Nursing Assistant

Summary

The Nursing Assistant serves in the Resource Pool within Nursing Operations at the West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System. The position provides care and support to Veterans with acute, subacute, chronic, maintenance, and hospice care needs. Assignments may involve complex nursing needs that vary with a range of predictable to unpredictable requirements.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Nursing Assistant may work in inpatient and outpatient areas, including Medical Center units, the Emergency Department, Community Living Center, Mental Health, Telemetry, and the Ambulatory Care Unit. The position also supports one-to-one observation for high-risk patients and transports or escorts Veterans to procedures and appointments. Work is performed under the supervision of a Nurse Manager or other designated supervisor, with clinical oversight provided by licensed nursing staff. Major Duties Assists Veterans with activities of daily living, including bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, feeding, mobility, and positioning. Provides care to patients with acute, subacute, chronic, maintenance, and hospice care needs. Obtains, monitors, and documents vital signs, weights, intake and output, and other patient observations. Reports changes in a patient's physical condition, behavior, mobility, skin condition, or level of consciousness to licensed nursing staff. Performs basic nursing procedures in accordance with established policies and clinical direction. Provides one-to-one observation and follows prescribed safety precautions for patients who require continuous monitoring. Transports and escorts Veterans to procedures, appointments, clinics, imaging, the laboratory, and other treatment areas. Collects and transports specimens to the laboratory. Assists with skin care, simple dressings, braces, prosthetic devices, and monitoring of intravenous complications, as assigned. Supports bladder and bowel retraining and reinforces established patient care plans. Promotes patient independence, dignity, privacy, autonomy, and respect. Maintains a clean, safe, and organized patient-care environment. Uses proper body mechanics and patient-handling equipment when moving, transferring, or positioning Veterans. Responds appropriately to emergencies and changes in patient condition by contacting the appropriate nursing personnel. Documents care, observations, and patient responses using approved forms and electronic systems. Provides information to patients and supports their participation in treatment planning meetings. Participates in interdisciplinary team activities, quality-improvement efforts, and unit-based responsibilities. Serves as a preceptor or mentor to other Nursing Assistants, as assigned. Answers call lights, assists with patient requests, and supports additional unit needs within the scope of the assignment. Work Schedule: Primarily nights, including rotating weekends and holidays. Tour of duty may consist of 8-hour and 12-hour shifts. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 40929F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorize 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) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VAInsurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. 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. 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. English Language Proficiency. NAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. 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 REQUIREMENTS. Creditable Experience. Knowledge of Current Practice. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the current practice Quality of Experience. To be creditable, NA experience must be documented on the application or resume and verified in an employment reference, or through other independent means. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a NA is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a NA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. GS-3 (Entry Level) Experience [and] Education [ ]. None beyond the basic requirements. GS-4 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:1. Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the completion of the nurse care plan and recovery of patients/residents.2. Ability to observe patients/residents' or resident's physical or emotional status and refer deviations and/or problems to supervisor in a timely manner.3. Ability to properly use equipment, materials and supplies in simple diagnostic and treatment procedures…

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/.