Summary

The Telehealth Clinical Technician (TCT) supports Telehealth clinical programs from the patient location. The incumbent provides a wide range of clinical and technical services to the Veteran and clinical VHA staff that demonstrates complex technical judgment under general supervision of a registered nurse or MD - technologies to enhance care coordination - access to care - and to routinely and proactively manage diseases to prevent healthcare crisis.

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
• 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: 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
• 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
• NOTE: Please provide transcripts/certificate if you are a graduate of a program or received health care education/training in the military
• Grade Determination GS 7: 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
• In addition - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 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
• Preferred Experience: One year experience as an LPN providing telehealth care
• 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.

Duties

• Duties include but are not limited to the following: Administers medication accurately and promptly under the general supervision of a registered nurse
• Demonstrates the ability to assist RN and/or MD/DO to appropriately prioritize overall patient care needs and adjust health care plans to implement nursing interventions
• Demonstrates the independent technical knowledge and skills that are complex in nature and that contribute to the veteran's treatment plan and support the successful completion of the Telehealth visit
• Demonstrates the knowledge and skill to promptly recognize potential urgent or emergent patient care situations during a telehealth visit or patient intake and seeks 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
• Performs Telehealth imaging - including Tele-Eye screening - Tele-dermatology and other Telehealth programs as technology becomes available - as identified - and referred by the primary care provider - other providers - and the imager
• Responsible for the patient site facilitation of the clinical - business - scheduling - and technical aspects for real-time Telehealth applications - including - but not limited to Tele-mental Health - Primary Care Telehealth - Tele-neurology - Tele-nephrology - Telecardiology - Tele-endocrinology - Tele-patient education clinics and other modalities as request by a LIP or service line
• Assists in patient care under the direct supervision of an independent licensed healthcare provider
• Performs a range of diagnostic support duties such as taking and recording vital signs - tacking specimens - labeling specimens for the laboratory - completing recommendations - and interviewing patient before - during - and after telehealth clinical visit
• Performs personal care - diagnostic support duties and treatments according to procedure under the direction of the professional nurse in a timely manner
• Responds to patient's nursing needs - including physical comfort - and emotional needs and recognizing deviations from the normal
• Will involve patients and family to participate in the provision of care throughout the continuum
• Adheres to principles of infection control - safety and universal precautions
• Obtains abbreviated patient medical histories relevant to the examination being performed
• Provides technical and administrative support for telehealth programs
• Identifies and schedules patients for digital imaging
• Collects appropriate patient demographics and pertinent historical information to populate the imager template
• Images the patient
• Serves as a liaison between image readers - referring providers - specialty care providers - patients - and other VA personnel
• Schedules - or facilitates scheduling of - Veterans for follow up appointments if ordered by the specialty provider
• Provides general clerical/administrative support coordination work for the telehealth program
• Performs quality checks required for safe patient care and operation of telehealth services
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Monday- Friday - 8:00am to 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not 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 authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual or remote position
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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