Licensed Practical Nurse-VA Community Living Center

Summary

This Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) position is located at the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System, VA Community Living Center in Sioux Falls, SD. The center's mission focuses on delivering compassionate, person-centered care to Veterans who need extended hospital stays and short-term rehabilitation services. In this capacity, the LPN collaborates with a nursing team to support Veterans in achieving optimal well-being, preventing health declines, and ensuring comfort during end-of-life care.

• Assist with daily cares such as shower/bathing, dressing, ambulating, and feeding.
• Participate in the evaluation of responses to interventions in the areas of health promotion, wound care, basic physical/psychological/social assessments, support care plans, palliative care, hospice.
• Prepare and administer medications prescribed by the provider.
• Prioritize patient care needs, support care plans, seeking assistance and guidance by informing the CLC Registered Nurse or the CLC providers of changes in patient's condition.
• Perform complex procedures to include catheterizations, peripheral IV insertion, saline flushes in peripheral lines and maintenance of peripheral lines.
• Assist provider with diagnostic tests and procedures.
• Collect specimen samples from patients.
• Recognize and respond to patient emergencies, initiating lifesaving measures while waiting for help to arrive. Ability to provide Basic Life Support if needed.
• Document data into the electronic medical record following established guidelines.
• Mentor lower graded LPNs and unlicensed medical staff.
• Other duties as assigned.

Sunday–Saturday, Day/Evening/Night Shifts. Rotating holidays and weekends required. Work is scheduled in 8- and 12‑hour shifts between 7:15 a.m.–7:45 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.–7:30 a.m.

• Shift Differential – 10% of basic pay for work performed during regularly scheduled hours between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
• Weekend Premium – 25% of basic pay for work performed between the hours of midnight Friday and midnight Sunday.
• Holiday Pay – 2× basic hourly rate for regularly scheduled, non‑overtime work on a designated holiday.

This position requires a degree of fitness, strength, and agility. Duties require extensive periods of standing and walking, regular bending, lifting, stooping, stretching, pushing, pulling, lifting arm overhead, and similar activities. A pre‑employment examination or evaluation is required as part of the pre‑employment process.

• 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.
• 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 trial period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre‑employment physical examination/evaluation.
• 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.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification required. Training provided.

• United States Citizenship.
• English Language Proficiency.
• Education:
  
  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.
• Licensure:
  Active, full, current, and unrestricted licensure as a Graduate Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth.

• GS‑03 – None beyond the basic requirements.
• GS‑04 – Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN or LVN, or graduation from an approved school and one year of experience in a nursing facility.
• GS‑05 – Completion of at least one year of qualifying experience at the GS‑04 level or equivalent, with demonstrated knowledge and ability to provide a full range of practical nursing care and to serve as a responsible member of the nursing team.
• GS‑06 – Completion of at least one year of qualifying experience at the GS‑05 level or equivalent, with advanced technical proficiency, judgment, and the ability to perform complex procedures and lead in patient care.

Your education program must be approved by the appropriate State agency and/or accredited by the for Education in Nursing (Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission) at the time the program was completed. Exceptions include military service training or special licensing arrangements as outlined in the announcement.