Licensed Practical Nurse - PACT

This Licensed Practical Nurse position is located in the Primary Care Clinic at the Lexington, Kentucky VA Health Care System. You will deliver nursing care to Veterans as an essential member of the PACT Initiative (Patient Aligned Care Teams). This role serves patients ranging from young adulthood to senior age and requires the knowledge and skills to manage complex practical nursing care assignments with self-direction and accountability.

Clinical Setting

You will work in a VA primary care clinic environment as part of an interdisciplinary team providing coordinated patient care.

Responsibilities

• Provide care to Veterans requiring complex practical nursing care
• Demonstrate sufficient skill to resolve a range of nursing problems
• Complete medication administration (oral, topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular, and intravenous) and appropriately document actions taken
• Observe and document patient responses to medications and report changes in patient condition
• Recognize the need for and assist in emergency measures and resuscitation procedures
• Recognize and appropriately respond to equipment breakage, malfunctions, safety hazards, and supply deficiencies
• Provide float coverage for PACT LPN staff relief during times of vacancy, scheduled, or unscheduled absence
• Maintain professional appearance and attitude while interacting with patients, visitors, and VA personnel
• Work closely with RN staff for technical review of assignments to ensure appropriateness and conformity with policy and procedures

Required Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship
• Active, full, current, and unrestricted licensure as a Licensed Practical Nurse or Licensed Vocational Nurse in a U.S. state, territory, or commonwealth
• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English
• Graduation from 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 of completion, OR military service training accepted by the licensing body, OR licensure from a jurisdiction not requiring graduation from an approved school with at least one year of successful LPN/LVN practice
• Subject to urinalysis screening for illegal drug use prior to appointment
• Selective Service Registration (males born after 12/31/1959)
• Background and security investigation
• Seasonal influenza vaccination or approved exemption with required face mask use
• Completion of online onboarding process with acceptable form of identification (REAL ID-compliant driver's license or state-issued ID as of May 7, 2025)
• Successful completion of 1 or 2-year trial period during which fitness and advancement of public interest will be evaluated

Experience Requirements by Grade

GS-3: None beyond basic requirements. LPNs at this grade perform all duties within scope of license; completed work may require routine or detailed higher-level review depending on complexity.

GS-4: Six months of qualifying experience as an LPN/LVN, OR one year of nursing care work in a hospital, outpatient clinic, nursing home, or other supervised medical/nursing/patient care facility providing practical knowledge of human body structure and sterile techniques, OR graduation from an approved school of at least 24 months duration.

GS-5: Knowledge and ability to provide full range of practical nursing care to patients with various physical and/or behavioral problems; ability to serve as responsible nursing team member; knowledge and skill in medication preparation, administration, and documentation; knowledge and ability to recognize need for and assist in emergency measures; ability to recognize and respond to equipment issues and safety hazards.

GS-6: Proficiency in initiating, performing, and completing assigned duties for variable patient populations; knowledge and ability to carry out patient care based on patient conditions using appropriate judgment; ability to observe, identify, and respond to patient needs including medication, equipment-assisted care, and patient/family education; knowledge and ability to recognize urgent or emergent situations and initiate appropriate interventions; knowledge of human behavior and patient motivations; knowledge and skill in supporting complex diagnostic tests and specialized procedures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous primary care experience

Physical Requirements

You must be able to perform work requiring regular and recurrent walking, bending, lifting 45 pounds or more, stooping, reaching, stretching, and similar activities. This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. You will frequently push medication carts, wheelchairs, lifts, and beds. You must be able to care for Veterans with various medical and psychiatric issues, some of whom may exhibit unpredictable behavior. You must work closely with others, have sufficient hearing to respond to various alarms, and communicate verbally and in writing. You will be subject to exposure to communicable diseases, biohazard materials, and sharps. Use of personal protective equipment including gloves and protective clothing is required.

Schedule and Employment

• Monday-Friday, day tour of duty
• Full-time permanent position
• No telework available
• No relocation assistance authorized
• No sign-on bonus authorized
• Excepted Service position (does not confer competitive status)

Compensation and Benefits

• Pay Scale: V744, GS-3 to GS-6 range
• Salary: $48,902 - $82,157 per year
• Competitive salary with regular increases; higher step rates may be determined based on unique qualifications or special needs
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days annually (13-26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, 11 paid federal holidays)
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service experience
• Parental Leave: Up to 12 weeks paid parental leave after 12 months of employment
• Child Care Subsidy: Eligible full-time employees with family income below $144,000 may receive subsidy up to 25% of eligible childcare costs, maximum $416.66 monthly (after 60 days employment)
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401(k) with up to 5% VA contributions
• Insurance: Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care coverage (many programs carry into retirement)

Additional Requirements and Conditions

• Drug test required
• Background check and credentialing required
• Security clearance type: Other
• Position sensitivity: Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
• Financial disclosure not required
• Travel not required
• Promotion potential to GS-6
• Pre-employment reference checks will be conducted
• VA does not deny employment based on financial hardship or unemployment periods
• Participation in seasonal influenza vaccination program is a condition of employment for all VA Health Care Personnel

Application Deadline

Complete application packages must be submitted by 11:59 PM ET on 08/28/2026.