Nursing Assistant (Inpatient)

Summary

The incumbent practices as a Nursing Assistant (NA) within Inpatient Nursing Services of Montana VA Medical Center. This area serves adult and elderly Veterans.

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Duties

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Nursing Assistant - vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Nursing-Assistant-Career-Flyer.pdf

• Adheres to VA and Nursing policies, procedures, and standards.
• Delivers care to patients in a respectful, non-judgmental manner.
• Maintains patient privacy/confidentiality and patient rights to privacy/confidentiality.
• Sets limits within the Nursing Assistant/patient relationship, which are clearly defined.
• Participates in selected Continuous Improvement (CI) activities as directed.
• Assists with selected activities related to patient admission/transfer and discharge.
• Collect's patient information including observation of overall condition.
• Recognizes and reports obvious changes in patient condition including emergencies.
• Takes appropriate actions in response to patient emergent situations.
• Accurately documents patient information in CPRS.
• Provides patient information to the accountable RN for inclusion in the patient's plan of care.
• Completes assignment, reports to the accountable RN when assignment has been completed or when unable to complete activities.
• Uses appropriate lifting/moving/transfer techniques/devices.
• Utilizes infection control and universal standard precautions.
• Adjusts to assignment changes.
• Participates in the interdisciplinary team care planning and delivery of care process.
• Assists in the implementation of the psychiatric treatment program as assigned.
• Related to stages of adult development:
• Describes relationship of developmental stages to provision of nursing care.
• Identifies selected developmental tasks, related stages of adult development and approximate age range of each stage.
• Provides input to RN related to patient's stage of adult development.
• Provides care to patients in a variety of stages of adult development.
• Supports the health care team through the reinforcement of patient education.
• Safely performs the following functions:
• Provides routine hygienic/activities of daily living care.
• Performs actions targeted to the maintenance/restoration of skin integrity.
• Collects patient specimens.
• Administers a variety of comfort measures.
• Takes vital signs after completion of orientation and competency validation.
• Follows seizure precautions as directed.
• Transports patients with oxygen.
• Appropriately uses protective/restraining devices.
• Feeds patients orally including those who are at risk for aspiration, after appropriate training.
• Uses therapeutic cushions appropriately.
• Reports situations including changes in behavior, wandering, sundowning, sleep disturbances, inappropriate sexual behavior, aggressive behavior, hallucinations (visual/auditory), incontinence, swallowing problems & vital signs.
• Recognizes communication barriers.
• Demonstrates correct moving and transferring techniques, including:
• Mechanics of stand/pivot transfer
• Repositioning from the front and rear lift approach
• Slide board transfer
• Use of transfer belt
• Use of Transportation devices
• Use of patient lifts
• Use of side rail and trapeze
• Demonstrates correct use of assistive devices for eating, including eating utensils & plate guard.
• Demonstrates correct use of assistive devices for dressing, including: reachers, shoe horn, dressing sticks, button hooks & zipper pulls.
  
  

Work Schedule: 12hr per day tours (80hr per pay period) rotating weekends and holiday schedule.

Compressed/Flexible:Available

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): 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: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 60693-A, 60694-A & 60695-A

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
  
  

Qualifications

• This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until July 17th, 2025. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be May 5th, 2025. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled. ***
  
  

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:

• U.S. 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
• [Experience or] Education or Training.
  
  

(1) 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.
  
  

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 Determination:

Nursing Assistant, GS-3 (Entry Level)

Experiences and Education: None beyond the basic requirements.

Nursing Assistant, 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:

• 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.
  
  

Nursing Assistant, GS-5

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.

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,

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):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: Preferred Nursing Aid/CNA experience 1-2 years.



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.



Physical Requirements: The work involves long periods of moving about the work unit. The work requires regular and recurring bending, lifting, stooping, stretching, lifting and repositioning and transferring patients. Incumbent may be exposed to patients who are combative, secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders and patients who require restraints. The incumbent must be a mature, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, demonstrating cheerfulness, compassion, courtesy and concern. Must be quick and dependable in taking emergency action in using initiative to prevent accidents

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/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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