Duties

Summary

This position is located at the Washington DC VA Medical Center. The Nursing Assistant performs nursing procedures and duties on an assigned patient area and has special responsibilities with his/her assigned patients, using a team nursing approach in providing holistic care. He/she functions independently under the purview of the Nurse Manager/Assistant Unit Manager or designee. All positions are acute care Inpatient.
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Responsibilities

Observes, reports, and documents changes in patients' conditions.
Charting on each patient's medical record is done regularly according to set nursing standards and unit policies.
Assists with Activities of Daily Living (ADL), the delivery of specialized nursing care and emergency care of patients as needed.
Uses therapeutic communication to intervene with psychiatric, geriatric, and/or medical patients.
Shows concern for the safety, whereabouts and welfare of all patients on the assigned unit.
Provides complex continuing care to the patient experiencing mild-severe psychiatric
behaviors and to the patient experiencing mild stages of functional and cognitive decline to the end stage of life.
Lift, move, or transfer patients.
Push, pull or carry equipment, supplies, wheelchairs, treatment carts or other devices.
Answers lights, emergency alert systems, telephones, pagers, and patient/staff
verbalizations.
Detects changes in body temperature, changes in skin integrity and physical changes in the patient's body such as lumps or bumps.
Enters appropriate data and other documentation into the computer system.
Work Schedule: Shift Work
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives and PCS Expenses: Not Authorized
Telework: Not Available
This is not a virtual position.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
5

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

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.
• Education or Training: One year above high school with courses related to the [NA] occupation. Completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related course of study of less than one year as a nursing assistant may also meet in full the experience requirements for GS-3. TRANSCRIPTS/CERTIFICATE MUST BE SUBMITTED

In addition to the basic requirements, the following must be met to meet the grade determination:

Grade Determinations:
GS-5 (Full Performance Level):

(a) 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 KSAs as follows: 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,
(b) 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
(c) Demonstrated KSAs
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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: 2 years Nursing Assistant experience, BLS, CNA License not required but preferred.

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/81, PART II, APPENDIX G46, NURSING ASSISTANT QUALIFICATION STANDARD

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-05.

Physical Requirements: Work will require long periods of regular and recurring standing and walking with regular and recurring lifting and positioning of patients while maintaining balance. Must be able to bend, stoop, squat, kneel, move body and extremities quickly, push and pull equipment, and carry equipment and supplies without any personal limitations or physical restrictions. Long periods of sitting with an assigned patient may be required. Physical endurance and physical tolerance is required for a 12 hour shift as assigned. These are essential functions of the position. The employee is alert to the possibility of patient assault and may need to protect herself/himself using non-abusive physical intervention techniques. The incumbent must have full range of motion of each joint. He/she must be able to grasp, maintain balance, and lower a patient safely to the floor unassisted while physically controlling a violent patient. They must have fine motor skills to effectively operate locking restraints. These are essential functions of the position.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html .

Additional information

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

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

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.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

NOTE: The Professional Standards Board (a peer-review group) will review the selected candidate's education and experience and recommend the grade and salary at which the candidate will be placed. For internal selectees eligible for promotion, the board will recommend grade and HR will determine step in accordance with policy.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

VA Form 10-2850c Application for Associated Health Occupations can be found at: http://www.va.gov/vaforms/search_action.asp?FormNo=2850&tkey=&Action=Search .

Resume -Your resume must include the following information for each job listed: Job title, Duties (be as detailed as possible), Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008) Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) Salary or current/former governmental grade held (example - GS-7)

Transcript or Certificate Required to be submitted with your application package. (SEE QUALIFICATIONS PORTION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT,)

SF-50: If you are applying as a current, permanent employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs or Federal employee, you must submit a copy of your latest computer-generated SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), that verifies your career or career-conditional status (block 24, code 1 or 2) as a VA employee. Temporary, term, or intermittent employees (block 24, code 0 or 3) are not considered in the area of consideration for this announcement. You MUST submit enough SF 50s to verify ONE FULL YEAR of experience at the next lowest grade level. (This form may be obtained at https://eopf.opm.gov/va/ ) If you do not submit the required documents listed above, your application package will be disqualified.

All documents MUST be submitted at the time of application. Late documents are not accepted.

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• VA Form 10-2850C
• VA Form 10-2850c
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx .

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.