Nursing Assistant

The Nursing Assistant (NA) position; the candidate will be provided opportunities to develop basic nursing skills in order to provide care to patients/residents with acute to chronic conditions in a health care setting.

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. 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). Grade Determinations: GS-3 - There is no additional experience required beyond the basic qualifications. This is an entry level position refer to VA handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-46. GS-4 - 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 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 - The GS-5 nursing assistant is the full performance level. The expected experience is one year of progressive responsible assignments and experience equivalent to the GS-4 level, which demonstrates knowledge, skills, and abilities that are directly related to the specific NA assignment; OR Education that results in 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 care or possession of a bachelor's degree; and the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSA's listed below: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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: Nursing Assistant in a hospital setting, preferably an inpatient unit. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is G-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 a mature, flexible, sensible 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 or as outlined in U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Certificate of Medical Examination, Form OMB No. 3206-0250.