Student Nurse Technician

Summary

The Student Nurse Technician with the Western New York VA will be given opportunities to provide basic nursing care and procedures in alignment with the competencies learned in the academic setting and validated by VA staff in order to provide care to patients/residents with acute to chronic conditions in a health care setting. He/she functions as a member of the nursing care team and assist licensed nursing staff in the care of patients/residents receiving preventive and acute care.

Qualifications

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
• Enrolled in a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate State-accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• Have not yet graduated nursing school and are unlicensed
• Must have completed the 1st clinical semester towards an Associate / Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing degree
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Preferred Experience: BLS certification preferred Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The population of male and female veterans served ranges from the adult - age 18 - to the elderly adult - age 65 and over
• VAWNYHCS is a major interdisciplinary teaching facility - serving medical - surgical - and neurological inpatients and outpatients
• There is a large outpatient psychiatric population - with visits to the Emergency Department and admissions for medical co-morbidities
• 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 incumbent 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 incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs.
  
  

Duties

• The Student Nurse Technician (SNT) is a temporary position within the acute care nursing service for the Western New York VA
• The Student Nurse Technician administratively and clinically reports to the Nurse Manager of the assigned unit - and functions under the direct supervision of a registered nurse preceptor who is responsible for the coordination of patient care
• The student has successfully completed at least (1) clinical semesters in an Associate Degree - Diploma - or Baccalaureate program - and the level of practice will be dependent upon clinical skills certified by the School of Nursing
• Assignment will be progressive - based on verification of completed clinical skills within the nursing program and/or the clinical experience with the VA Western New York Healthcare System
• Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Assists in direct care for complex - acute - and long-term patients/residents according to established VHA policies and nursing procedures
• Makes observations of subtle changes in patient's/resident's condition - i.e. - behavioral shifts - mood - skin coloring - appetite - etc
• Documents care given - observations - and responses on appropriate tools or forms
• Assures receipt of adequate nutritional intake either through observation of patient/resident - feeding patient/resident or properly positioning and checking placement of feeding tube
• Performs enemas - catheter care - colostomy care - skin care (including massages and simple dressings) - application of braces and prosthetic devices and monitors intake and output - all according to established procedures
• Recognizes the patient's resident's autonomy and promotes independence by means of respect - limit setting - and individualized treatment
• Work Schedule: Intermittent
• Variable work schedule - not to exceed the duration of the students nursing program
• (To be discussed in interview) Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: S10135-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized