Student Nurse Technician

This Student Nurse Technician position is located within the Nursing Service at the VA Boston Healthcare System. This is an intermittent position with a Not To Exceed 1-year/temporary condition.

The position is an intermediate developmental position. Incumbents 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. The significant factor is that they provide care under close supervision, are learning to perform complex nursing skills, and will refer issues/questions to supervisors, higher graded Student Nurse Technicians (SNTs), Licensed staff or other healthcare professionals.

The position may perform theses duties in a variety of health care settings such as outpatient, inpatient, home or community living care, acute, sub-acute. Selectee is responsible for appropriately utilizes glucose monitoring machine to collect and document appropriate glucose readings for assigned veteran, observation of patients, performs aspects of nursing care to meet patient's needs for the following:

• Personal Hygiene, Physical comfort, Activity, Exercise, Rest, Nutrition, Elimination, Prevention of Skin Breakdown, Rehabilitative Aspects of Care.
• Engages in-group activities such as off-station trips, reality orientation, current events and other therapeutic groups.
• Sets up patient care related equipment, Organizes and obtains routine supplies and equipment.
• Assists with orienting patient/family to unit routines and policies, monitors patients according to levels of observations i.e. (I:I Veterans as well as Veterans observation status.).
• Performing and documenting prescribed medical treatment and interventions for patients, such as diabetic urine testing and blood testing, simple dressing changes utilize rehabilitative principles to promote patient independence and recovery.
• Encouraging and guiding them in bowel and bladder training and all aspects of AM.
• Engaging in-group activities such as off-station trips, reality orientation, current events and other therapeutic groups.
• Other duties as assigned.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards

Work Schedule: Intermittent (Per Diem) for up to 1 Year with rotations to weekends/holidays, day shift, evening shift or overnight shift and other shifts; Schedules vary based on assignment.
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: S10135-A/S10136-A/S10137-A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

Notifications:

• This is an Intermittent (Per Diem) for up to 1 Year position which may be extended or converted to a permanent position without further competitive procedures.
• This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay.
• This position is not a Bargaining Unit position.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/31/2026.

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.
• Language Proficiency: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English. Provisions of appendix II-I of chapter 3, this part will be used, as applicable, to determine that title 5 employees in direct patient-care positions meet the English language proficiency requirements of 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).
• Education: SNTs must be enrolled in a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate State-accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant, the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
  • A transcript from the school of nursing must be submitted with the application when all or part of the qualifications are based on education.

You must qualify based on education as described below:

Grade Determinations:
GS-3 Grade Level.

• Completion of 1 full academic year of post-high school study. The required education must lead to a bachelor's degree with specialization in or directly related to the field in which the student trainees will receive training on the job. The degree of specialization in this field must satisfy on graduation the specific educational requirements in the qualification standard for the corresponding two-grade interval positions.

GS-4 Grade Level.

• Completion of 2 academic years of post-high school study or associate's degree. The required education must lead to a bachelor's degree with specialization in or directly related to the field in which the student trainees will receive training on the job. The degree of specialization in this field must satisfy on graduation the specific educational requirements in the qualification standard for the corresponding two-grade interval positions.

GS-5 Grade Level.

• Completion of 4 academic years of post-high school leading to a bachelor's degree or equivalent degree. The required education must lead to a bachelor's degree with specialization in or directly related to the field in which the student trainees will receive training on the job. The degree of specialization in this field must satisfy on graduation the specific educational requirements in the qualification standard for the corresponding two-grade interval positions.

If selected you must:

• Maintain status as a current student,
• Maintain good academic standing, at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 grading scale,
• Adhere to an established work schedule approved by the supervisor,
• Provide proof of enrollment in a qualifying educational institution and academic transcripts at the end of each academic period and upon request,
• Perform, successfully, the duties and responsibilities in the assigned position description,
• Observe all workplace rules, such as dress code, office conduct and behavior,
• Participate in all VA mandatory training programs (either on-line or in the classroom),
• Notify the supervisor of any changes in the completion of the educational program, such as graduation date, changes in the major degree requirements, or changes in the educational institution's accreditation.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Physical Requirements: Duties require extensive periods of sitting, standing, and walking. Working with patients requires regular and recurring bending, lifting, stooping, pushing, stretching and similar activities. The POA is able to rotate to all tours and on occasion, be reassigned to any nursing sections. Must be able to accommodate varying schedules and workload within established regulatory parameters. The POA must be able to physically lift a minimum of 35 pounds.

A transcript must be submitted with your application.

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/.

• 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.
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.