Licensed Practical Nurse

VA Careers - Licensed Practical Nurse: Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

The LPN/L VN is responsible and accountable for individual nursing practice which includes but is not limited to the following functions:

• Initiates performs and completes assigned duties in providing care to variable patient populations.
• Appropriately carries out assigned patient care based on the patents conditions; uses judgment in selecting the appropriate order and sequence of procedures and treatments and accurately recognizes reports and records relevant patient information.
• Observes identifies and responds to the patients needs for care including medication equipment-assisted care and patient/family organizing and delivering care the LPN/LVN recognizes and considers emotional socioeconomic and age-related factors.
• Prepares and administers prescribed medications (oral topical subcutaneous intramuscular and/or intravenous) and performs treatments according to established policies/procedures. Observes patient for physical and/or emotional changes in patients condition from prescribed medications/treatments promptly and accurately documenting noted changes and reporting any deviations from normal to RN or provider.
• Recognizes urgent or emergent patient care situations seeks assistance from the RN and/or provider and initiates appropriate emergency interventions as directed.
• Appropriately utilizes knowledge and understanding of human behavior patient motivations and reactions to situations in working effectively with patients family members and other staff.
• Establishes constructive relationships with individual patients and their families to elicit feelings and attitudes to promote positive relationships communication and socialization skills.
• Fosters an environment of respect for individual patient and family rights to privacy and dignity in all aspects of care delivery.
• Effectively incorporates knowledge and understanding of established customer service standards in all interactions with patients family members and or other internal/external customers.
• Performs support duties for complex diagnostic tests and/or specialized practices or procedures which include preparing the patient assisting in the diagnostic examination preparing and handling specialized instruments or other specialized equipment and monitoring the patients condition before during and following the procedure.
• Serves as a preceptor in orienting educating and training less experienced LPNs/L VNs or NAs/HTs related to support duties for more complex specialized tests/procedures.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Basic Requirements:

United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

English Language Proficiency: Licensed practical or vocational nurses appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in both spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d).

Education: Must be a 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.
• VHA employees who were converted to appointments under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) in implementation of Public Law 98-160 enacted November 21 1983 and for VHA employees converted to appointments under 38 U.S.C. 7405 in implementation of Public Law 99-576 enacted October 28 1986; and for their future personnel actions under this authority. The waiver will not apply to persons appointed under 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) or 7405 after these conversions.
• Individuals granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school.

• Demonstrated knowledge & ability to provide a full range of practical nursing care to patients with a variety of physical and/or behavioral problems. Works with the RN and/or MD/DO to appropriately orient/train less experienced LPNs/LVNs and/or Nursing Assistants (NAs)/Health Technicians (HTs) in relation to acceptable standards of practice in promoting optimal patient care delivery. Provides effective education to patients and/or family members in relation to common disease processes medication and /or prescribed treatment regimes.
• Demonstrated ability to serve as a responsible member of the nursing team & interact in an appropriate manner with patients family members professional & other supportive personnel involved in the delivery of patient care incorporating acceptable established customer service standards into practice.
• Knowledge & skill sufficient to prepare administer & appropriately document actions taken specific to commonly prescribed oral topical subcutaneous intramuscular and/or intravenous medications as permitted by approved local facility policies & procedures. Observation and documentation will include patients response to medication administered & the reporting of any noted change in patients condition to RN or MD/DO.
• Knowledge & ability to recognize the need for & to institute emergency measures when indicated promptly seek the assistance of the RN or MD/DO & assist in resuscitation procedures in cardiac and/or pulmonary arrest.
• Recognizes & appropriately responds to breakage/malfunction or loss of equipment safety hazards & supply deficiencies promptly reporting to appropriate personnel for corrective action.

• Technically proficient in initiating performing & completing assigned duties in providing care to variable patient populations.
• Knowledge & ability to appropriately carry out assigned patient care based on the patients conditions; to use judgment in selecting the appropriate order and sequence of procedures & treatments; & to accurately recognize report & record relevant patient information.
• Ability to observe identify & respond to the patients needs for care including medication equipment-assisted care & patient/family organizing and delivering care the LPN/LVN recognizes & considers emotional socio-economic & age-related factors.
• Prepares & administers prescribed medications (oral topical subcutaneous intramuscular and/or intravenous) & performs treatments according to established policies/procedures. Observes for physical and/or emotional changes in patients condition from prescribed medications/treatments promptly & accurately documenting noted changes & reporting any deviations from normal to RN or MD/DO.
• Knowledge & ability to recognize urgent or emergent patient care situations seek assistance of the RN and/or MD/DO & initiate appropriate emergency interventions as directed.
• Knowledge & understanding of human behavior patient motivations & reactions to situations and ability to appropriately utilize this knowledge in working effectively with patients family members & other staff.
• Establishes constructive relationships with individual patients & their families to elicit feelings & attitudes & to promote positive relationships communication & socialization skills. Fosters an environment of respect for individual patient & family rights to privacy & dignity in all aspects of care delivery. Effectively incorporates knowledge & understanding of established customer service standards in all interactions with patients family members and/or other internal/external customers.
• Knowledge & skill in performing support duties for complex diagnostic tests and/or specialized practices or procedures which include preparing the patient assisting in the diagnostic examination preparing & handling specialized instruments or other specialized equipment & monitoring the patients condition before during & following the procedure. Serves as a preceptor in orienting educating & training less experienced LPNs/LVNs or NAs/HTs related to support duties for these more complex specialized tests/procedures.
• Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge & skills sharing new knowledge gained with other staff to improve & advance nursing practice.