Licensed Practical Nurse – Telehealth Clinical Technician

Summary The Telehealth Clinical Technician (TCT) is a Licensed Practical Nurse in the Connected Care service line at the Lancaster Community-Based Outpatient Clinic serving in a generalist role to support Nursing and Telehealth clinical programs from the patient location within the CBOC or Medical Center. The TCT is a facilitator for Clinical Video Telehealth, patient education activities, Primary/Specialty Care remote visits, and provides equipment for the Care Coordination Home Telehealth program. Responsibilities Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Licensed Practical Nurse – vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-LPN-Career-Flyer.pdf Duties include but are not limited to: VA Nursing Practice provides excellence in Veteran healthcare across a continuum of services and continuously improve nursing care for our nations heroes in collaboration with our nursing colleagues. Provides nursing care for adults with population specific needs by incorporating pertinent physical, psychosocial, and cultural needs into the patient plan of care. Demonstrates nursing practice with remote supervision of a RN, physician, or licensed independent provider with appropriately prioritizing the overall patient care needs. Conducts quality control procedures on equipment and products and maintains proper records for quality control reports and workload reporting. Responsible for the day-to-day operation of the clinical video conferencing, training, CCHT, SF, MY Health E Vet and Telehealth clinics. Performs personal care, diagnostic support duties and treatments according to procedure with minimal direction from the professional nurse in a timely manner. Serves as a leader for Nursing and Telehealth Services with duties including possessing the knowledge and skills to carry out more specialized patient care duties to patients in a more complex outpatient care setting. Contributes to the improvement of overall care delivery and patient and/or family satisfaction through participation in committees, evidence-based practice, research, and/or developing educational materials/media. Cross-trained to perform a range of direct care duties that may include, collecting vital signs and other clinical components of a primary care visit as directed by policy or clinic standard. Responds to patients nursing needs, including physical comfort, and emotional needs and recognizing deviations from the normal. Completes required patient care documentation and records significant observation and actions utilizing the nursing process in a clear and concise manner. Provides astute observation, reporting, and documentation of subtle, less obvious changes, both physical and emotional, in patients condition. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday – 7:00am-4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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) 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 #: 91690-A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment 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. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) – See “Additional Information” below for details. Qualifications 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. Education: Graduate of a school of practical or vocational nursing approved by the appropriate State agency and/or accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), previously known as the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) at the time the program was completed by the applicant. Verification can be obtained from the State approving agency or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), previously known as the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), 61 Broadway, 33rd Floor, New York, NY 10006. Additional information may also be obtained from the ACEN Website. 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. Licensure: 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. An LPN [LVN] who has or has ever had, any license(s) revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only when it is not possible to recruit qualified individuals. English Language Proficiency: Licensed practical or vocational nurses appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in both spoken and written English. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: GS-7 – In addition to the basic requirements, the following qualification criteria must be met to qualify for the GS-7 grade level: (a) 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. Includes, but is not limited to the following: performing and completing assigned duties in providing care to variable patient populations; carrying out assigned patient care based on the patients conditions; using judgment in selecting the appropriate order and sequence of procedures and treatments; and recognizing, reporting and recording relevant patient information; preparing and administering prescribed medications (oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular and/or intravenous); and, preparing the patient, assisting in the diagnostic examination, preparing and handling specialized instruments or other specialized equipment, etc. (b) 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 patients 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. (c) 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 patients condition, and accurately and thoroughly documents care delivered and patients response to care that could require immediate modification of the patients care plan. Appropriately seeks assistance and guidance by informing RN or MD/DO of changes in patients 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. (d) Ability to proactively assist the RN or MD/DO in addressing patients needs for medication/treatments, accurately administering prescribed medications/treatments according to established policies/procedures and appropriately recording administration and patients 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 patients 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. (e) 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. (f) 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. (g) 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. 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-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-7 Physical Requirements: The work is basically sedentary; there is some walking when covering other clinics within the hospital, retrieving mail, and relaying pertinent information to staff. There is also minimal lifting/bending involved when handling supplies. The work may result in mental stress to the employee due to the nature of the work involving families and patients with life threatening issues which sometimes results in death. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicants criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana and Michigan (VISN 10) advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veterans community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor Americas Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.