Career Center

Summary

The Eastern Colorado Health Care System - located in Aurora - CO is currently recruiting for one Nursing Assistant GS 5 to work in Inpatient Acute Care.

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:

• Citizenship Must be a US citizen
• Non-citizens may be appointed when it's not possible to recruit qualified US citizens English Language Proficiency Psychologists must be proficient in spoken & 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 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 Determination requirements: The following criteria must be met in addition to the Basic Requirements for employment listed above when determining the candidate's grade
• GS-5 NA - 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
• 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 KSAs
• Candidates must demonstrate all the following KSAs in addition to the experience above
• 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: At least 1 year working in an Inpatient Acute Care setting in a hospital and has state issued Nursing Assistant Certification
• Reference: please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ for qualification standards information The full performance level of this vacancy is a GS-5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-3 to a GS-5. Physical Requirements: Requires visual acuity - keen hearing - clear distinctive speech & manual dexterity
• Long periods of continued walking - standing - stooping - sitting - bending - pulling & pushing
• Assisting with transferring patients to wheelchairs/litters & transporting them to other departments
• Occasionally moving equipment/objects in excess of 40lbs.Requires walking up & down several flights of stairs in response to all emergency codes
• Transferring patients & objects may be required
• Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided
• May be exposed to infected patients & contaminated materials & may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations
• May occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia or psychiatric disorders
• Must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations & able to shift priorities based on patient needs
• Must complete annual Employee Health requirements as a condition of employment
• Must be able to pass and maintain Basic Life Support - BLS certification or higher.

Duties

• vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Nursing-Assistant-Career-Flyer.pdf Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Full performance Nursing Assistant-Inpatient Acute Care duties includes but aren't limited to following: All tasks - assignments & activities are under RN's direction - guidance & supervision Follows all policies - procedures - regulations - guidelines - directives - EOs - & Standard Operating Procedures - etc
• Performs variety nursing care tasks w/in scope of duties Contributes to safe - clean & therapeutic environment for patients & staff by maintaining clean equipment - patient rooms & ward areas Complies w/ infection control practices - such as hand washing & dons appropriate PPE Uses sterile techniques w/ treatments & simple dressings that don't require packing - irrigation - debridement or medications Wraps stumps - irrigates & stabilizes ostomies - changes ostomy appliances Observes PIV/CVC for redness - swelling or pain Provides urinary/catheter care Assists w/ patients' rehabilitation - corrects position & assists w/ Activities of Daily Livings Measures & records vital signs to include temperature - pulse - respirations - blood pressure & measuring height & weight - intake & output Observes/recognizes/reports overt or subtle abnormal signs & symptoms &/or changes in patients' condition - behavior or attitude & responds e.g
• signs of post-operative shock - hemorrhage - cyanosis - respiratory distress - aspiration of mucous - infiltration of IV Utilizes Computerized Patient Record System - CPRS & Clinicomp/Essentris Reports abusive - aggressive - threatening behaviors & documents actions via Disruptive Behavior Reporting System Responsible for timely implementation of orders & nursing interventions Requests help from staff when moving - lifting or turning patients to prevent injury to patient - self or others Helps supervise patients in transfer activities - personal hygiene - to prevent spread of infectious diseases & in preventative & rehab care aspects Documents/secures personal belongings including valuables & prosthetic devices e.g
• dentures - hearing aids - eyes & limbs Performs bladders scans - EKGs & collects urine - sputum - MRSA Nares or stool specimens Initiates Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation or activates Code Blue per policy for patients found unresponsive/not breathing Monitors patient's compliance & oxygen Participates in patient care conferences & helps create nursing care plans Interacts w/ patients & other employees according to facility policies by professionally executing assigned duties & responsibilities Reports all accidents ASAP to RN - Lead Nurse - Charge Nurse or Nursing Supervisor Notifies responsible parties of unsafe/unhealthy environmental situations/conditions Corrects safety hazards ASAP Puts broken equipment out of service ASAP - tags it & submits Maximo repair request Properly handles - reprocesses & maintains reusable medical equipment Complies w/ all documentation procedures - including timeliness & accuracy standards Participates educational activities - completes unit based in-services - & mandatory educational activities in self-directed manner Identifies own deficits in skills & knowledge & acts to correct performance Receptive to constructive feedback & self-directed to improving performance & interpersonal skills to enhance professional development Demonstrates positive - effective communication skills & professional behavior that promote cooperation & teamwork Practices good customer customer service & demonstrates VA I-CARE values Participates in unit-based quality of care performance improvement activities - unit based performance improvement measures & results Perform other duties as assigned Work Schedule: 3-12 hour shifts one week & 3 12-hour shifts plus an 8 hour shift the following week - with rotating weekends & holidays Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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) 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 #: PD51164A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized