Nursing Assistant

Summary

The incumbent of this position serves as a Nursing Assistant with the Oscar G. Johnson - VAMC (OGJVAMC) - Community Living Center (CLC). The primary purpose of this position is to perform a very wide range of patient personal care - treatment - and charting activities on a regular and continuing basis on a rehabilitation - short-term and long-term care ward. The incumbent performs duties in such a way as to promote a sense of worth and dignity for the individual.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: Citizen of the United States
• Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Experience - 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. 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 IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE - YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING GRADE REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION
• GS-3 Grade Requirements: Experience and Education
• None beyond the basic requirements
• GS-4 Grade Requirements: 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 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 Grade Requirements: 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 in subparagraph (c) 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 degree
• AND 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: 1-2 years of nursing assistant experience perferred
• 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.
  
  

Duties

• Performs a complete range of treatment procedures such as routine urinary catheter care
• including external catheter placements
• application of cold and heat
• changing simple dressings
• and irrigation of a healed colostomy
• Additionally - performs selected treatments such as foot-soaks
• performs basic care for patients requiring the use of isolation techniques
• Recognizes life-threatening situations and initiates cardiopulmonary resuscitation as needed
• Alerts the nurse to changes in the patient's condition and assists in emergency treatment
• Participates in nursing care conferences and interdisciplinary team meetings - using good judgment in identifying and reporting patient problems - planning individual care - and discharge planning
• Suggests feasible means to meet patient needs
• Provides comfort care and hygiene to patients to include bathing - hair and nail care - oral hygiene - and skin care
• Positions patients for comfort and therapy
• Assists with feeding and maintains a safe - clean - pleasant patient environment
• Assists patients in walking - moving - and changing position by supporting and turning them
• Accompanies patients to other areas of the hospital
• Takes vital signs
• i.e. - blood pressure - pulse - respiratory rate and temperature - measures height and weight - and measures intake and output
• Carries out specified procedures such as irrigations - care of drainage tubes - suctioning - and administration of oxygen
• Knowledge and ability to perform restorative functions
• Changes or assists with the changing of dressings - both sterile and clean
• Assists the physician and/or nurse with complex procedures - gathering the required items - comforting the patient - monitoring patient physical status - and passing instruments and supplies
• Assists in post­ mortem care
• Obtains laboratory specimens for testing including urine - stool - sputum and nasogastric tube specimens
• Performs capillary glucose testing by glucometer - if applicable
• Uses the approved method to record and report patient care including obvious physical and/or behavioral changes of patients - vital signs - as well as less obvious and more complex changes such as non-verbal cues
• e.g. - early signs of skin breakdown - slight drooling of the mouth
• changes in sensorium in the medical record
• Maintains flow sheets and patient records - documenting patient care as per expected standards
• Maintains a safe patient environment - recognizing hazards and taking corrective action
• Sets up - operates - performs minor maintenance and upkeep - cleans and properly stores equipment
• Adheres to safety practices concerning patient care
• maintains a safe clean environment in the use and maintenance of equipment and supplies - as well as takes action to correct less obvious hazards - and makes suggestions for improving current equipment and environment
• Provides Resident Centered Care: VA CLCs are committed to providing resident-centered care
• Resident-centered care identifies an approach to providing health care where the treatment plan is driven by the needs - preferences - and life-long habits of the resident
• Performs other related duties as assigned
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Full-Time
• 2:00pm- 10:30pm (may include rotating weekends and holidays.) Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus):Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance):Not Authorized
• EDRP Authorized: Not Authorized
• 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 [work experience] or military service experience
• 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 VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: This is not a telework position
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 06086F - 06087F - and 06088F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not authorized Salary Ranges: GS-3: $32 -435 - $42 -170 GS-4: $40 -897 - $53 -169 GS-5: $45 -757 - $59 -485