Nursing Assistant - Acute Care 5 South

Summary

The Greater Los Angeles VA Health Care System is seeking a full-time Nursing Assistant (NA) for our unit in 5 South. The NA provide basic to complex nursing care as a member of the nursing care team by assisting licensed nursing staff and other members of the care team; provide care under close supervision, while learning to perform complex nursing skills and will refer issues/questions to supervisors, licensed nursing staff or other health care professionals.

Duties

• Duties include, but are not limited to: Monitor vital signs and perform EKG, upper airway suctioning and routine diagnostic tests to patients. Assist physician and nurse in the care and treatment of the ill receiving medical, surgical, psychiatric or outpatient treatment. Assist physician and nurse in the performance of diagnostic examinations by setting up of various types of complex medical equipment, e.g. respirators, surgical wound suction equipment, and traction, etc. Assist physician in a variety of diagnostic examination such as lumbar puncture, minor surgical procedures, pap smears, bone marrows, and insertion of chest tubes. Report the observations of the changes in patient behavior, bodily complaints and the condition of acute or chronic phase patients such as excessive vomiting, bleeding, type and amount of drainage, skin integrity and patency of airway. Recognize emergency situations and intervene while awaiting assistance. Enter specific information onto the patients' records or charts. Identify and report data relative to more complex patient situation including subtle changes in patients' behavior or condition. Teach patient and family member the necessity to continue the procedures for proper health care and after-care instructions. Performs patient care duties, ranging from routine to moderately specialized within patient care units. Answers patient call signals, signal lights, bells or intercom systems to determine patient's needs. Collects specimens, such as urine, feces, or sputum. Communicates with patients to ascertain feelings or need for assistance or social and emotional support. Documents or reports observations of patient behavior, complaints or physical symptoms to nurses. Work Schedule: Full-time. 7:30pm-8:00am (including rotating weekends and holidays) Telework: Not available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

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. Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Policy. Experience or Education or Training. 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 a NA may also meet in full the experience requirements for GS-3. Grandfathering Provisions. All NAs employed in VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the series and grade held that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. If an employee who was retained (grandfathered) under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status of the grandfathering provision and must meet the full VA qualification standard basic requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation. Grade Determinations.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, 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; 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. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs below; 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 degr…

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/.