Summary The Nursing Assistant is an integral part of the care team in providing care to the veterans that the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital serves. The Nursing Assistant is responsible for the delivery of patient care under the direction of a Registered Nurse, Advanced Practice Nurse / Physician Assistant, or Physician. Responsibilities As a Nursing Assistant you will perform a wide range or patient personal care, diagnostic services, treatment, and charting activities on a regular and continuing basis. You will deliver safe and individualized nursing care on patients with multiple complex needs. Provide care that addresses physical, emotional, rehabilitative, and spiritual needs or veterans. You will function as part of a nursing team and care is focused under the Charge RN. Duties include, but are not limited to: Practices within the scope and certification of a CNA in the nursing unit, clinic, area of assignment and demonstrate consistent practice when temporarily assigned to related nursing units and clinics. Provides care and services to multiple populations served and admitted to the nursing unit, clinic, area of assignment as determined by the patient/resident need for nursing care and services. Provides care of patients/residents and their environment contributing to optimizing patient/resident outcomes as a member of the multi-disciplinary healthcare team. Provides direct patient/resident care in the provision of the psychological, physical, social and cultural activities of daily living, complete and supportive. Provides for the care of patients/residents with dignity and continuous consideration of the individual's emotional needs. Provides reporting, communication and documentation in the computerized patient record system with other members of the multi-disciplinary healthcare team. Maintains certification, BCLS, and currency in required education and training as identified by regulating agencies, Hines VA Hospital, VISN and National Agencies. Demonstrates competency and consistency in the technical use of equipment, application of technical standards and performance of administrative support duties. Performs nursing procedures within scope of practice and according to policies and standard procedures to care for the veteran for such procedures but not limited to: Sterile surgical dressing changes including but not limited to dry dressing over the gastrostomy tube, and any dressing that does not include treatments. Care of patients with PICCs and CVCs, Care of patients with chest tubes, ventilator patients, tracheotomy patients, and assist with leading patient activity groups. Demonstrates knowledge of and compliance with standard operating procedures for the maintenance of reusable medical equipment. Participates in Medical Center activities and demonstrates skills and behaviors that provide and promote positive internal and external customer relationships. Attends unit level and Medical Center meetings and develops as an employee to support committee participation. Maintains patient/resident safety standards assuring patient /resident privacy, patient/resident physical safety, and patient/resident psychological safety. Establishes working relationships with multi-disciplinary and multi-level members of the work team promoting the physical, psychological and emotional safety of the working environment for all team members. Provides assistance and support to the Registered Nurse and/or provider within the scope of the CNA certification/grade and consistent with Medical Center policy. Demonstrates the knowledge and skills to provide care and services consistent with Infection Control Standards of Practice providing optimal outcomes for patients, residents, visitors and employees. Recognizes, responds and initiates appropriate level response to medical emergencies such as cardiac and/or respiratory failure. Work Schedule: 7:30pm - 8:00am, Monday to Friday and alternate every other weekend and holidays Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 02794F, 02806F,02810F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Salary Ranges: GS-3: $39,373 - $51,190 GS-4: $44,197 - $57,460 GS-5: $49,449 - $64,285 Requirements Conditions of Employment 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. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. 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. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications Basic Requirements: Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. English Language Proficiency: NAs must be proficient in spoken and written English. Experience, Education, or Training: You must meet one of the following to meet the basic requirements for a Nursing Assistant (NA): Six months of general experience. Experience must demonstrate the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform the work of a NA. OR, One year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation. OR, Completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related training course of study or program of less than one year as an NA may also meet in full the experience requirements for GS-3. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade. Grade Requirements: GS-3: None beyond the basic requirements. NAs at this grade NAs are considered entry-level and are closely supervised. GS-4: To qualify at the GS-4 level, you must meet the following: Experience: One (1) year of experience as a Nursing Assistant or 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 two (2) years above high school in an accredited institution with courses related to nursing care, health care 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. In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate all of 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 residents' 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: To qualify at the GS-5 level, you must meet the following: Experience: One (1) year of progressively responsible assignments and experience equivalent to the GS-4 level, which demonstrates knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that are directly related to the specific assignment. Specialized experience includes but is not limited to functioning as a member of the nursing care team and assisting licensed nursing staff and other members of the care team in the full range of nursing care of patients/residents receiving outpatient care, home, or community living care or other patients/residents who are receiving preventative, acute, sub-acute, chronic, maintenance, and hospice care. OR, Education: 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. In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate all of 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 the need for basic life support, controlling bleeding, and assisting with behavior crisis, etc. Preferred Experience: 1 - 2 years of Acute Long term care/Rehab experience is preferred. 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-5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-5. Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear, distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The NA may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The NA may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The NA must be mature, flexible, and sensible. An individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. The NA must complete annual employee health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment. These physical requirements will be consistent with VA Directive Handbook 5019. 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/. 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.
