The Nursing Assistant (NA) assigned to the Community Living Center (CLC) provides safe and individualized resident care to complex, frail and mostly elderly residents who are chronically ill in a home environment. The primary practice setting is in the CLC. 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. English Language: Nursing Assistants must be proficient in both spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. 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 Nursing Assistant occupation; OR, Completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related [training]course of study [or program] of less than one year as a NA and may also meet in full the experience requirements for GS-3. Grade Determinations: Nursing Assistant GS-0621-05 (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 KSAs listed 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). In addition, 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. Preferred Experience: 3-5 years of current Nursing Assistant Experience. 1-2 years of Nursing Assistant Experience in along term/skilled nursing facility. Nursing Assistant certification desirable. Plans, organizes, and completes assignments within scheduled shift. Experienced in infection prevention procedures, safety procedures, and long-term regulations. 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 GS-05. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. ["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 **If you are a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply to announcement # CBST-12633685-25-SC** The duties of the Nursing Assistant include, but are not limited to: Performs/assist with resident's Activities of Daily Living (ADL) as per the resident's required level of assistance including functional mobility, transfers, personal hygiene, grooming, bathing, toileting, dressing, transfers, ambulation and feeding. Ensures/verifies meal consumption for each resident by either asking resident about his/her food intake including food brought from off premises, verbal prompting to encourage resident to eat, physically guiding resident or feeding residents that require full physical assistance. Utilizes adaptive feeding equipment. Adheres to dysphagia and aspiration precautions. Ensures/verifies consumption of snacks and supplements. Performs hydration rounds including residents with enteral tubes to avoid dehydration and other medical complications. Performs, assist or cues for appropriate dental mouth hygiene and understands the correlation between mouth care and pneumonia. Utilizes \"Mouth Care without a Battle\" techniques as established. Performs, assist or cues in resident bath including hair and complete body. Bed bath with wipes is performed in between showers. Perianal care is provided as needed to ensure resident is clean and dry. Utilizes \"Bathing Without a Battle\" (BWB) techniques, as needed. Monitors for need of tracheostomy care and notifies RN or LPN to perform procedure. Assures oxygen therapy is connected as per order. Positions resident to promote breathing and to maintain airway. Assists patients with incentive spirometry. Performs bowel care effectively according to the resident bowel care program to avoid bowel accidents, constipation, and autonomy dysreflexia. Monitors for signs and symptoms of constipation including bowel movement patterns. Implements nursing interventions to prevent Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) including Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI). Always maintains urinary drainage bags covered, fixed, below bladder level and less than half full. Implements skin and wound care program interventions as Per policy including but not limited to: Skin inspection during care activities. Turning and repositioning program interventions. Interventions to reduce friction and shear. Management of incontinence associated dermatitis. Applying preventive dressings in bony prominences. Placing pressure redistribution support surfaces. Prevention of Skin Tears. Work Schedule: Rotation of tours, including weekends and holidays, subject to change based on the needs of the facility. 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 #: 00195F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized"]
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.
