees.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• U.S. citizenship is required, subject to the stated VA policy for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• For GS-04, six months of qualifying LPN/LVN experience; or qualifying graduation plus one year of nursing-care experience in a supervised care facility; or graduation from an approved school of at least 24 months duration.
• For GS-05, knowledge and ability to provide practical nursing care, function as a responsible nursing-team member, prepare and administer commonly prescribed medications, document care and medication responses, recognize emergencies, and respond to equipment or safety issues.
• For GS-06, proficiency in completing assigned care duties for variable patient populations; sound judgment in sequencing procedures and treatments; ability to observe, identify, report, and record patient needs and changes; medication administration and treatment skills; emergency-response knowledge; effective patient and family relationships; customer-service skills; and support skills for complex diagnostic tests or specialized procedures.
• Must complete required background/security investigation, online onboarding, pre-employment physical examination, and applicable pre-employment drug testing; participation in seasonal influenza vaccination is required for VA health care personnel.
• Must complete all application requirements in the announcement's Required Documents section.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period if selected.
• Must meet the physical requirements of the position, including moderate lifting and carrying up to 44 pounds, pushing and pulling, reaching, use of fingers and both hands, walking, kneeling, standing, bending, and specified vision, color perception, depth perception, and hearing capabilities.

Nice To Haves

• Minimum one to two years of current Primary Care (PACT) experience.
• Clinical experience caring for patients in ambulatory care.
• Ability to work collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team.
• Ability to document using an electronic medical record.

Responsibilities

• Obtain and collect ordered specimens.
• Provide direct patient care and support to patients, including primary care patients served by PACT.
• Recognize changes in patient condition and deviations from baseline, and take or initiate appropriate action, including responding to life-threatening situations and activating Rapid Response Treatment or Code Blue when needed.
• Administer medications and treatments, including for patients with complex nursing problems, and implement nursing interventions and orders in a timely manner.
• Execute interventions in accordance with treatment plans and evaluate and document patient responses and progress toward goals and expected outcomes.
• Complete timely, factual, objective, accurate, consistent, and complete electronic health record documentation; sign patient-related activity and follow documentation timelines and protocols.
• Maintain confidentiality of patient information and provide timely patient follow-up.
• Assist with coordinating patient care, including care for patients seen through Clinical Video Tele-Health visits.
• Educate patients about risk factors, medications, procedures, disease-related regimens, and discharge instructions within scope of practice, and ensure patients can ask questions.
• Collaborate and communicate with the interdisciplinary care team and alert providers to abnormal signs, symptoms, or test results.
• Apply infection-control measures and adhere to ethical principles and standards in delivering care.
• Perform bedside point-of-care testing, including nasal swabs and pregnancy testing.
• Gather additional data about patient needs face-to-face, by telephone, or by video conference to support treatment determination.
• Participate in PACT performance-measure activities, including non-complex two-day post-discharge calls, clinical reminder compliance, and chronic disease management.
• Ensure patients complete pre-appointment requirements before primary care appointments.
• Participate in daily DMS huddles, unit-specific staff meetings, interdisciplinary committees, task forces, and other collaborative improvement activities.
• Coach and mentor colleagues or new employees, and provide in-services related to team building or specialty care as needed.
• Demonstrate required clinical and mandatory competencies, seek self-improvement, and participate in continuous performance improvement.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package for eligible employees and their families.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior federal employment or military service, subject to request and approval before appointment and not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

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