Nursing Assistant

These positions are located in Associate Director of Patient Care Service. The Nursing Assistant functions as a member of the nursing care team and assist licensed nursing staff in the care of patients/residents receiving preventive, acute, sub-acute chronic, maintenance, and hospice care.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Major duties of this position will include, but are not limited to:

• Utilize glucose monitoring machine to collect and document appropriate glucose readings for assigned Veterans.
• Maintain a positive therapeutic relationship by displaying respect for human dignity with patients, families and/or significant others utilizing learned communication skills.
• Utilize observation skills for data collection, reporting and recording patient/resident observations.
• Perform aspects of nursing care to meet patient's needs for the following under close supervision and with direction/guidance from a preceptor:
• Perform activities of daily living and provides a range of care that contributes to the Veteran's treatment plan, recovery, and wellness under the direction of a licensed health care provider.
• Perform and document prescribed medical treatment and interventions for patients, such as diabetic urine testing and blood testing, and simple dressing changes.
• Proficiently utilize rehabilitative principles to promote patient independence and recovery, encouraging and guiding patient/residents in bowel and bladder training.
• Engage in-group activities such as off-station trips, reality orientation, current events and other therapeutic groups with direction and close supervision.
• Monitor patients according to levels of observations i.e. (one to one suicide, continuous observation, q 15 minute checks, and hourly rounding.
• Monitor Veterans who may be at risk for harming themselves and or others according to established policies and procedures and appropriately refers issues to the charge nurse or other health care professional.
• Utilize principles of proper body mechanics while caring for patients.
• Reporting patient status to the RN and documents pertinent observations in the medical record according to established procedures.
• Set up patient care related equipment, such as hypothermia machines, oxygen delivery systems, portable and wall suction and assisting in monitoring proper functioning of equipment.
• Organize and obtain routine supplies and equipment.
• Assist with patient education including orienting patient/family to unit routines and policies.
• Work as a cooperative, courteous member of the interdisciplinary team.

Work Schedule: Full time, 7:30pm - 8:00am (Block Scheduling with alternate weekends and holidays)
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (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: #930810, #930820, #92519A
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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:

• Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• 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.

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

(2) One year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation;

OR,

(3) 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.


Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates

Nursing Assistant, GS-3- Entry Level

• Experience 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 (Full Performance Level)

• 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 KS As 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

• Demonstrated KSA's. In addition to the experience or education above, 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.

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: This position includes a level of physicality normally associated with duties performed by nursing assistants such as direct patient care, and potentially long periods of walking, standing, sitting, moderate lifting, repeated bending, or kneeling. See VA Handbook 5019 and local NA physical standards.

Examples may include but are not limited to:
- Significant amounts of time standing assisting assigned patients
- Utilization of safe patient handling and mobility protocols

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 evaluation.
• 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 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.