Summary

This Licensed Practical Nurse position is at the VA Boston Healthcare System located at the Jamaica Plain - MA location. This position is a full time position at 40 hours per week.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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
• Language: Must be proficient in both spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - and 7407(d)
• Licensure: Must have a full - active - current and unrestricted licensure as a licensed practical or vocational nurse in a State - Territory or Commonwealth (i.e. - Puerto Rico) of the United States - or District of Columbia
• 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 OR granted a license by a jurisdiction that does not require graduation from an approved school AND have at least one year of successful practice as an LPN/ LVN
• Grade Determinations:GS-07: The GS-7 grade level is for select - complex LPN/LVN positions - as established by each health care facility
• To be advanced - employees must meet all of the following standards - provided the standard is part of their assignment
• NOTE: Determinations concerning placement of positions at this grade level shall take into consideration the skill mix and the availability of supervision in the work unit
• Although these positions are under the supervision of an RN and/or MD/DO - employees in such settings successfully and consistently demonstrate the exercise of independent technical judgment (without the need for readily available supervision) - as well as a comprehensive and thorough working knowledge of the most complex or difficult practices and procedures
• Such individuals may also serve as leaders or co-leaders in a nursing unit or for a specifically identified group of patients
• Completion of at least one (1) year of additional qualifying experience at the GS-6 level or equivalent - fully meeting all of the performance requirements for the GS-6 LPN/LVN
• Knowledge and skills necessary to carry out more specialized patient care duties - including assignments in selected - more complex inpatient and/or outpatient care settings
• Knowledge base promotes the incorporation of current patient care data in actively contributing to the development of the patient's overall health plan and in carrying out assigned nursing interventions
• Positions at this grade level require broader knowledge and skills because supervision is more general and employees are expected to be involved to a greater degree in the development and modification of treatment plans
• Ability to assist RN and/or MD/DO to appropriately prioritize overall patient care needs and adjust plans for care delivery
• Makes astute observations of subtle - less obvious changes - both physical and emotional - in patient's condition - and accurately and thoroughly documents care delivered and patient's response to care that could require immediate modification of the patient's care plan
• Appropriately seeks assistance and guidance by informing RN or MD/DO of changes in patient's condition requiring higher-level intervention
• At this grade level - the LPN/LVN is expected to participate to a greater degree in prioritizing - and - as appropriate - modifying patient care treatment
• They must also possess the ability to observe more subtle physical and emotional changes in patients and demonstrate taking appropriate action based on those observations
• Ability to proactively assist the RN or MD/DO in addressing patient's needs for medication/treatments - accurately administering prescribed medications/treatments according to established policies/procedures and appropriately recording administration and patient's response to medications/treatments received
• (This may include restricted medication locally authorized for administration by employees at this grade level.) Demonstrates the knowledge and ability to readily recognize the more subtle signs and symptoms of potential or actual drug reactions - promptly inform the RN or MD/DO of observed changes in patient's condition and initiate appropriate - prescribed interventions
• Employees at this grade level demonstrate broader knowledge and skill with respect to these responsibilities than employees at lower grade levels
• Knowledge and skill to promptly recognize potential urgent or emergent patient care situations - seek assistance of the RN and/or MD/DO for appropriate team intervention and effectively intervene - as directed - to assure the continuation of optimal - safe and therapeutic patient care delivery
• At this grade level - the LPN/LVN must have a broader knowledge of the patient treatment process and exercise judgment that demonstrates the ability to effectively intervene when appropriate
• Assists individuals or groups of patients and their families to take an active role in promoting healthy lifestyles for more positive patient outcomes
• Exercises skill in influencing and communicating with unusually difficult to care for or communicate with patients and/or family members who may exhibit problems with lack of self-control - resistant or abusive behaviors - or impediments in their ability to understand or follow instructions
• This includes the ability to effectively deal with the above types of patients under very general supervision
• Exhibits skill - creativity and initiative in contributing to the improvement of overall care delivery and patient and/or family satisfaction levels through active participation in committees/task forces - research projects or in developing educational materials/media
• Actively promotes and effectively incorporates established customer service standards in all aspects of their practice
• Possesses comprehensive practical nursing knowledge and skills in specialized procedures and practices to serve as a resource person for other staff in organizing and implementing more complex/specialized patient care
• Serves as a role model and mentor to other nursing staff in the application of more complex technology - effectively guiding and directing their continuing practice in these areas
• Supports the RN or MD/DO in monitoring the practice of unlicensed nursing or non-medical staff in patient care delivery
• Promptly reports any deviations from normal practice patterns to the RN or MD/DO
• In addition to responsibilities at the lower grade level - the LPN/LVN is responsible for monitoring the practice of non-licensed nursing and medical staff
• Work of considerable difficulty and responsibility is performed under general supervision
• Individuals in these positions are - to a considerable extent - expected to exercise independent technical judgments and to possess and apply a comprehensive working knowledge of the principles - art and science of practical nursing
• The staff mix is such that employees at this grade level are expected to perform practical nursing duties of considerable difficulty and responsibility under very general supervision
• Actively seeks out educational opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills - and providing leadership in assisting other staff improve and advance their nursing practice
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-07.

Duties

• This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until 6/12/2026
• The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be 3/26/2026 - with subsequent cut-off dates bi-weekly
• Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled
• The incumbent serves as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) The incumbent performs direct patient care and participates in activities that support safety in the clinic and enable the program to meet its general requirements
• The incumbent will interface with personal computer (PC) applications and numerous VISTA applications in the performance of his/her duties
• The Pre-Admission Testing Clinic (PATC) LPN demonstrates technical ability and independent decision-making in initiating - performing - and completing practical nursing care and case management for patients processed through the PATC clinic
• The PATC LPN functions as a member of the Surgical Service team - working with a high degree of autonomy to provide guidance - coordinate patient care - and support the preoperative evaluation process
• The PATC LPN plays a critical role in maintaining clinic workflow
• Duties may include - but are not limited to: Review reports of a patient's condition and other pertinent data - using judgment in selecting the most appropriate application of procedures and guidelines
• Provide patient education to surgical patients in accordance with the surgical provider's orders - reinforcing preoperative instructions and ensuring patients' understanding of the plan of care
• Demonstrate an ability to determine when changes in the patients' conditions are significant enough to notify the immediate supervisor and or provider for assistance in decision making and/or determining nursing care
• Ability to make recommendations for changes in the treatment plan based upon observations - analysis of patients' condition - and response to the current plans
• Assists with the physical care of patients by observing - identifying - and responding to specific patient needs
• Serves as an active member of the team and facilitates communication among members of the interdisciplinary surgical team
• Coordinate - manage preoperative patient care - assist in transportation needs - and ensure clinical tasks are completed promptly
• providing important information through assessment and observation of the patient
• May serve as the liaison to hospital and community providers
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30 am - 4:00 pm Compressed/Flexible: Available
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
• Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior work experience or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
• Telework: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: F05602
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
• Financial Disclosure: Not Required
• Notifications: This position is in the Excepted Service
• This position is covered by a special rate
• This position is a AFGE Bargaining Unit position
• The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's
• Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees
• Due to a critical staffing shortage - 38 U.S.C. § 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement
• Narrative responses to the knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.