Summary

These Nursing Assistant positions are located in our Community Living Center (CLC) - at the VA Maine Healthcare System. This position is full-time at 40 hours per week.

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: 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 NA
• 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-3: Experience and Education
• None beyond the basic requirements
• 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
• GS-5: Experience
• (Full Performance Level)
• 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 KSA 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)
• 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-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: Work involves varying periods of sitting - standing and walking
• Working with Veterans/residents requires bending - stooping - teaching - lifting - balancing - kneeling - pushing - i.e. - wheelchairs - geri-chairs - litters and similar activities
• Also - it may be necessary to perform such activities as CPR and psychiatric intervention at a unit-specific level.

Duties

• Nursing Assistants function as a member of the nursing care team and assist licensed nursing staff - and other members of the care team in the care of patients/residents receiving outpatient care - home or community living care or other patients/residents who are in acute - sub-acute - or chronic states of illness
• The significant factor is that they provide care under close supervision and refer issues/questions to supervisors or other healthcare professionals
• Depending on grade and assignment duties may include but are not limited to: Under the direction of the RN the NA provides care to acutely ill patients including baths - personal hygiene - nutrition/feeding - elimination - intake and output
• Including assisting with all activities of daily living (ADL)
• Under the direction of the RN the NA may initiate and assist with CPR per hospital policy
• Practices under the model of Patient Centered Care while exhibiting the ICARE values
• Maintains full patient confidentiality
• Participates in the admission - transfer and discharge of patients
• Prepares patient care rooms for admissions or transfers
• Assists with removing patient specific items from the room at discharge
• Performs active and passive range of motion exercises
• Supports and assists patient with turning - moving - or transferring from bed to chair - commode etc
• The NA will maintain competency and utilize lift equipment to practice safe patient handling
• Assists with postmortem care of the body after death and transport of the body to the morgue
• Performs assigned clinical procedures - such as
• application of External Urinary Device's (EUD) and colostomy bags - unsterile soaks and compresses - hot and cold applications - elastic hose - binders - bladder scanning - and oral suctioning
• Performs assigned technical procedures - such as blood glucose monitoring and quality controls - EKG's - taking and recording blood pressure - temperature - pulse - respiration - height - weight - incentive spirometer - collecting specimens - such as expectorated sputum - feces - urine-voided midstream and drainage collection bag
• Documents vital signs - nursing care and belongings inventory list in the electronic medical record and on appropriate flow sheet
• Other duties as assigned Nursing Assistant - vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Nursing-Assistant-Career-Flyer.pdf Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Rotating Shifts to include: Days - Evenings - Weekends and Holidays Recruitment Incentive (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 #: F2476 - F2477 - F2478 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Notifications: 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
• This position is covered by a special rate
• The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's
• Due to a critical staffing shortage - 38 U.S.C. § 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement
• This position is in the Excepted Service.