Summary

This Nursing Assistant position in the Nursing - Acute Care at the White River Junction VA Healthcare System at the White River Junction - VT location.

Qualifications

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: Citizen of the United States
• Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Experience or Education or Training: Six months of general experience
• Experience must demonstrate the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform the work of a nursing assistant
• 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. English Language Proficiency: Nursing Assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - part II - chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3j
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• GS-03 Nursing Assistant (Entry Level): Experience and Education: None beyond the basic requirements
• Assignments: Individuals assigned as GS-03 NAs are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised
• GS-04 Nursing Assistant: 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: 1
• Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the completion of the nurse care plan and recovery of patients/residents
• 2
• Ability to observe patients/residents' or resident's physical or emotional status and refer deviations and/or problems to supervisor in a timely manner
• 3
• 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
• 4
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients/residents - their families and other health professionals
• GS-05 Nursing Assistant (Full Performance Level): Experience: One year of progressively responsible assignments and experience equivalent to the GS-04 level which demonstrates knowledge - skills - and abilities that are directly related to the specific assignment
• In addition - the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs in subparagraph 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 Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (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 to 3 years of long term care or Med Surg experience 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-05
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-03 to GS-05
• Physical Requirements: The position requires long periods of standing - walking - stooping and/or bending - in additional the occasional lifting and carrying of moderately heavy objects
• Rigid deadlines and need for high degree of accuracy periodically becomes stressful
• See VA Directive Handbook 5019.

Duties

• Nursing Assistants (NA) functions as a member in the Nursing Service at the White River Junction VA Medical Center
• The purpose of this position is to improve the quality and timeliness by which basic services are delivered to our patients to relieve clinicians of the demands of providing routine non-professional services
• Depending on grade and assignment duties may include but are not limited to: Maintain positive therapeutic relationships by displaying respect for human dignity with patient - families and/or significant others utilizing learned communication skills Report and record patient/resident observations Observe patients physical or emotional status and refer deviations and/or problems to a supervisor in a timely manner
• Properly use equipment - materials and supplies in simple diagnostic and treatment procedures such as continuous passive motion device - blood glucose monitoring machine - specimen collection and pulse oximetry - etc
• Stocking all supplies in patient rooms Transporting patients as necessary Communicate effectively with patients - their families and other health professionals Obtaining medical information from patients Providing educational materials to patients Coordinating information/consults and actions related to patient care and services Takes all vital signs - weight - blood pressures - temperatures Performs routine standardized diagnostic procedures such as EKG's - Glucometry and Pulse Oximetry Collects lab specimens Performs other duties as assigned
• Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Nursing Assistant - vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Nursing-Assistant-Career-Flyer.pdf Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory - qualification - and performance requirements are met
• Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level
• Work Schedule: Maybe scheduled to days - evenings - nights - weekends - holidays - and off-tours to support facility needs
• 8 - 10 - 12 hour shifts available
• TBD during the interview process
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: F1024 - F1023 - F1022 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Notifications: This position is in the Excepted Service
• This position is a AFGE Bargaining Unit position
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 - (Notice of Personnel Action)
• The SF-50 must identify the position title - series - grade - step - tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted)
• In some cases - more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held
• Narrative responses to the knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment
• Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees
• This position is covered by a special rate
• Due to a critical staffing shortage - 38 U.S.C. § 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement.