Summary The Nursing Assistant (NA) at the full performance level (GS-05) functions as a vital member of the Nursing, Geriatric and Extended Care (GEC) service Restorative Nursing Team. The NA provides direct and indirect patient care to Veterans with complex and varying healthcare needs, including those requiring preventative, acute, sub-acute, chronic disease, maintenance, palliative, or end-of-life support. Responsibilities Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Nursing Assistant - vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Nursing-Assistant-Career-Flyer.pdf Nursing Assistant (NA) Duties: A. Clinical Care & Monitoring Assists in the delivery of care to Veterans exhibiting predictable and unpredictable care needs. Obtains and records vital signs, pain scores, oxygen saturation, height/weight, and other clinical measurements. Performs glucose monitoring and documents results; promptly reports deviations to licensed nursing or providers. Performs electrocardiograms and other clinical procedures within scope and per policy. Accurately documents care, observations, and Veteran responses in approved electronic systems. Assists with specimen collection, phlebotomy, lab processing, and non-invasive procedures as trained. Responds to subtle or acute changes in Veteran conditions by immediately notifying appropriate clinical personnel. Monitors and documents intake and output, reporting abnormalities promptly. Assists with mobility, transfers, positioning, and activities of daily living within competency level and patient safety standards. Identifies and responds to behavioral crises; requests support as appropriate. Recognizes emergent situations and initiates Basic Life Support (BLS) until higher-level assistance arrives. B. Patient & Environment Safety Serves as a Safety Champion by adhering to VA safety, regulatory, and infection control standards. Maintains logs and documentation including emergency lights & alarms, refrigeration/freezer monitoring, temperature & humidity logs, AED checks, eyewash stations, wheelchairs, supply audits. Removes defective equipment, reports hazards, and ensures facility safety standards are upheld. Participate in fire drills, emergency preparedness activities, and infection prevention compliance. Assists in disinfecting and deep-cleaning clinical equipment and patient areas according to policy. C. Team Support & Collaboration Collaborates with interdisciplinary team members to support safe, high-quality Veteran care. Participates in daily huddles, team meetings, and shared governance or process-improvement activities. Engages in Root Cause Analysis (RCA) or other safety and quality reviews as required. Supports Veteran movement through clinic spaces and escorts patients as needed. D. Education, Mentorship, & Professional Conduct Serves as a preceptor and mentor for newly hired or junior Nursing Assistants. Provides orientation to clinic environment, equipment use, safety expectations, and workflow processes. Maintains required competencies, certifications, and mandatory training. E. Mobility & Operational Support Operates government-owned vehicles (GOV) to support staffing coverage at other VA clinic locations. Maintains safe driving record and completes required VA GOV driving program training. Performs additional duties assigned to support clinic operations and Veteran care. Work Schedule: 6:00 AM to 3:30 PM Compressed/Flexible: May be available and negotiated. 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 2) One year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation (must submit TRANSCRIPT with application); OR,(3) Completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related [training] course of study [or program] of less than one year as a NA may also meeting full the experience requirements for GS-3. Grade Determinations: Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. GS-3 NA (Entry Level) Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements GS-4 NA Experience. One year of specialized experience as a NA or experience in another medical field (licensed practical nurse, health technician, hospital corpsman, etc.), performing technical and nursing skills requiring knowledge of the human physical and emotional states, therapeutic communication, and technical skills required for basic and intermediate treatments; OR, Education. Successful completion of 2 years above high school in an accredited institution with courses related to nursing care, healthcare or in a field of study appropriate to the specialization of the position, such as education in a program for psychology, psychiatric, or operating room technicians; (must submit TRANSCRIPT with application); AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the completion of the nurse care plan and recovery of patients/residents. Ability to observe patients/ residents' or resident's physical or emotional status and refer deviations and/or problems to supervisor in a timely manner. Ability to properly use equipment, materials and supplies in simple diagnostic and treatment procedures such as bladder scan, continuous passive motion device, blood glucose monitoring machine, specimen collection, etc. Ability to communicate effectively with patients/ residents, their families and other health professionals. GS-5 NA (Full Performance Level). Experience. One year of progressively responsible assignments and experience equivalent to the GS-4 level which demonstrates knowledge, skills, and abilities that are directly related to the specific assignment. (i.) Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the completion of the nurse care plan and recovery of patients/residents. (ii.) Ability to observe patients/ residents' or resident's physical or emotional status and refer deviations and/or problems to supervisor in a timely manner. (iii.) Ability to properly use equipment, materials and supplies in simple diagnostic and treatment procedures such as bladder scan, continuous passive motion device, blood glucose monitoring machine, specimen collection, etc. (iv.) Ability to communicate effectively with patients/ residents, their families and other health professionals. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs in subparagraph (c)below; OR, Education. Successful completion of Successful completion of a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree that included 24 semester hours of courses related to health care or possession of a bachelor's degree; (must submit TRANSCRIPT with application); AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to assist in the full range of nursing care to patients/residents with physical and/or behavioral problems in a hospital, long-term care or outpatient setting under the direction of a Registered Nurse and/or Licensed Vocational Nurse/Licensed Practical Nurse. Ability to communicate orally with patients/residents, families, interdisciplinary team and other personnel. This includes serving as a preceptor to new NAs by assisting with the coordination of their orientation and overseeing/assessing their practical experience while in a clinical setting. Ability to recognize and react to emergent patient/resident care situations and intervene while waiting for assistance. For example, recognizing need for basic life support, controlling bleeding and assisting with behavior crisis, etc. Preferred Experience: 2-3 year experience in Long-Term/Hospice/Rehab and/or Restorative care Dementia experience preferred Hands-on experience at the bedside/resident care Ability to work collaboratively with nursing and rehabilitation department 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-05. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-03 to GS-05. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. NOTE: If your school has changed names or was accredited by a body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the DAPIP, U.S. Department of Education website http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/., you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP at The Fair Chance Act.
