Practical Nurse/Vocational Nurse

Full Job Description

About the Position: This is an open continuous announcement. Multiple vacancies exist and may be filled from this announcement at any of the locations listed.

We accept applications on an ongoing basis; qualified applicants will be considered as vacancies become available.

This is a Direct Hire Solicitation Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the licensing and experience requirements described below.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social).

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.

Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirement for Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse: Licensure: A current license to practice as a practical or vocational nurse in a State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia; OR must have applied for a license to practice.

Applications of candidates possessing a license must be accompanied by a certified or photostatic copy of the license, a notarized statement attesting to the fact, or a citation of the license number and State issuing it.

Non-licensed candidates who have completed their training may be appointed subject to obtaining the required license during the probationary period.

Those not licensed must furnish the date on which they applied for a license and the jurisdiction involved.

No person appointed pending licensure may be retained beyond the probationary period if licensure has not been attained.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirement listed below: Qualifications for the GS-05 Experience: To qualify based on your experience, your resume must describe at least one year of experience which prepared you to do the work in this job.

Nursing experience is defined as measuring patient's vital signs, administering immunizations or medications via various routes and screening or updating patient medical records.

This definition of nursing experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-04).

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify.

For this grade level, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone - no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Qualifications for the GS-06 Experience: One year of nursing experience in a hospital, outpatient clinic, nursing home, or other supervised medical, nursing, or patient care facility that provided a practical knowledge of human body structure and sterile techniques and procedures, performing such duties as measuring patient's vital signs, administering immunizations or medications via various routes, screening or updating patient medical records and performing routine procedures, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), pulmonary function tests, wound care, audiograms and vision screenings.

This definition of nursing experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05).

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify.

For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

This announcement may be used to fill Practical or Vocational Nurse positions in the following specialty areas: Office Automation (OA), Administrative, Psychiatric, Advanced Practice, Obstetric/Gynecologic, General, Primary Care, Pediatric, Sports Medicine, Occupational/Community Health, Operating Room, Surgery, Lead Practical Nurse, Orthopedic/Podiatry, Supervisory Practical Nurse, Dermatology, Quality Assurance Evaluation, Gastroenterology, Pulmonary, or Instructor.

Major Duties:

• Obtain information from patient and/or family to identify major complaints, symptoms, or reason for seeking health care.
• Perform direct patient care and care coordination activities such as referral management, order reconciliation, and activity tracking.
• Take all vital signs (blood pressure, temperature, pulse, respirations, pain level, height, weight, measurement of head circumference, and length); perform behavioral health screenings.
• Provide individualized nursing care to patients of all ages.
• Assist the physician with various examinations and diagnostic procedures.
• Administer oxygen, IV fluid and prescribed oral, rectal, subcutaneous and intramuscular medications.
• Perform inhalation treatments, fingerstick glucose, urine dipsticks, visual acuity, phlebotomy, dressing changes, and surgical instrument cleaning and packaging after use.
• Perform routine procedures, such as EKGs, eye, throat, nasal and/or wound cultures, dressing changes, ear irrigation, and application of bandages.