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Practical Nurse/Vocational Nurse
Defense Health Agency
Multiple Locations
$41k–$62k/yr
Posted pay
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RN
Last seen active Aug 10, 2026
What this might mean for you
Defense Health Agency is hiring for its own floors — no agency between you and the manager. The posted pay pencils out to roughly $41k–$62k a year.
What the posting states
- Base pay
- $41k–$62k/yr
About this role
Show full description
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:
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. 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.
Skills for this role
measuring vital signsadministering medicationsscreening/updating patient medical recordsperforming direct patient carecare coordinationassisting with examinations and diagnostic proceduresadministering oxygen and IV fluids
Requirements
- State license as LPN/LVN
About the employer
Defense Health Agency
Hospital
Defense Health Agency (DHA) is a joint, integrated agency within the U.S. Department of Defense that oversees healthcare delivery for the Military Health System. In the San Diego area, DHA-associated positions are located at Naval Medical Center San Diego, situated…
3.1 Google rating
What reviewers appreciate
- Strong work-life balance rated 4.3 out of 5 on Indeed
- Federal job security with competitive base salary and bonuses
- Up to 26 days paid vacation plus 11 paid Federal Holidays
What reviewers flag
- Management rated lowest sub-score at 3.0 out of 5 on Indeed
- Limited time and location flexibility noted as area for improvement
- Culture rating is moderate at 3.5 out of 5
mission-drivenmilitaryfederalstructuredsecurepatriotic
Worth asking
The posting doesn’t answer these. Good ones to ask a recruiter or in the interview.
- Can you walk me through the differentials?
- What should I expect for shifts, weekly hours, weekend, holiday, call, and rotation?
- What orientation, preceptor time, and ongoing unit support are included?
- How are patient load, floating, and staffing support handled day to day?
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